Prince William and Catherine were thrilled to witness the debut of their new portrait on Thursday at the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge. William remarked that it was “amazing” and “quite big.”
Jamie Coreth, a celebrated British portrait artist, created the piece, which is the first official joint portrait of Prince William and Kate.
The royal couple had the chance to see the painted portrait of themselves before it was first displayed for the general public. They met with the painter Jamie, the project’s supporters, and Lady Sibyl Marshall, the late Sir Michael Marshall’s wife, who had originally proposed the idea for the painting.
Jamie said of the portrait: “Being selected to paint this picture has been the most incredible honor of my life. I aimed to portray Their Royal Highnesses in a way that made them seem both elegant and dignified and at the same time at ease and approachable.
“I wanted the picture to convey a sense of harmony between their public and private lives because it is the first portrait of them together and specifically from the time they were The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
I hope the people of Cambridgeshire enjoy the piece as much as I have enjoyed creating it. It was commissioned as a gift for them.
The Cambridgeshire Royal Portrait Fund, managed by the Cambridge Community Foundation, commissioned the work in 2021 as a gift to Cambridgeshire.
Prince William and Kate are visiting the county to honor the area and promote causes near and dear to their hearts, such as preventing homelessness and assisting families.
William and Kate’s second engagement of the day took them to Milton’s East Anglian Children’s Hospices (EACH), where they spoke with long-tenured staff members and families who were receiving support.
Kate has been the patron of EACH for ten years, and this was her fifth visit.
Chloe Bowes, 15, who has bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria, a neurological condition, gave the Duchess a bouquet of flowers.
Face masks on, William and Kate were given a tour of the hospice where they met families and children who were receiving care before taking part in some activities in the play area.
They encountered Kirsty and Gary Carlin, whose 4-year-old daughter Libby was dozing off next to them on the floor. William requested that Libby not be awakened when the parents offered to do so. “We know what happens when you wake a sleeping child,” Kate continued.
Kate also shared a seat with an eight-year-old girl named Willow Bamber who has Leigh’s disease, a severe neurological disorder. When Willow hesitated to begin painting her hand, Kate encouraged her, “Don’t be shy,” and then pressed the painted hand onto the canvas to reveal Willow’s hand print.
The grieving family of Douglas Wright, 4, who passed away in February 2018 from a rare cancer called neuroblastoma, was introduced to the royal couple in the sensory garden on the property. As they conversed in the garden, Douglas’s mother Jane said, “It brings back all the memories.”
William and Kate attended a brief reception on the lawn to thank EACH’s donors and volunteers before departing.
In honor of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, William and Kate next traveled to Newmarket to attend the inaugural Cambridgeshire County Day at the July Racecourse.
William and Kate had the opportunity to browse a number of stalls and interact with attendees at the event, which features 120 exhibitors from Cambridgeshire businesses, charities, community organizations, and the public sector.
In addition to showcases from organizations like blue light services, nearby charities, and volunteer groups, there were performances and demonstrations throughout the day by choirs, bands, and dancers.
The couple’s final engagement of the day focused on homelessness, a subject William finds particularly important. They went to Jimmy’s, a housing organization founded in 1995 to assist Cambridge’s homeless population.
Jimmy’s hasn’t seen William and Kate in ten years. The nonprofit organization provides protection and assistance to people, and among its offerings are workshops on life skills, housing for the future, and support for mental health.
For some of its residents, it is also testing a new type of modular home that is mobile, small, and equipped with a front door, separate living, kitchen, sleeping, and bathroom areas.
When William and Kate met a resident of a modular home, they learned about how it improved their lives and helped them develop their independence.
