The Duchess has been patron of the National Portrait Gallery since 2012, and tonight marks the second Portrait Gala Kate has attended.
The NPG posted this lovely arrival photo - a beautiful evening in London.
The black-tie event raises funds which will directly support the National Portrait Gallery's work in delivering inspirational exhibitions and displays, offering unique learning opportunities and undertaking world-class research.
The 2017 Gala is fundraising for Coming Home, a project that will make it possible for portraits of iconic individuals to return to places that are special to them for a loan period of over three years. Coming Home will enable sitters such as Sir Walter Raleigh to return to Dorset, the Brontë sisters to Yorkshire and David Beckham to Essex.
The Duchess with the gallery's director Dr. Nicholas Cullinan.
The Duchess had the opportunity to view two exhibitions, beginning with Howard Hodgkin: Absent Friends.
The Duchess discussed the pieces with Dr. Cullinan.
It marks the first exhibition of portraits by Howard Hodgkin who passed away earlier this month. Born in Hammersmith, Hodgkin served as an RAF officer rising to Wing Commander during the Second World War. Most frequently associated with abstraction, he enjoyed a successful career since his first London solo show in 1962. He was closely involved with the exhibition 'Absent Friends' at the NPG but sadly did not live to see it. A principle concern of his art has been to evoke a human presence. The exhibition explores Hodgkin’s development of a personal visual language of portraiture, which challenges traditional forms of representation.
Already receiving rave reviews, the exhibition has been hailed as "unmissable" and a "stunning farewell" to one of Britain's greatest artists. In their review The Financial Times wrote: "A first posthumous exhibition crystallises a reputation. Hodgkin was prolific in old age, and recent exhibitions have strongly exposed later work which, as often with older artists, tends to abstraction. But he was never a wholly abstract painter. With a terrific selection of Hodgkin’s most memorable images, the NPG from start to finish stretches the limits of what a portrait can be, and demonstrates how audaciously Hodgkin collapsed boundaries between figurative and non-figurative art."
Next, Kate viewed Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun: Behind the mask, another mask, where Kate was hosted by Gillian Wearing, who explained the significance of the works featured.
Gillian Wearing is a conceptual artist who won the Turner Prize in 1997 and in 2007 was elected as a lifetime member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
More on the exhibition from the gallery: "This exhibition brings together for the first time the work of French artist Claude Cahun and British contemporary artist Gillian Wearing. Although they were born almost seventy years apart and came from different backgrounds, remarkable parallels can be drawn between the two artists. Both of them share a fascination with the self-portrait and use the self-image, through the medium of photography, to explore themes around identity and gender, which is often played out through masquerade and performance." Below a self-portrait of Cahun from the 1927 series 'I am in training don't kiss me' and a self-portrait by Wearing from 2003. If interested in discovering more about the work of Claude Cahun the gallery has a fascinating history here.
Gillian Wearing is a conceptual artist who won the Turner Prize in 1997 and in 2007 was elected as a lifetime member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
More on the exhibition from the gallery: "This exhibition brings together for the first time the work of French artist Claude Cahun and British contemporary artist Gillian Wearing. Although they were born almost seventy years apart and came from different backgrounds, remarkable parallels can be drawn between the two artists. Both of them share a fascination with the self-portrait and use the self-image, through the medium of photography, to explore themes around identity and gender, which is often played out through masquerade and performance." Below a self-portrait of Cahun from the 1927 series 'I am in training don't kiss me' and a self-portrait by Wearing from 2003. If interested in discovering more about the work of Claude Cahun the gallery has a fascinating history here.
In the Balcony Gallery The Duchess viewed artwork commissioned for the Gala by artists such as Grayson Perry and Juergen Teller.
To mark the gala, and help raise funds during the evening, a range of artwork has been especially created, including 10 unique masks by the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Philip Treacy, and 100 postcard-sized works of art for a Mystery Portrait Postcard Sale.
Kate was very much in her element and described the artwork she saw as "amazing".
Before dinner, Kate met a selection of guests at a reception, including those who have contributed to the event, friends of the gallery and artists.
