Kate Middleton made a secret visit yesterday to meet with patients at UK treatment center Clouds House, following her announcement last month that she would help combat drug and alcohol addiction. The center is adjacent to the offices of parent company Action on Addiction, one of the four charities which Middleton supports, and whose headquarters she also spent several hours touring. The visit went unannounced by the Royal Court, reportedly because Middleton wants to gain an in-depth understanding of the charity’s work before she carries out any public engagements to raise its profile. “The Duchess will continue to use her time to get to know people at the charity,” said a spokesman. “You can’t learn everything there is to know in one day.” Middleton is next expected to meet recovering alcoholics on Feb. 14 at the non-alcoholic Brink bar in Liverpool, another Action on Addiction project. The future queen's focus on addiction makes sense, as an estimated one in three Britons will suffer from addiction at some point in their lives.