The Princess of Wales shared a personal message on social media today to say she was “looking forward” to working with the UK’s new head of talent scouting, Dwayne Fields.
Royal fans were thrilled to read the post on X shortly after 1pm from Kate, who is co-president of the Scout Association, which was signed with her trademark “C”.
She wrote: ‘I’m delighted to welcome @DwayneFields as the new head of Scouts UK. Scouts are an amazing organisation that teaches #SkillsForLife and makes a huge difference to young people across the country. I look forward to working with you! C.’
The Princess has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment following her cancer diagnosis, which she revealed in March, and has retired from public duties.
Following her tweet today, royal supporters said it was “lovely to hear from the Princess of Wales”, with one describing it as a “lovely message from Catherine”.
The Princess of Wales, watched by Prince William and Prince George, tries her hand at archery as she joins volunteers to help refurbish the Upton Scouts’ third hut in Slough on May 8, 2023.
Kate’s message comes a day after her husband Prince William sported his summer beard in public for the first time while visiting an exhibition about homelessness.
The Prince debuted his new look in an online video with Kate in August, when they praised the achievements of the nation’s athletes following the Paris Olympics.
The stubble was still in place yesterday as he visited Homelessness: Reframed, an exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery that aims to give a fresh perspective on the issue.
As for Mr Fields, the first black Briton to reach the North Pole, he was announced last night as the UK’s new Chief Scout.
He pledged to show that the group “is a family to absolutely everyone” and to attract new communities that may have been put off by “a lot of the old ideas” around Scouting, such as those in inner cities.
Dwayne Fields, the first black Briton to reach the North Pole, is the UK’s new Chief Explorer.
Prince William talks to an artist during a visit to the Saatchi Gallery in London yesterday
The adventurer will succeed TV star Bear Grylls, who was appointed Chief Scout in 2009, aged 34, making him the youngest man in the UK to hold that role at the time.
Born in Jamaica, Mr Fields came to the UK at the age of six.
He became the first black Briton to reach the North Pole in 2013 and has since enjoyed a successful career in adventure and television, presenting shows on Channel 5, Disney+ and National Geographic.
This included recreating the Antarctic voyages of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen alongside Ben Fogle for a 2023 television series.
Mr Fields, 41, was formally installed as chief scout yesterday at Scout Park in north-east London, where he spent time in the Cub Scouts as a boy.
He said he hoped to be a “role model” for a new generation of Scouts and encourage new communities to join the group, which was formed by Sir Robert Baden-Powell in 1907 with a camp of 20 boys on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour.
Scoutmasters are appointed for a five-year term, but can serve longer. Mr Fields will be the 11th person to hold the title.