Kate met Phillip Chung, father of television presenter and model Alexa Chung, who remarked on the collection of art he had built up thanks to his children. The Duchess told him that she too had begun gathering her own children's artistic efforts together.
Dr. Cullinan joked "It’s interesting to be talking to so many people, and know none of them are looking at me"
Kate chatted to a couple who have a child at Thomas's Battersea, the school George will be attending (more on that further down). More from the Mail Online:
Other guests included familiar faces to the Duchess such as James Middleton's girlfriend Donna Air.
Prince William's uncle Earl Spencer and his wife Karen.
One of Kate's favourite designers Erdem with Alexa Chung.
Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike wearing a gown by Erdem.
The gallery shared this photo from the dinner.
Kate was accompanied by Sophie Agnew again tonight, she's an assistant to Rebecca Deacon.
You may recall when the Duchess attended the 2014 Portrait Gala she donned her much-loved sweeping, ink-blue Jenny Packham gown teamed with the Queen's dazzling Nizam of Hyderabad necklace.
To mark the gala, and help raise funds during the evening, a range of artwork has been especially created, including 10 unique masks by the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Philip Treacy, and 100 postcard-sized works of art for a Mystery Portrait Postcard Sale.
Kate was very much in her element and described the artwork she saw as "amazing".
Before dinner, Kate met a selection of guests at a reception, including those who have contributed to the event, friends of the gallery and artists.
Kate met Phillip Chung, father of television presenter and model Alexa Chung, who remarked on the collection of art he had built up thanks to his children. The Duchess told him that she too had begun gathering her own children's artistic efforts together.
Dr. Cullinan joked "It’s interesting to be talking to so many people, and know none of them are looking at me"
Kate chatted to a couple who have a child at Thomas's Battersea, the school George will be attending (more on that further down). More from the Mail Online:
'She was introduced to Richard Found, who runs an architecture and design practice, and his wife Jane Suitor, an art consultant and collector, who revealed that their child was also at Thomas's School in Battersea, where her son will be starting in September. They told the Duchess it was a 'great school' and she said she hoped to see them at the school gates. 'We were chatting about Thomas', the school George will be going to,' said Mr Found afterwards. We're parents there as well. She just said "I may see you at the school gates".'
Other guests included familiar faces to the Duchess such as James Middleton's girlfriend Donna Air.
Prince William's uncle Earl Spencer and his wife Karen.
One of Kate's favourite designers Erdem with Alexa Chung.
Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike wearing a gown by Erdem.
The gallery shared this photo from the dinner.
Kate was accompanied by Sophie Agnew again tonight, she's an assistant to Rebecca Deacon.
You may recall when the Duchess attended the 2014 Portrait Gala she donned her much-loved sweeping, ink-blue Jenny Packham gown teamed with the Queen's dazzling Nizam of Hyderabad necklace.
The Duchess chose a dark green lace gown by Temperley London for the event. If the gown looks familiar to you it may be because it's likely the same one Kate wore for the Queen's 90th birthday dinner, only a car photo was taken, it can be viewed here. The long sleeve gown features sheer sleeves with a floral pattern, a bow belt to accentuate the waist and a scooped out back. It's a classic Temperley silhouette.
A closer look at the floral detail.
The gown is very much reminiscent of Kate's much loved Temperley London Amoret. The black lace gown was trimmed with scalloped eyelash edges and featured a curved seam. The floral pattern is incredibly similar to the gown Kate wore tonight.
Kate teamed the dress with a pair of statement Kiki McDonough earrings.
Kate's earrings are very similar to the £5,340 Candy Pink Tourmaline and Green Amethyst Drop Earrings are described as "Stunning pear drop green amethysts and pretty round pink tourmalines surrounded by delicate diamonds set in 18ct yellow gold make these truly beautiful earrings."
 |
| Kiki McDonough |
Kate carried her Wilbur and Gussie Gold Glitter Clutch.
 |
| Wilbur & Gussie |
Middleton Maven notes it very much appears Kate wore her Jimmy Choo Dart Sandals (memorably worn at the State Dinner in Malaysia in 2012). The sandals feature metallic leather and an asymmetric ankle-wrap. They originally retailed for $820.
