Princess Kate issued a witty comeback when being told a spirited “no” by schoolchildren as she extended her engagement at Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk to greet members of the public.
The Princess of Wales embarked on a solo visit to the family-operated weaving mill, which aimed to showcase Britain's textile heritage and industry careers.
After completing her tour of the historic textile facility on Thursday, Kate emerged to acknowledge the patient crowd assembled outside the building.
She expressed gratitude to those who had waited, telling them: "Thank you for waiting. I saw you when I came in, and I wanted to say hello, because you have been waiting very patiently."
Princess Kate extended her engagement at Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk to greet members of the public
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Among those waiting were pupils from local schools, including students in Years 5 and 6 - the same academic year as her daughter Princess Charlotte.
While meeting them, Kate then enquired about their return to education, asking: "Is it nice being back at school?"
The children quickly responded with an empathic and unanimous: "No!"
Kate pantomimed their answer with her own exclamation of "No!", prompting laughter from the young students.
Kate spoke with a group of schoolchildren about returning for the winter term, who gave her an emphatic response
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Kate then issued a witty retort, quipping: "That must have meant you had a really good holiday!"
When one pupil responded with "Kind of," the princess repeated the phrase before continuing to greet other well-wishers in the crowd.
During her visit, the princess engaged warmly with other members of the public who had assembled outside the mill.
A child presented her with a floral bouquet, which Kate graciously accepted whilst thanking them for attending.
The Princess of Wales returned with her own witty response, amusing the children
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The royal also paused to admire a pet dog amongst the crowd, describing the animal as "gorgeous" as she interacted with its owner.
Never far from Kate’s mind was her three beloved children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The princess wore a £355 necklace that carried three gold letters – G, C and L – the initials of her children.
"When someone in her role selects something like this, it’s rarely random. It’s about carrying the people and values closest to her," Jewellery expert Nilesh Rakholia told GB News.
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Kate continued to keep her own three children close to heart, wearing a necklace bearing their initials
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Kate has recently returned from her summer break alongside Prince William and their three children.
Upon their return, the royal children had resumed their studies at Lambrook School.
It is unclear if George, Charlotte and Louis share the sentiment of the schoolchildren their mother met about returning to school.
However, it may have been a bittersweet day for Prince George, who will leave behind his younger siblings next year with a move into secondary education.