The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made a surprise appearance to unveil a newly-commissioned dazzling royal portrait - the first of themselves together as a couple.
Prince William and Kate arrived at the 200-year-old Fitzwilliam Museum today to unveil the painting by award-winning portrait artist Jamie Coreth.
In the stunning artwork, William is depicted in a black suit with a white shirt and blue tie while Kate wears the emerald green Vampire's Wife gown she wore while on a visit to Ireland in 2020.
She also wears the Queen's Cambridge Pearl Pendant brooch as well as Princess Diana's pearl bracelet and Collingwood pearl earrings.
The pair also have their arms around each other with the painting showing them gazing off into the distance.
The duke and duchess, both 40, met Coreth as they viewed the painting of themselves while in Cambridgeshire for a series of engagements.
William said, after looking at the painting: “It’s quite big.” He told Coreth it was “amazing”.
The duke and duchess both studied history of art at St Andrews University, though William later switched to geography.
The portrait was commissioned last year by the Cambridgeshire Royal Portrait Fund, held by the Cambridge Community Foundation, as a gift to Cambridgeshire.
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With this brief in mind, the artist worked to incorporate the city of Cambridge into the portrait by painting the background with the tones and colours of many of the historical stone buildings that are synonymous with the city.
The portrait also includes the use of a hexagonal architectural motif which can be seen on buildings across Cambridge.
Members of the public will be able to view the portrait at the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum for an initial period of three years, after which the artwork will be exhibited in other community spaces and galleries around Cambridgeshire.
The painting will also be loaned to the National Portrait Gallery for a short time in 2023 to mark the Gallery’s reopening.
Coreth is described on his website as “one of Britain’s leading portrait artists” who “focuses on the character of his sitters, evoking a sense of their presence in his work”.
He said: "It has been the most extraordinary privilege of my life to be chosen to paint this picture. I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified.
"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.
"The piece was commissioned as a gift for the people of Cambridgeshire, and I hope they will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it.”
Luke Syson, director of Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be the first to be able to show the only double portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge so far to have been painted, and commemorating of course their connection with Cambridge through their titles.
“It’s a great moment for the Fitzwilliam.”
