Field trips were easily the best part of school—whether it was a museum visit or a day at an amusement park, nothing beat the excitement of escaping the classroom. But let’s be real, none of my school trips ever included a surprise royal guest.

Kate, the Princess of Wales, went back to school Tuesday, joining a group of young students on a field trip. The 43-year-old princess, a mother of three herself, surprised visitors outside the National Portrait Gallery in London when she stepped off a bus with a group of 4 and 5-year-old students from All Souls CE Primary School.

The Princess of Wales was reportedly “animated” and “nurturing” with the little ones during Tuesday’s National Portrait Gallery outing.