It's not like a princess to surprise royal fans, but Kate Middleton made an unexpected appearance ahead of the BBC's annual Children in Need telethon, speaking to audiences and kicking off the night's show. According to People, the event started back in 1980 and has since raised more than £1 billion for disadvantaged children in the United Kingdom. 

For the occasion, Kate spoke directly to the camera, saying that she was "delighted" to be involved, all while wearing a puff-sleeved Lisou blouse with tiny rainbows printed on a deep blue background. She had her hair parted in the middle and curled in deep waves, with her fresh curtain bangs framing her forehead as she spoke about the telethon's efforts to help children in need.

"Tonight is all about helping to support, champion, and empower all children to be the very best they can be, which is crucial for their future health and happiness," she said. "Our relationships, surroundings, and experiences during the earliest years lay the foundations that shape the rest of our lives. And yet sadly, we know that for too many people, stressful and traumatic situations in early childhood can cause harm and it can take many years to overcome."

Kate continued, "It is vital, therefore, that we nurture every childhood and why the sorts of projects supported by Children in Need are so important. They help the very youngest, most vulnerable members of our society feel safe, secure, and loved in these important, formative years so that they can enjoy their childhoods now and grow to reach their potential and thrive in the world in later life. I hope you enjoy this evening’s show and best of luck to all those taking part in challenges and the incredible fundraising effort."

While her appearance wasn't planned, championing the telethon fits right in with Kate's favorite charities, including the Shaping Us campaign for her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which mainly focus on children and mothers. 

As she launched Shaping Us, which gave everyone her epic purple pantsuit moment earlier this week, a representative told People that Kate wanted to spotlight early childhood the same way that she, her husband Prince William, and his brother Prince Harry brought a new focus to mental health with the Royal Foundation's Heads Together initiative. 

"The princess really wants this campaign to bring about change in the way that we think about and see the importance of early years," a spokesperson at Kensington Palace said, adding that the campaign was just the start and would eventually be a "golden thread throughout her working life."

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