Duchess Kate Makes First Official Solo Appearance Since Maternity Leave

— -- The Duchess of Cambridge showed off a new look, bangs, and a motherly glow as she made her first official appearance today in London after taking nearly five months off for maternity leave.

Kate, 33, visited the Anna Freud Center, a charity that helps vulnerable children with mental health support using holistic methods education and therapeutic support. The Duchess has made mental health issues in children and young adults one of the cornerstones of her mission.

Wearing a black-and-white, houndstooth-patterned Ralph Lauren dress that retails for $1,595, the Duchess was greeted by the Center’s chief executive before touring the center and meeting with staff and parents of children helped by the Center.

Michael Samuel, chairman of the Center's Trustees, welcomed the Duchess, saying, "We are absolutely delighted that you are here and very grateful and hope that today you will get a real insight into all aspects of our work."

"Your continued support on this very important issue will be an invaluable ingredient towards making the real and urgent progress which is necessary in this area," Samuel continued.

Kate has encouraged the importance of early intervention for children struggling with challenging mental issues. With her return, she will continue to focus on her charitable work, aiding vulnerable children through a variety of mainstream and alternative therapeutic and holistic approaches in the classroom and building on her work from last year.

The visit marked Kate’s official return after giving birth to Princess Charlotte, her second child, on May 2. Today's event also marked Kate's first solo engagement since the christening of Princess Charlotte in July.

The Duchess spent the bulk of the summer with her children, 2-year-old Prince George in addition to Princess Charlotte, and husband, Prince William, at their country home in Norfolk, making a few appearances at royal family engagements and Wimbledon in July.

Today’s event marks Kate’s return to a limited program of public engagements that will also include attending the opening of the Rugby World Cup tomorrow night in London with Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry.

The royals will make a big splash in October when they attend the world premiere of the latest James Bond film, “Spectre,” to be held at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Kensington Palace has announced that William, Kate and Harry will join Daniel Craig on the red carpet at the film’s Oct. 26 premiere.

The event will be a glamorous night for the royal trio –- and first opportunity for the public to catch a glimpse of Princess Kate decked out in a gown since giving birth to Princess Charlotte – but it is not William and Harry's first meeting with Bond, James Bond.

The princes attended the premiere of Craig's second James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace” in 2008.

Prince William and Prince Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, made history during the London Olympics when she played herself alongside Daniel Craig, welcoming James Bond into her private sitting room and later “jumping” out of a helicopter, to the world's surprise.