Playful Kate Middleton shows off maternal side as she dances with toddler on royal visit to Bradford

Kate Middleton showed off her maternal side today as she danced with and cuddled an adorable tot during her royal visit to Bradford. 

The Duchess, 38, and Duke of Cambridge, 37, were cheered and welcomed by hundreds of well-wishers as they visited community projects that promote cohesion in the West Yorkshire city. 

While at the Bradford Khidmat Centre, the royal couple got involved in a session of the Older Yet Wiser project, which supports grandparents with child-caring responsibilities.

As the group sang the ‘banana song’, which included the lyrics ‘peel bananas, peel peel bananas’, Kate picked up 18-month-old Sorayah Ahmad and danced with the youngster, helping her shake her rattle in time with the music.

But the mother-of-three insisted her husband was not keen on having another child, telling a fan: ‘I don’t think William wants any more.’  

Baby Sorayah appeared completely charmed by the Duchess, with the two snuggling up for a hug during the royal visit to Bradford 

The royal could be seen bonding with the toddler during her royal visit to Bradford alongside husband Prince William, 37, 

Inside City Hall, the couple sat down with young community volunteers.

William told Rosena Nawaz: ‘We all look after our bodies, go to the gym, keep fit. But we need to think about our mental fitness each day too.

‘There’s a clinical side to mental health but we need to keep our minds healthy and positive every day. It’s about mental fitness too.’ Liaba Kazmi, 15, told the couple she lived in Carlton Bolling, one of the most deprived areas of Bradford, and wanted to become a politician or a policewoman to bring about change.

‘There is a saying where I come from that a five-year-old can find a drug dealer quicker than a police officer can – it’s true, it’s absolutely true,’ she said. ‘I see these kids of six or seven hanging around on street corners at 10 o’clock at night without their parents.’

It was revealed in November last year that Kate takes son Prince Louis, one, to weekly £12 Monkey Music sessions. 

The classes are led by a monkey puppet who asks mothers to sing with their babies and dance around the room holding scarves.

Kate and Prince William were visiting the community centre and joining in a music session with local parents when the Duchess cuddled up with the adorable toddler.

The royal proved she was every bit the natural, scooping the little girl up off the floor before bobbing along to the music with the cute toddler in her arms.

Kate could be seen snuggling up with the eighteen-month-old during her visit to the Khidmat Centre in Bradford

The eighteen-month-old appeared happy to be cuddled by the Duchess, who helped her shake a rattle before the two enjoyed a game of peek-a-boo.  

The mother-of-three had her children on her mind today as she revealed she tried to knit a special jumper for Prince George, but it ‘splattered’.

The visit on Wednesday is the couple’s first official engagement of the year, and marked the couple’s first since crisis talks over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s intention to step back as senior royals.

The Duke and Duchess were welcomed by a drummer as they arrived at the Bradford Khidmat Centre for their third engagement of the day, after meeting youngsters at City Hall and making milkshakes at a restaurant.

The royal proved she is every-bit the natural with children as she cuddled eighteen-month-old Sorayah

The duchess was introduced to a group of women crocheting at the centre, who showed her hearts and blankets they had made for her children – Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis.

‘I tried knitting when I first had George,’ the duchess told them. ‘I tried to knit him a very special jumper, but I got half way down and it splattered.’

The duchess, who in 2013 disclosed she had taken up knitting ahead of the birth of her eldest child, George, added: ‘It’s such an amazing skill.’ 

The Duchess of Cambridge showed off her maternal side as she cuddled up with the toddler during the Bradford visit 

The visit comes just days after the Queen agreed Harry and Meghan could step back as senior royals and begin a ‘new life’ as an ‘independent’ family.

Following a summit at Sandringham on Monday, Buckingham Palace confirmed the couple would begin a ‘transition period’ in which they would split their time between the UK and Canada.

The summit convened by the Queen, which brought together Harry, William and the Prince of Wales, was not attended by Meghan, who is in Canada with baby son Archie.

It also emerged on Tuesday that Meghan’s father could give evidence against her in her legal battle with The Mail On Sunday, should it go to court.

The royal appeared completely besotted with the little girl, who clutched onto her two rattles throughout their cuddle 

High Court documents revealed Thomas Markle forms part of the newspaper’s defence, after The Mail On Sunday and its parent company Associated Newspapers were accused of unlawfully publishing a letter between the two.

During a visit to MyLahore restaurant earlier on Wednesday, the duke and duchess made milkshakes and met boxer Amir Khan.

The boxer said the duke had indicated he would like to work together on the Amir Khan Foundation, and that they discussed mental health in sport.

At one stage the Duchess and the eighteen-month-old enjoyed a quick game of peek-a-boo together 

The Duchess appeared happy to snuggle up with Sorayah and even played a game of peak-a-boo with the toddler 

The duke and duchess began a busy day of engagements at City Hall, where the duke spoke to local business leaders about Aston Villa FC, a team he is known to follow.

During a discussion with David Baldwin, chief executive of Burnley Football Club, William discussed injured Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

The duke said: ‘Poor Tom, it’s a horrible injury.’

He agreed that new signing Danny Drinkwater needs ‘more game time’ before looking round and joking: ‘I realise we’re going to start talking about football (now).’

Kate and Sorayah were clearly taken with one another, snuggling up for a cosy cuddle this afternoon 

Kate, who celebrated her 38th birthday last week, wore a long, military-style khaki coat by British designer Alexander McQueen.

Underneath the coat, Kate wore a black and white tartan pattern pussybow dress from high street retailer Zara, which she paired with black pointed court style heels, a small black bag and gold drop earrings by Zeen.

The Pakistani jewellery designer was favoured by the duchess during their visit to Pakistan in October.