After over 10 years since Prince William and Kate Middleton were granted the title of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the royal couple have finally sat for an official joint portrait.
Revealed on June 23, 2022, at the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum, the artwork was painted by renowned English portrait artist Jamie Coreth.
“I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified,” Coreth said, as per People.
“As it is the first portrait to depict them together, and specifically during their time as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I wanted the image to evoke a feeling of balance between their public and private lives.”
In the painting, Kate stunned in a shimmering emerald green dress by The Vampire’s Wife, paired with green satin buckle stilettos by Manolo Blahnik. The mother-of-three previously wore the dress during a visit to Dublin in 2020.
Next to his wife in the portrait, Prince William wore a dark suit and a complementary green tie, as for Kate, she opted to wear her hair down in waves and paired with an array of jewellery.
However, many have pointed out that the Duchess has made a sartorial ode to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana and her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Taking note of her emerald dress, royal fans noticed that her gown was in a similar shade to one the late Princess Diana wore to the London premiere of The Hunt For Red October in 1990, who also matched her dress to her pumps.
But that’s not all, Kate also paid another homage to Princess Diana and two other royal women. The pearl bracelet she wore came straight from Princess Diana’s jewellery collection, which was passed down to the Duchess, while her brooch has been worn by Queen Elizabeth II on numerous occasions.
In fact, the brooch was originally owned by a former Duchess of Cambridge, which dates back to the nineteenth century, and features a large pearl surrounded by diamonds, with another smaller pearl hanging from the base.
According to Vanity Fair, the accessory used to be owned by Queen Mary’s mother, Princess Augusta, who later became the Duchess of Cambridge in 1818, after she married Prince Adolphus.
Since the item is a fond favourite of Her Majesty, there’s no doubt that Kate’s ode to the late Princess was greatly appreciated.
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