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Kate Middleton has donated a rose to a prison’s mother and baby unit to raise money for a cancer charity.
The flower known as ‘Catherine’s rose’ was planted at HMP Styal, in Cheshire, by a mother and her child who met the Princess of Wales last February.
Action for Children, a charity which Kate is a patron and runs the prison’s mother and baby service, said the princess had discussed the prospect of the rose being given as a gift for the outside space during her tour of the unit.
The floribunda rose, which was bred by Harkness Roses and will produce coral-pink blooms, was planted by the unit’s pond.
It was named after Kate by the Royal Horticultural Society last May, and donated as part of the princess’s fundraising initiative for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Five hundred Catherine’s Rose plants were given to green spaces and wellbeing gardens across the UK, including several of Kate’s patronages, by the cancer charity, which also receives funds from the sale of the flower.
Kate was treated at the Royal Marsden for cancer in 2024 but is now in remission.
Amanda Taylor, operational director of children’s services at Action for Children, said: ‘We were delighted to plant “Catherine’s Rose” at HMP Styal, one year on from the princess’s visit.
The Princess of Wales on her visit to HMP Styal last year. Action for Children, a charity which Kate is a patron, said the princess had discussed the prospect of the rose being given as a gift for the outside space during her tour of the unit
The flower known as ‘Catherine’s rose’ was planted at HMP Styal, in Cheshire, by a mother and her child who met the Princess of Wales last February
‘The prison pond and gardens are of huge value to the mothers and babies here, providing children with space to enjoy nature and explore the outdoors, and this new addition will be treasured both by the families we support and staff alike.
‘I would like to thank the Princess of Wales for her kind donation.’
During her visit in February 2025, the princess met with four inmates who have children. She also visited their personal accommodation and nursery.
Afterwards she met with staff and two ex-inmates to talk about their experiences.
The women spoke with confidence and conviction about what it had been like to be mothers of young babies in prison.
They made clear the treatment they had received had been exceptional and made them even more determined to ensure the lives of their children would be different.
One, who was at HMP Styal for 14 months, told the princess about the huge range of courses they had been on and how much of a difference it had made to their parenting: ‘It was a safe space. It was run by the charity [Action for Children] and not by the prison regime.
‘So to have that opportunity to step outside of the regime, if only for a few hours, was so important. You could just be a mum.
During her visit in February 2025, the princess met with four inmates who have children. She also visited their personal accommodation and nursery
Kate takes shelter under an umbrella as she leaves HMP Styal following her visit last year
‘Share ideas about how to be a better parent. I wish I could have done more.’
Kate asked: ‘Do you think if you had access to this kind of support it would have helped you before you reached crisis point on your journey as parents?
‘Would you like to see this more in the community?’
One woman, who was at the prison for 11 months and arrived when she was 30 weeks pregnant, replied: ‘It’s difficult because the crime was unrelated to decisions I made in parenthood but yes I have worked in the community and I think to have things like this [parenting courses] is imperative.
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