Kate Middleton grins as she’s sniffed by drug sniffer dog during visit to prison
The Princess of Wales visited HMP High Down to learn about how prisoners were being helped to overcome addictions
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Princess of Wales was treated like any other visitor as she was searched for drugs and contraband ahead of a charity prison tour.
Kate Middleton cracked a smile as the drug detection dog sniffed at her Alexander McQueen power suit ahead of a visit to HMP High Down in Surrey to hear how inmates recover from their addictions.
She was snapped sporting bandaged fingers on her right hand following a trampolining injury with her children as prison officials gave her the usual treatment.
Kate toured the Category C prison ahead of Addiction Awareness Week to hear about the efforts of The Forward Trust she supports as a patron.
The mother-of-three also paid tribute to her children by donning a gold necklace complete with their initials; the letters 'G, L, C' in honour of Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
The theme of this year’s Addiction Awareness Week is “Everybody Knows Somebody”, which aims to highlight the vast array of people across society who are affected by addiction.
The princess shadowed a family during a normal visit, starting with the security procedures that must be followed before visitors are allowed to enter the institution, a men’s prison and young offender institution housing around 1,100 prisoners.
She heard about the impact this has on families and learned about the recent efforts HMP High Down has put into practice to make the experience more positive for children in particular.
Serving prisoners working with The Forward Trust then discussed with Kate their experiences and the support they are receiving from the charity and prison.
The Forward Trust delivers a range of services at HMP High Down, tailored to meet the needs of the men who reside there.
They include The Bridge, an intensive abstinence-based programme, Stepping Stones, a low to medium-intensity intervention for those whose alcohol or drug consumption is at harmful or dependent levels, and Family Ties, a course of workshops focused on restoring healthy communication and trust between loved ones.