Kate Middleton will help send kids to sleep by reading bedtime story on CBeebies

KATE MIDDLETON will help send kids to sleep by appearing on CBeebies to tell a bedtime story she reads to her three children.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, is the first member of the royals to take part in the CBeebies Bedtime Story – which has previously featured megastars such as Tom Hardy, Reece Witherspoon, Ryan Reynolds and Dolly Parton.

Wearing a comfy roll-neck sweater, jeans and sitting cross-legged, she will read a shortened version of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.

The popular children’s book is about an owl who is scared of the dark and her reading will be broadcast to mark Children’s Mental Health Week Sources close to the Duchess revealed she fell in love with the book growing up.

And as a mother has treated princes George, 8, and Louis, 3, and six-year-old Princess Charlotte, to the bedtime reading.

A source added: “The duchess personally selected the book because it chimes with children’s mental health week.

“The theme of the week is growing together and the book is about an owl who overcomes their fear of the dark.

“She enjoyed reading the book as a child and reads it to her three children now.”

The BBC set up a studio inside Kensington Palace last month to film the duchess reading the story.

She sits cross-legged on a rug beside two owls, a CBeebies stuffed toy, children’s den and fire pit.

This is the fourth year Kate has marked Mental Health Week – the previous occasions she has issued video messages.

The Duchess of Cambridge is the Royal Patron of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity.

She chose to read The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson, which is illustrated by Paul Howard.

For this year’s Mental Health Week children and adults are being encouraged to consider how they have grown emotionally.

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark follows the story of Plop, a baby barn owl, who is helped by others to grow in confidence and overcome his fears.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education said: “I couldn’t be more proud to have The Duchess read a CBeebies Bedtime Story as we mark the 20th anniversary of our CBeebies and CBBC channels.

“It’s such a special and relevant tale and perfectly represents this years’ Children’s Mental Health week theme. I can’t wait to see her deliver her own take on such a classic story and I’m sure our audience can’t either.”

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark read by The Duchess of Cambridge will air at 6.50pm, Sunday 13 February and it will remain on BBC IPlayer.

CBeebies and CBBC celebrate 20 years on air on Friday 11th February.