Pregnant Duchess Kate breaks down, hugs mother who lost her baby

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton), attended the East Anglia’s Children's Hospices (EACH) Norfolk Capital Appeal launch at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich, eastern England.

EACH launched a 10 million GBP (15.5 million USD) fundraising appeal to build and equip a new children's hospice for families in Norfolk.

Kate met families who have benefited from the charity's work.

(AP)

Among them was Leigh Smith, a 33-year-old physiotherapist from Norwich whose daughter Beatrice died from a rare heart condition after just 89 days.

She revealed how she wrote a letter to Kate outlining her story, only to receive a personal reply from the duchess.

The Duchess was moved to tears as she listened to a mother recall the heartbreak of losing her three-month-old daughter.

(Reuters)

After Leigh Smith had finished her speech at the charity event, Kate reacted as any mother would – by throwing her arms around her to comfort her.

The duchess braved the cold as she went without a coat and wore a red knee-length dress by Katherine Hooker and black sued stiletto pumps as she arrived at the Norfolk Showground on a frosty morning with temperatures of about 3C.

There was just a hint of a baby bump as she met families, volunteers and staff before joining 700 guests for the appeal's launch.

The duchess is 18 weeks pregnant with her second child.

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