Kate Middleton’s New Royal Responsibility Ties In Perfectly With Her Secret Talent
Today, Kensington Palace announced that the Duchess of Cambridge has taken on a new patronage, and it’s perfect for her. Dare we say...picture perfect?
Yes, after 67 years, the queen has passed on her role as patron of the Royal Photographic Society to Kate Middleton. Middleton works with several other visual art establishments, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and National Portrait Gallery, but the RPS is a particularly good match.
“The Duchess of Cambridge has a long-standing interest in photography,” wrote Kensington Palace on Twitter. Many royal watchers know that, more often than not, it is the duchess who takes the official portraits of her children: like Prince Louis’s first birthday photographs or Princess Charlotte’s fourth birthday snaps. In part, privacy plays into this. During intimate moments, like a child’s first day of school, it is less invasive for the children to have their mother orchestrating the shot.
But Kate, it seems, sincerely enjoys photography and has a knack for it. Back in 2017, she received an honorary lifetime membership from the Royal Photography Society. “Kate is genuinely good at taking portraits,” The Sun’s royal photographer Arthur Edwards told Hello. “She fills the frame and uses natural light. She has captured some amazing pictures of her children.”
This fact is surely not lost on Queen Elizabeth. In general, she hands her patronages to those royal family members who show an interest in each related field. This January, for example, she bequeathed her role at the Royal National Theatre to the Duchess of Sussex—a former actress. And for photography, Kate Middleton seems like the most fitting choice.
It also shows a glimpse into the future of the monarchy. Not just because Queen Elizabeth is slowly relinquishing some of her responsibilities, but also because the public can start seeing what Middleton will champion as a queen-to-be. Children’s mental health, the outdoors, and the visual arts are all matters that are dear to her. Often, she combines them. Take her garden at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which highlighted the positive effect of nature on young people’s well-being. Or even today, when the duchess hosted a photography workshop for children. “Today’s sessions, run by the Royal Photographic Society, highlight how photography provides a universal language for young people to express themselves and explore their thoughts and feelings,” Kensington Palace stated.
Perhaps one day we will even see Prince George, Princess Charlotte, or Prince Louis getting behind the lens.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
