Today, the Duchess of Cambridge turns 40, and to mark the milestone birthday, Kensington Palace has released a series of new photos of Kate. In one the portraits, which were taken at Kew Gardens in November 2021 by the photographer Paolo Roversi, the Duchess wears a bold red dress with one voluminous sleeve. She accessorized the look with a pair of statement earrings (below).
The other two images (below) were released in black and white. In one, Kate is wearing a light, off-the-shoulder gown with bows, and in the other, she appears to wear a one-shoulder ruffled top or dress.
These portraits will eventually be added to the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery, but ahead of the Gallery's re-opening in 2023, the images will be part of Coming Home, which is described by Kensington Palace as "a nationwide initiative which sees portraits of well-known individuals being sent to locations which they are closely associated with."
In 2022, Kate's portraits will displayed in Berkshire, St Andrews, and Anglesey, three locations described as having "a special meaning to Her Royal Highness." Further details regarding when and where the images will be displayed will be announced "in due course."
Kate serves as patron of the National Portrait Gallery, and in recent years, has collaborated with the organization Hold Still, a photography project documenting the pandemic, which has since become a book.
“We’ve all been struck by some of the incredible images we’ve seen which have given us an insight into the experiences and stories of people across the country. Some desperately sad images showing the human tragedy of this pandemic and other uplifting pictures showing people coming together to support those more vulnerable,” Kate said in a statement about Hold Still last year.
“Hold Still aims to capture a portrait of the nation, the spirit of the nation, what everyone is going through at this time. Photographs reflecting resilience, bravery, kindness – all those things that people are experiencing.”
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand's Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
