A visit from The Princess Royal
29 October 2026
The Princess Royal visits The Honeypot Children’s Charity to meet young carers and celebrate volunteers
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, President of Carers Trust, visited our Hampshire house in the New Forest to meet young carers and volunteers, and celebrate our 30th anniversary.
We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Honeypot Hampshire, where she met young carers enjoying a residential Respite Break and learned more about our work supporting young carers and children aged 5 to 12 facing difficult circumstances.
During her visit, The Princess Royal heard directly from young carers about their experiences and saw how we provide opportunities for children to relax, have fun and enjoy the childhood experiences they deserve, but so often miss out on.
She was shown around our house and grounds, including the spaces and activities that give children time away from their everyday caring responsibilities.
Celebrating the power of volunteering
Volunteers are fundamental to our work, helping us deliver our services and reach more children. During her visit, The Princess Royal met our volunteers, including Derrick Young, and heard about the many ways they give their time, skills and experience to support our work with young carers and children who need additional support.
Her Royal Highness also visited our new Sensory Play Room for children, which will be completed soon. She heard about the practical skills and commitment our volunteers bring to creating a welcoming and fun environment where children can relax, explore and enjoy their time at Honeypot.
From supporting children at our houses and activities to helping with fundraising, events and community engagement, our volunteers make an enormous contribution. Their commitment enables us to do more and reach more children, helping us create happy memories and build brighter futures.
The visit provided an opportunity to celebrate our volunteers and recognise the difference they make to the children and families we support every day.
Marking 30 years of Honeypot
The Princess Royal also visited one of the special Canopy Trees gifted to us through The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, planted to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
During the visit, Her Royal Highness unveiled a commemorative plaque celebrating our 30th anniversary and marking this very special occasion.
Simmi Woodwal, our Chief Executive, said:
We were absolutely delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, President of Carers Trust, to Honeypot Hampshire. Having the opportunity for Her Royal Highness to meet our young carers and hear directly about their experiences was particularly special. Our children are at the heart of everything we do, and it was wonderful to see them have the opportunity to share their experiences and show Her Royal Highness what Honeypot means to them. We were equally pleased that the visit gave us the opportunity to shine a light on our incredible volunteers. Their time, skills and enthusiasm help us deliver the experiences and support that make such a difference to young carers and children who need a break from their day-to-day responsibilities. We are enormously grateful to Her Royal Highness for taking the time to visit Honeypot, meet our young carers and volunteers, and for her continued commitment to supporting carers through her role as President of Carers Trust.
For 30 years, we have supported young carers and children aged 5 to 12 who need additional support across England, Scotland and Wales. Through residential short breaks and ongoing wellbeing services, we help alleviate social isolation, reduce stress and anxiety, build confidence and improve educational outcomes.
Our mission remains as important as ever: creating happy memories and building brighter futures.