Kate Middleton and Prince William viewed a special piece of artwork on Thursday — their first official joint portrait.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on hand for the painted portraits unveiling during a visit to their namesake region of Cambridgeshire, which is a county in the City of Cambridge. The couple received the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from Queen Elizabeth on their wedding day in April 2011.
William and Kate stopped by the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum in the heart of Cambridge, where they viewed the painted artwork as it was revealed to the public for the first time. The piece was commissioned in 2021 by the Cambridgeshire Royal Portrait Fund, which is held by the Cambridge Community Foundation, as a gift to Cambridgeshire. It was painted by award-winning portrait artist Jamie Coreth.
“It has been the most extraordinary privilege of my life to be chosen to paint this picture,” Coreth said. “I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified.”
“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. The piece was commissioned as a gift for the people of Cambridgeshire, and I hope they will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it,” he continued.
After viewing the piece, Kate and Prince William, both 40, will meet with supporters of the project, including the artist. They will also meet Lady Sibyl Marshall, the wife of the late Sir Michael Marshall, who originally proposed the idea to create the portrait.
Later in the day, Kate and Prince William will participate in the first-ever Cambridgeshire County Day at the July Racecourse. Comprised of 120 exhibitors from Cambridgeshire businesses, charity, community and public sectors, the couple will visit a number of stalls and meet members of the public. The County Day will also celebrate The Platinum Jubilee year of Her Majesty The Queen.
During the day, there will be performances and demonstrations by choirs, bands and dancers as well as showcases from organizations including blue light services, local charities and voluntary groups. Prince William and Kate will also see leading small and large businesses that are delivering innovations in areas such as medicine and science.
During Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, Prince William and Kate visited Wales with their two eldest children: Prince George, 8, and Princess Charlotte, 7. When Prince Charles becomes monarch, Prince William will become Prince of Wales, the title given to the heir to the throne, while Kate will be known as the Princess of Wales.
The day was especially poignant for George, whose visit mirrored his father’s first official trip to Wales when he was the same age. Back in March 1991, William joined his mother, Princess Diana, and father, Prince Charles, in Cardiff. The excited crowds handed the young prince daffodils — the Welsh national flower — as he went on a walkabout outside Llandaff Cathedral.
Their appearance in Wales underlined one of the main objects of the Jubilee weekend — to not only celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign but to also stress the future and the succession of the monarchy, as both Prince William and Prince George are future Princes of Wales before becoming kings. (People)
