Kate Middleton Visits Site of Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Stabbing

Kate Middleton is back at her royal duties ... visiting the community center where three children were stabbed to death during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

The Princess of Wales stopped by the Southport Community Centre Thursday to speak with members of emergency services ... looking solemn as she and her husband, Prince William, chatted with several attendees.

KM wore a dark brown overcoat with a maroon dress underneath spotted with white polka dots ... matching her man in his gray blazer and maroon sweater combo.

Remember ... at the end of July, a 17-year-old went on a stabbing spree at a dance class -- killing three children and injuring seven more people.

Taylor penned a tribute to the victims the following day and appeared to meet with a couple of them a few weeks later.

For Kate, this is one of the rare appearances she's made since first announcing her cancer diagnosis back in March. She attended Trooping the Colour -- a yearly ceremony for the King's official birthday -- and Wimbledon in June and July, respectively.

Her meeting Thursday seems to indicate she's slowly making a return to public life. About a month ago, she announced she was done with chemotherapy ... adding she was "looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements."