Princess Kate headed to Trafalgar Square on Tuesday, a stone's throw away from Buckingham Palace, to reopen the iconic National Portrait Gallery, after an extensive three-year refurbishment programme.
During her visit, The Princess of Wales, who is a patron of the historic landmark, met with children and their parents to mark the new Under 5’s programme the gallery will launch in September. In the video below, Kate shared a touching moment with a particularly smartly dressed little one.
Why this visit was a special one for Kate
Kate has continually proven her dedication to early years education with her project Shaping Us, so it comes as no surprise she made such powerful connections with the little ones and their families.
The special programme was developed in partnership with the London Borough of Westminster family hubs and local state nurseries, which will welcome families from the local community to the Gallery and encourage creative learning, play and exploration. The Princess heared about the exciting programme, before joining nursery children taking part in a multi-sensory workshop focussed on the world of Beatrix Potter.
The Princess's brush with The Beatles
Kate also met with Sir Paul McCartney who has an upcoming exhibition at the refurbished gallery, alongside his wife, Nancy Shevell. The Beatles legend and the wife of Prince William reportedly bonded over their shared love of photography. She had a fit of the giggles as ‘Macca’, 81, who has his own photographic exhibition opening there next week, focusing on The Beatles in 1963-64, joked about whether his wife would have been born then. At 63, she would have been born in 1959 and reassured him she had been.
The spellbinding outfit details
Kate looked ravishing for her visit, opting to wear an ivory Self Portrait gown, which she paired with a matching structured jacket in the same icy hue. Adding a chic dynamic to the glamorous look, the jacket was adorned with black lining around each hem and pocket. The slick top half also featured black buttons running down along the centre. Get the look here.
The Princess completed her look with a pair of elegant black Aquazzura stilettos which were adorned with ribbon-like embellishments on the back and aptly named the Bow Tie Pump 105, in Black. As for her hair, Kate wore her brunette tresses down in perfect curls, perfectly positioned behind her ears. Kate's flawless makeup look was comprised of lashes of fluttery mascara, rosy blusher and deep nude lipstick. As for accessories, Kate opted for 'The Pearl and ‘Diamond’ earrings by jewellery brand Heavenly, elegantly pulling her monochrome ensemble together.
A look at the incredible artwork
Kate was greeted by Jamie Fobert, Project Architect, and award-winning artist Tracey Emin, who was commissioned to create artwork for the Gallery’s new doors, incorporating 45 carved brass panels and representing 'every woman, throughout time'.
The Princess had the opportunity to look at a number of new acquisitions the gallery has acquired, including Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai (Omai). Kate also viewed a brand new exhibition, Yevonde: Life and Colour, which explores the life and career of Yevonde, the pioneering London photographer who spearheaded the use of colour photography in the 1930s.
The Princess took her time to admire Tracey's incredible work, as you can see in the image below.
The incredible overhaul of the tourist hotspot has seen more than 50 new acquisitions and the restoration of the Grade I listed building. The Gallery will reopen to members of the public on Thursday 22nd June.
Kate last visited the gallery before its closure in 2020. During her visit, she viewed an incredible portrait of Captain Tom Moore. During Lockdown, Kate also launched the Hold Still community photography project.
Hold Still aimed to capture the spirit, the mood, the hopes, the fears and the feelings of the nation during the coronavirus pandemic. The project focuses on three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness. Before the pandemic struck in 2020, Kate also visited the gallery's Hospital Programme at Evelina Children's Hospital.
A busy week for the Princess of Wales
Kate never fails when it comes to her fashion, and this week's royal ensembles have both channelled a stunning Audrey Hepburn-esque allure via a ravishing monochrome colour scheme. On Monday, Kate slipped into an impeccable black and white polka-dot gown by Alessandra Rich as she stepped out at King Charles' first Garter Day service at St George's Chapel in Windsor.
Charles, 74, was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, 75, as well as the Princess Royal, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Princess oozed glamour in the black and number which featured a high neck and long sleeves had the most perfect waist-cinching bodice top, and enhanced the royal's feminine silhouette as she slipped into bespoke 'Vittorio 105' toe-cap sandals by Jennifer Charmandi. The royal's iconic brunette locks were swept back and obscured by a fabulous hat designed by Phillip Treacey.