Kate Middleton beams as she takes on new solo Royal Family engagement at Windsor Castle

The Princess of Wales is gearing up to launch a major campaign to help young children improve their life chances, it is understood.

For more than a decade, Princess Catherine has promoted research which concludes the first five years of a child's life has an "extraordinary impact" on future outcomes.

But the boss of the Early Years Alliance, Neil Leitch OBE, continues to warn a lack of government investment has forced more than five thousand early years providers to close in the last twelve months.

Meanwhile, the group of eight experts from across education, science and early years is expected to help The Princess make people across the country aware of the importance of early childhood development and spark action.

Amanda Berry, Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation (which looks after William and Kate's charity work), said: "I know their advice and experience is hugely valued by The Princess, and the whole Centre for Early Childhood team, as we continue to drive awareness of, and action on, the transformative impact of the early years."

"The Advisory Group's support in our key areas of research, collaboration and awareness raising will be invaluable and I look forward to working closely with them to make a difference for generations to come."

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has appointed former Downing Street Special Advisor to David Cameron, Christian Guy, to lead the project.

The Advisory Group is expected to support the Centre's work in "commissioning new research, learning from best practice in the UK and globally, and raising awareness of the extraordinary impact" the early years can have on children's futures.

Experts in neuroscience, psychology, perinatal psychiatry, early years services and policy development are all represented on the panel.

They include Professor Peter Fonagy OBE (Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London and Chief Executive of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families), Eamon McCrory (Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology), Dr Alain Gregoire (Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist and President and Founder of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance), Dr Trudi Seneviratne (Registrar at the Royal College of Psychiatrists), Ed Vainker OBE (co-founder of Reach Academy Feltham), Carey Oppenheim (Project Lead at the Nuffield Foundation), Imran Hussain (Director of Policy and Campaigns for Action for Children), and Beverley Barnett-Jones MBE (Associate Director at Nuffield Family Justice Observatory and Trustee at What Works in Children's Social Care).

The Princess of Wales launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, which works to "raise awareness of and promote collaborative action on early childhood to transform society for generations to come."

Last year, Her Royal Highness visited Denmark, a country widely recognised as a world leader in its approach and investment in early childhood development, to see first-hand how they support the youngest members of society.

Princess Catherine is expected to launch a national campaign, focused on early years development, later this month.