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On Feb. 3, she headed to the Welsh Quilt Centre, where Jen Jones has amassed a collection of more than 450 quilts
The Princess of Wales heard of Jones and her collection through her father-in-law, King Charles, who has visited regularly
Kate Middleton supported a skilled crafting pastime that brings people together during an unannounced trip to see a stunning collection of quilts.
The Princess of Wales, 44, was shown some of the more than 450 throws and bedspreads at the Welsh Quilt Centre in Lampeter as she ended her day in Wales on Feb. 3, 2026. The quilts belong to Jen Jones, who has spent 50 years building up the mammoth collection.
Those close to the royal say Kate wanted to highlight how sewing and quilting bring people together. The women there spoke to the princess about how the skill fosters a sense of community bonding and belonging, a palace source says. Her official Instagram, which captured moments from the visit, was captioned: “Hearing how quilting can be a source of connection, purpose and belonging. From historic pieces to work in progress, moving to see how creativity continues to bring people together across generations.”
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Princess Kate had heard of Jones and her collection through her father-in-law, King Charles, who has visited regularly and is a patron of the center.
“She was lovely, and it was a real delight,” Jen Jones tells PEOPLE of the visit. “She wanted to meet the volunteers. She sat at the table with the ladies and watched them sew. She was going to join in but was running out of time,” Jones says, adding that Kate said she would be back home in Windsor for supper.
It was the last stop on a day that showcased some of the best examples of what Wales has to offer in traditional crafts and skills, like the weaving of woolen blankets and throws, and the creation of premium, organic denim jeans by a company that has helped revitalize a town.
Over the last year, the Princess of Wales has visited businesses around the U.K. that are continuing with traditional weaving and clothing manufacture as she highlights the skill-sets that are enduring in the British fashion and homewares industries.
“More power to her,” Jones says of the royal’s mission. “She has a tradition in her family of sewing, and she said it started way back with her grandmother. She wants traditional crafts to carry on.”
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
“She is genuinely interested in the craft. We have a big exhibition that we hadn’t taken down so she was able to see that.”
In 2009, Jen Jones opened the center so that others could have the opportunity to see the vast array of Welsh quilts. Her collection was inspired by those in her family’s home in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. A child of a father in the foreign service, South Africa-born Jones has lived all over the world, but she moved to Wales in 1971 and began nurturing her love of traditional and historic Welsh quilts.
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
“My collection is saving quilts, those that would have been lost. Traditional quilts, wherever they were made, are of great interest,” she adds. “We have group visits from France, Japan, Canada and the U.S.”
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Princess Kate wanted to highlight not only how valuable heritage skills are being kept alive but also the benefits of crafts and skills for the long-term health of communities and their working populations.
