Kate Middleton Gave the Keynote Speech at an Event Tackling Addiction

The duchess is a patron of Action on Addiction.

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

As a senior royal, Kate Middleton gets to champion a number of different causes close to her heart. On Oct. 19, the Duchess of Cambridge gave the keynote speech at an event tackling one of these causes: addiction.

Middleton attended The Forward Trust's launch event for their new campaign, "Taking Action on Addiction," which "aims to reframe existing perceptions of addiction, improve understanding, reduce prejudice and enable people to ask for and receive help." For the event, the duchess wore a bright red dress with a turtleneck and pleated skirt, paired with a tan mini-bag and tan pointed stilettos.

Kate Middleton

(Image credit: Samir Hussein / Getty Images)

In a statement for the charity, Middleton said, "I am delighted that The Forward Trust and Action on Addiction have taken this bold step to join forces and help more people, families and children to overcome addiction. I have had the privilege of being Patron of Action on Addiction for 9 years, and have seen the work of The Forward Trust at HMP Send on several occasions.

"I am continually struck by the passion, expertise and commitment of the staff and volunteers, and indeed it was the conversations I had with individuals and families affected by addiction that have been a major driving force in my ongoing work on early childhood. With the link between early childhood trauma and addiction later in life becoming more widely understood, it is more important than ever that we focus on these issues so that we can create a happier, healthier, more nurturing society."

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Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.