Duchess Kate Gets ‘Baby on Board’ Badge For Pregnant Tube Riders
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s “Baby on Board” badge is a London Underground thing for commoners — allowing pregnant women to be offered seats without confusion — but the now-royal assured those at a celebratory event that she was well familiar with the Tube itself from her pre-fame days.
Kate’s “Baby on Board” badge was received today as she, the Queen, and Prince Phillip visited at Baker Street Underground station to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the London Underground.
The UK’s Mirror liveblogged Kate’s Tube visit, where the three royals met with Sir Peter Hendy, commissioner of Transport for London, the London Underground’s managing director Mike Brown, and Chief Operating Officer Howard Collins.
According to the paper, Kate’s “Baby on Board” badge initially perplexed the young Duchess — she asked Collins what the purpose of the badge was, and he explained.
The exchange seems to have jogged her memory, and she recalled her pre-royalty days Tube traveling. Collins said after the visit: “Kate said ‘Oh yes, I’ve seen this before’. She used to travel on the Tube so she probably saw them then … She asked me ‘How do they work?’ and I said they’re fantastic, they really do make a difference – saves men the embarrassment of having to guess if a woman is pregnant.”
Collins added: “She asked so many great questions of the staff and seemed really interested in our work.”
The royal trio did not only discuss Kate’s “Baby on Board” badge — the Duchess, Queen and Prince Philip also toured a restored London Underground carriage from 1892, before viewing the new S7 car.
Kate’s “Baby on Board” badge didn’t become part of her ensemble during the visit, but wouldn’t you feel a bit silly wearing it, potential queen or no?
