This Rare Peek Inside of Kate Middleton's Home Office Proves She Should Start a Book Club

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

It’s not every day that we plebs get a glimpse into Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Kensington Palace home. In fact, it hardly ever happens. But on Sunday, rare photos of William and Kate’s Kensington Palace home offices surfaced — and thanks to Kate’s desk adornment of choice, we’re convinced she should start a book club.

So, what was the occasion that prompted the royal couple to offer a look into their personal lives? Not surprisingly, the photos were shared in service of the greater good. Posted to the official Kensington Palace Instagram feed, they show both William and Kate on the phone in their respective spaces speaking to local charities concerning the coronavirus quarantine. “Self-isolation and social distancing can pose huge challenges to our mental health — in recent weeks The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been in regular contact with organisations and patronages to understand the issues they are facing during this difficult time,” the caption explained.

More from SheKnows

A photo of William speaking on the phone to Mind CEO Paul Farmer reveals that his home office is basically all business. But the photo of Kate talking to Place2be CEO Catherine Roche shows that Kate’s space is filled with warm and elegant touches: a cream-colored sofa, a window seat, an oversized armoire, a child-sized settee and, our favorite, a collection of clothbound Penguin classics illustrated by Coralie Bickford-Smith.

 

Hey, Oprah has a book club. Reese, too. Kate could be a fantastic arbiter of books — and, bonus, reading is an ideal activity during self-isolation downtime. If you want to get started with Kate’s unofficial book club (i.e. the tomes sitting on her desk), here are a few picks from her collection.

A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings’

Price: $15.94

Buy Now

The Sonnets and a Lover’s Complaint by William Shakespeare

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘The Sonnets and a Lover’s Complaint’

Price: $15.19

Buy Now

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘Sense and Sensibility’

Price: $15.20

Buy Now

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘Northanger Abbey’

Price: $21.05

Buy Now

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

Price: $ 14.99

Buy Now

The Odyssey by Homer

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘The Odyssey’

Price: $15.99

Buy Now

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.
Image: Amazon. - Credit: Amazon.

Amazon.

‘Bleak House’

Price: $19.47

Buy Now

In sharing the photos of their home offices, the Cambridges also announced that Public Health England has taken several steps to help foster mental health during these unprecedented times. That includes publishing new guidance to help support people during the COVID-19 outbreak, updating its Every Mind Matters platform, and offering advice on maintaining good mental health.

“It is great to see the mental health sector working together with the NHS to help people keep on top of their mental well-being,” Kate said. “By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead.”

Before you go, check out these photos of Kate Middleton doing regular mom things.

Launch Gallery: 14 Photos of Kate Middleton Doing Regular Mom Things

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.