What a smoothie! Eight-year-old Valentine gives Kate roses and a heart-shaped cupcake

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Kate was presented with the gifts by Jaqson Johnston-Lynch, eight, in Liverpool, where she was visiting an alcohol-free bar run by his mother, Jacquie.

With RAF search and rescue pilot William on duty almost 8,000 miles away in the Falklands, Jaqson had a speech prepared. He said: "I'm saying 'Happy Valentine's Day, your Royal Highness. I'm sorry Prince William can't be here.'"

He added: "I have wrote in the card 'Dear Kate, Happy Valentine's Day, I love you, from Jaqson'."
Thousands were gathering to catch a glimpse of the Duchess, 29, on her first solo regional tour.

During her trip to The Brink bar - run by Action on Addiction, a charity of which she became patron last month - Kate was overheard saying she had received a card from her husband.

Grandmother Kathleen Cummins, 65, a worker at the bar, said: "She will probably have a big bouquet waiting for her. William will make up for it when he comes home."

Kate was served a non-alcoholic smoothie called The Duchess made from bananas, almonds, honey, milk and a dash of cream.

She also heard from one of the people the centre has helped. Mother-of-two Rachael Lyons, 36, from Toxteth, said: "This time last year I was at the worst of my alcoholism. Agencies had been called in for my children. I was in the depths of despair, my life was chaotic."

Miss Lyons said she then got help and has now been off alcohol for 11 months. "I'm the parent I should be now, which is amazing. I'm volunteering for The Brink and hoping to give something back to people in my situation."

After her speech, Miss Lyons said: "It just felt wonderful our future queen was sitting in front of me."

Kate's next stop was Ronald McDonald House Charities, an independent body which provides free "home away from home" accommodation at hospitals across the UK, enabling families to stay close to their children.

Then, on her way to Alder Hey children's hospital, which Princess Diana visited in 1990, she was stopped in her tracks and waved and smiled as hundreds of people gathered to see her shouted her name.