Kate Middleton on her 40th birthday.Photo: Paolo Roversi
You’d never know it from thefinal product, butKate Middletonwas uneasy about getting in front of the camera for her40th birthday portraits.
Photographer Paolo Roversi told Italian newspaperCorriere Della Serathat the Duchess of Cambridge was “apprehensive” about the photoshoot at the start.
Over the weekend, Kensington Palace shared three portraits from the session, which took place in November at London’s Kew Gardens.
Kate Middleton on her 40th birthday.Paolo Roversi
Prince Williamand the couple’s three children —Prince George, 8,Princess Charlotte, 6, andPrince Louis, 3 — evenhelped pick one of the photosthat would be shared with the world.
Kate’s family chose the close-up shot of Kate smiling in a one-shoulder dress with her hair swept over her shoulders, and according to the photographer, it’s “where a carefree girl returns.”
Some photos from the shoot have yet to be revealed to the public, including one of Kate dancing.
“In the end I wanted to take pictures in motion, so with that wonderful wide skirt I made her dance in front of my camera, a kind of accelerated waltz mixed with a pinch of rock ‘n roll,” Roversi shared.
Prince William and the Kids Helped Choose One of Kate Middleton’s Birthday Portraits — See Their Pick!
Royal fans were quick todraw comparisonsbetween the portraits of Kate and photos of royal queens and princesses of the past.
Princess Alexandra of Denmark; Kate Middleton.Alamy Stock Photo; Paolo Roversi/Handout/Kensington Palace via Getty Image
Both the style and Kate’s ensemble are reminiscent of a June 1864 photo featuring Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who went on to become the Princess of Wales and Queen consort to King Edward VII following the death her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, in 1901. From the sepia tones to the off-the-shoulder white gown featuring bow sleeves, Kate clearly took some inspiration from the 19th-century shot.
In fact, Kate did her final dissertation at St. Andrews University (where she met Prince William!) on Victorian photography when she was studying art history in college. She alsoselected several images and wrote the forewordto the exhibition catalogue for “Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography” at London’s National Portrait Gallery in2018.
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source: people.com
