Although she is eight months pregnant, Kate Middleton has been busier than ever attending two engagements on Wednesday in the seasidetown of Margate. The fashionable royal looked effortlessly chic as she met artists, gallery staff members and local school children.
As one of her final engagements before going on maternity leave, the Duchess of Cambridge showed off her growing baby bump in a$255 dalmatian-print coat by Hobbs. She paired the outfit with simple blackheels and a matching clutch. And as aroyal who likes to recycle her outfits, she donned this same dress inSouthampton in 2013 when she was also eight months pregnant with herfirstborn Prince George.
Kate, who has a degree in history of art from St. AndrewsUniversity (where she met husband Prince William), waved to crowds upon enteringthe Turner Contemporary art gallery to have a private viewing of a specialexhibition titled Self: Image and Identity. Among the pieces on display is thelast self-portrait by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, which was recently acquired forBritain by the National Portrait Gallery through a national fundraising charitythat helps museums and galleries buy and display works of art for everyone toenjoy.
The 33-year-old royal then met with some of the artists, whoseworks are on display in the exhibition, and learned about how the gallery workswith the local community through the Clore Learning Studio. Before moving on toher second engagement, the pregnant Duchess met with local school childreninvolved in the art project and attended a reception to meet staff andsupporters of the Turner Contemporary.
The art lover then made her way to the Resort Studios inMargate to view an exhibition featuring photomontages of local personalitiesand meet artists in residence to hear about their work with communities withinthe area.
This visit suits Kate, who is a patron of the National PortraitGallery and of the Art Room, which maintains a dedicated art room in a numberof schools. Each week up to 85 children receive art lessons designed to providethem with self-confidence, self-esteem and independence through creativity andself-expression.
The mom of one seems tohave instilled her love of art into her son Prince George.
The Duchess revealed earlier this year that she paints with the young royal.