As senior royalty, Kate Middleton can champion a variety of causes close to her heart, and on October 19, the Duchess of Cambridge (opens in new tab) was the keynote speaker at an event addressing one of these causes: addiction.

Middleton attended the event to launch the Forward Trust's new campaign, "Taking Action on Addiction (opens in new tab)." At the event, the Duchess wore a bright red dress with a turtleneck and pleated skirt, paired with a tan mini bag and tan pointed stilettos. [I am delighted that Forward Trust and Action on Addiction have joined forces to take this bold step to help more people, families and children overcome addiction. I have been a patron of Action on Addiction for nine years and have seen the Forward Trust's work at HMP Send on several occasions.

"I am continually struck by the passion, expertise and dedication of the staff and volunteers. In fact, a major driving force behind my ongoing work on early childhood has been the conversations I have had with individuals and families affected by addiction. Now that the link between early childhood trauma and addiction in later life is widely understood, it is more important than ever that we focus on these issues in order to create a happier, healthier, and more nurturing society.