Hannah Furness shared an arrival video which offers a good look at Kate's dress.
Duchess of Cambridge arrives for the NPG gala in Temperley pic.twitter.com/RYZugBu1Lx— Hannah Furness (@Hannah_Furness) March 28, 2017
If interested in viewing the exhibitions discussed in the post, Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun's runs until 29 May; tickets are available here. Howard Hodgkin's 'Absent Friends' can be viewed until 18 June with tickets available here. We conclude this portion of the post with a quote from the uniquely talented artist.
************
We also have several other updates to share with you beginning with announcements from Kensington Palace earlier today. On Tuesday, 4 April, Kate will attend the opening night of the musical '42nd Street' at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in aid of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH). '42nd Street' has been described as the "quintessential backstage musical comedy classic" and includes songs such as 'We're in the Money', 'Lullaby of Broadway', 'Dames', 'I Only Have Eyes For You' and '42nd Street'. The musical has played to great global acclaim for almost 40 years and its popularity serves as a legacy to Gower Champion, the legendary director and choreographer of the original Tony Award-winning production. It looks like it's going to a great night in support of a fantastic cause. Speaking of EACH, they are auctioning the Boden hat Kate tried on during the Holt charity shop opening. If you're interested in placing a bid please click here.
The Palace also confirmed the Duchess will visit Luxembourg on Thursday, 11 May. Kate will attend the commemoration of the 1867 Treaty of London, which confirmed Luxembourg’s independence and neutrality. This visit is at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Telegraph has described the visit and others planned for members of the Royal family around Europe as "the next stage of the Brexit tour". Further details are to be announced closer to the date; I expect aides are finalising other engagements for the day in addition to the commemoration. Perhaps we'll see the Duchess meeting members of Luxembourg's royal family? It's interesting to observe the role of the Royal family in deploying 'soft diplomacy'. Where we would normally be chatting about Commonwealth tours, the focus looks to remain on Europe throughout the year. It will mark Kate's second solo overseas trip following her visit to the Netherlands last year.
************
As referenced earlier in the post, Prince George is to attend Thomas's School in Battersea, South London this September. Whilst it was widely reported he would follow in his father's footsteps at Wetherby, William and Kate have chosen the co-educational school. The school is described as a "busy, thriving, purposeful school educating 540 boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 13. Art, ballet, drama, ICT, French, music and physical education are all taught by specialist teachers from a child's first day in school. It's an interesting choice because Thomas's actually have a branch in Kensington, very close to the Palace, whereas the Battersea branch is the bones of a 30 minute drive. A factor in their decision may be the fact Battersea is not only a co-ed but has a kindergarten. I expect they are thinking ahead and plan to send Charlotte there too.
Addressing parents in a letter, the £6,000-a-term school's headmaster Ben Thomas wrote:
'We are delighted to let you know that they have chosen Thomas's and that from September Prince George will be a pupil at Thomas's Battersea. This is clearly a significant moment for their family and most certainly for Thomas's. Like so many parents, the Duke and Duchess have put a great deal of thought into the choice of their eldest child's first "big school".
We are honoured that the aims and values of Thomas's reflect those that Their Royal Highnesses would like for Prince George's education. We are deeply conscious of the trust that they, like all Thomas's parents, are placing in us and we hope very much to live up to their expectations. The Duke and Duchess have made it clear that they do not wish Prince George's attendance at Thomas's to change its aims, values or ethos in any way. They would like, as far as is possible, for him to enjoy the same education that all of our pupils receive and for them to join the school community as all of our new parents do.’
************
And last, but certainly not least, Kate's private secretary Rebecca Deacon and Adam Priestly were married at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace on Saturday. Rebecca looked simply radiant in a classically elegant white gown and an updo. Very few photos have surfaced from the event and it is not known whether William and Kate attended. I would imagine it's very, very likely they were there for the ceremony, perhaps slipping out privately afterwards. There are a couple of photos of the happy couple leaving the ceremony on the Mail Online. A huge congratulations to Mr and Mrs Priestly, it looked like a beautiful wedding!
