The “Hold Still” photo exhibition spearheaded by the Duchess has opened online.
The official photos from Princess Eugenie’s wedding have been released and they are lovely. While this isn’t “What Eugenie Wore,” I thought you might like seeing the pictures.
Here is the detailed info on those seen in the group photo above:
There’s news tonight from Clarence House, word of the charities Kate will be a patron of, we wanted to share some information with you about each organization.
We’ll start with The Art Room, a group working with young people, helping them ‘learn and achieve’ through art. Some may recall this article in November about Kate visiting a London school so she could learn more about the program. Here is a very brief description of The Art Room via its website.
The Art Room offers art as therapy to children and young people between the ages of 5 and 16, to raise their self-esteem, self-confidence and independence.
One of my favorite parts of exploring this website was seeing examples of things created by students, like Chairs they have painted, Plates decorated by students, and more.
You can learn more about The Art Room on its Facebook page, and Twitter account, or donate here. Or, you can buy the original Art Room book or Tea Towel, those proceeds also help the group.
Here is how The Art Room reacted to the news of Kate’s involvement:
“On behalf of all of our Trustees and staff and the children and young people we support, I want to thank the Duchess for choosing The Art Room. It is a fantastic endorsement of the work we do and the role that art and creativity can play in helping children and young people whose start in life has been difficult.â€
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Those who read about Kate’s multiple visits to the National Portrait Gallery won’t be surprised to learn this is one of her choices. The Gallery owns the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, including photographs, paintings, drawings, miniatures and more. If thinking this is merely a bunch of dusty old paintings, think again.
Kate’s degree in art history will be of benefit in her role with NPG, to be sure. Current exhibitions include The First Actress, Lucien Freud Portraits, and a show with award-winning photographic portraits. If thinking about visiting the Gallery, it’s right off Trafalgar Square, well worth a visit for anyone visiting the UK.
BTW, if you enjoy museum gift shops as much as I do, the Gallery store has an outstanding selection of treasures, here is a sampling.
You can learn more about the Gallery on its Facebook page, Flickr feed and Twitter feed. If interested in donating to the Gallery, click here.
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Another charity Kate will be involved with, Action on Addiction, a group working with those impacted by all facets of addiction. Here is more from the group’s website:
We are the only charity working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education, support for families and children and campaigns.
This showcases Kate’s interest in family issues. You can learn more at Action on Addiction’s Facebook page, its Twitter feed is here. We would love to share more about the group, but we’ll have to update at a later time, the news seems to have slowed the organization’s website.
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Kate’s work with East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices will surely require extraordinary strength, the group works with children facing fatal illnesses.
More from the EACH website:
EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. We provide care and support wherever the family wishes – in families’ own homes, in hospital or at one of our hospices in Ipswich, Milton and Quidenham.
Watching only one story on the group’s site is emotionally wrenching, the thought of helping out on a permanent basis is more-than-daunting.
You can learn more about EACH at its primary Facebook page, and/or its page dedicated to raising money for a play area at its Milton hospice, here is the architectural rendering of what the group hopes to build.
This is how the play area looks now.
There is also information here on ways to help, and/or you can sign up to receive the group’s newsletter here.
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Kate’s plans to work with Scouts UK were also revealed today.
From the Scouts UK website:
HRH The Duchess of Cambridge has become Scouting’s newest volunteer and will help at local cub packs and beaver colonies, Clarence House has announced.”
More from The Guardian‘s story:
The Duchess of Cambridge is to become a regular helper with junior Scout groups in London and north Wales after making the Scout Association one of the first voluntary organisations with which she will officially be associated.
St James’s Palace said this means she will help to supervise games and other activities and probably go on weekend camps.
Those well versed in Kate’s background will recall she was a scout herself, a Brownie. The Guardian‘s story reports Kate will wear a “standard uniform of polo shirt and scarf,” this is what that looks like, from the Scouts UK online shop:
From the online description:
“The new updated version of the Network Scout Polo shirt…now has contrast purple trims on the collar, cuffs and placquet and the embroidered Scouts be Prepared logo on the chest.
There are other family ties to this group, the Queen is also a patron. While much of the media coverage seems to be emphasizing the Scouting role, Kate is not officially going to be a patron of the group.
You can read more in The Guardian’s story here, the Daily Mail story here.
Please forgive your trusty scribe, for while we generally eschew the more silly, frivolous topics related to Kate Middleton’s sartorial selections, there are days when we simply succumb. Today Yesterday, when this was originally written, was such a day.
Behold, the “How it could look” photo montage from The Daily Mail:
The story talks about hypothetical angst in the palace(s) about Miss Middleton and her possible preference for flowers in her hair as opposed to a tiara. From the story:
“The latest battleground is that Camilla is said to be desperate to persuade the bride to wear a tiara” even asking friends to intervene on her behalf ” because Kate is said to be considering wearing flowers in her hair.”
Call us crazy, it is difficult to envision the Duchess of Cornwall as “desperate” about anything, let alone Miss Middleton’s decision on her coiffure. Perhaps those more familiar with the participants can enlighten us, as we’re not nearly as conversant on this topic as those residing in the UK.
Either way, the “photo montage” is definitely peaking near the red zone on the Cringe-o-meter.
Lest we be negligent in our duties, we thought it best to note The Royal Mail has released a look at the official stamps commemorating the upcoming wedding.
The stamps feature Mario Testino’s engagement photos of Kate Middleton Prince William, a variety of products are being offered.
The stamps go on sale April 21.