And find out where to get Kate’s dress!
Feast your eyes on an image fit for a (future) king.
The world got a first look at a royally good painting on Thursday with the unveiling of the first official joint portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton — or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they’ve been known since their wedding in 2011 — at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
The work, which finds Kate in a stunning green dress (with matching shoes!) and William in a suave dark suit, was created by artist Jamie Coreth, who proudly shared the end result on Instagram: “It has been the most extraordinary privilege of my life to be chosen to paint this picture,” he wrote.
“I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified,” the artist explained. “As it is the first portrait to depict them together, and specifically during their time as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I wanted the image to evoke a feeling of balance between their public and private lives.”
If Kate’s stunning gown looks familiar, that’s because she wore it on a visit to Dublin, Ireland, in March 2020 — just before the world shut down due to the coronavirus. The beautiful garment is The Falconetti Dress from The Vampire’s Wife, and if you’d like to live like a duchess for an evening, you can snatch it up right here. But dressing like royalty doesn’t come cheap: It’ll set you back $1,989.00.
Luckily, we found some similar options for much less, including this one from Reformation with puff shoulders and a mid-calf hemline similar to Kate’s, but a lower neckline if that’s more your style. If you want something that has the same glimmer as Kate’s, this one from Nordstrom sparkles just the same. If it’s the neckline, sleeves, and sparkles you love, we found something almost almost identical, yet a quarter of the price. Lastly, this emerald green satin number from Lulu’s has the same slightly speckled sheen, ruffled hemline, and flowy skirt. (And if you’d prefer a different way to pretend you’ll be queen one day, how about recreating one of Kate’s greatest hats?)
The unveiling comes during a big year for Will and Kate, as they’ve both just entered a new decade. William turned 40 just a couple of days ago, on June 21, and Kate did the same a few months earlier, on Jan. 9.
Kate didn’t do anything major to mark her milestone birthday, which came during the Omicron wave of Covid-19, but it sounds like William has bigger plans now that the virus is more under control — but he’s not leaving his wife out. Reports indicate the couple is gearing up to “celebrate their landmark birthdays in style” with a joint blowout hosted by the Queen, possibly at Windsor Castle or Sandringham Estate.
It’s safe to say we won’t be getting an invite, so we’ll just plan to celebrate at home by gazing upon this lovely portrait and pretending we had to RSVP “no” because of other obligations.
