The engagement coincided with the exciting news Her Majesty has passed her patronage of the Royal Photographic Society to her granddaughter-in-law. Kensington Palace said: "The Duchess has a longstanding interest in photography, and this patronage will further highlight the beneficial impact that art and creativity can have on emotional wellbeing, particularly for children and young people."
This patronage is the very definition of an ideal fit for the Duchess. For her final year dissertation at St Andrews, a growing interest in photography led her to write about the photography of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, entitled 'Angels from Heaven: Lewis Carroll's Photographic Interpretation of Childhood'. Kate graduated with an upper second-class degree in history of art in 2005.
Kate adores photography; more often than not we see her images of her children released to mark their birthdays. The Duchess has taken her camera with her for royal tours over the years, including Canada and Southeast Asia. The arts is a growing area of focus for the Duchess - she's also patron of the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Chief Operating Officer of the Royal Photographic Society, Mike Taylor, said:
“It is a huge honour to have the Duchess as our Patron, especially given her personal interest in photography. We know that photography and creative pursuits have such a positive impact for people of all ages, and we are excited to be working with one of the Duchess’s charities in support of their work.”
The Palace added: "The Royal Photographic Society is one of the world's oldest photographic societies. It was founded in 1853 with the objective of promoting the art and science of photography, and in 1854 received Royal patronage from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Society has over 11,000 members and runs an extensive programme of more than 300 events throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Photographic Society in January 2017."
The RPS exists to educate the public and broaden their knowledge of photography whilst promoting achievement and works of note in order to "encourage public appreciation".
Membership is open to all, regardless of qualification. All that's required is a passion for photography.
The Queen served as patron for 67 years. For her 90th birthday, a striking photo of her silhouette featured on the cover of the RPS Journal.
Kate very warmly greeted Faith Olukoya with a hug.
The Duchess enjoyed chatting with a group of young people.
The visit was connected to another of Kate's patronages, Action For Children.
Kate joined a group of children from the organisation in sessions run by Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellows Nigel Wilson, Jillian Edelstein and Harry Borden, covering the use of lights and colour. The workshop highlighted how photography can provide "a universal language for young people to express themselves and explore their thoughts and feelings".
More from the Mail Online:
'London-based award-winning photographer Bronwen Sharpe praised Kate's natural ability to capture 'authentic unstaged moments'. She previously told FEMAIL: 'No other photographer would be able to capture the same connection she has with her children. There is a real warmth and love that is present in her work. 'She has a natural ability to capture humanity with a great eye for composition and colour.'
Mike Taylor, the prestigious society's chief operating officer, said: 'It is a huge honour to have the duchess as our patron, especially given her personal interest in photography.'
Josh Wood very much enjoyed his time discussing photography with the Duchess.
More from The Mirror:
'Nine-year-old Josh Evans showed Kate pictures he had taken of the local surroundings at the centre, including a brown leaf set in a puddle. Sitting on a bench in the garden with the schoolboy, Kate said: “Oh wow, you’ve got a real talent there. That’s really good. “Do you like taking artsy pictures like that? I think you are very good, you should definitely keep it up.” After his meeting with royalty, down to earth Josh said: “I didn’t know who she was but she wanted to see my pictures."
Josh’s mother Natasha Evans, 37, from Liverpool, joked about her son not knowing the Duchess. She said: "It didn’t matter to Josh, he gets on with everyone, but in a few years time when he sees the pictures of him and Kate he’ll know how important today was." Ms Evans said her son, who has ADHD and suffered from behavioural problems, has been transformed after being supported for a year by a junior mentor provided by Action for Children.'
The Duchess took over as patron of Action for Children from the Queen in early 2017.
Kensington Palace noted: "As part of her longstanding work on early years the Duchess is on a mission to support organisations like Action for Children that aim to give every child the best possible start in life. Action for Children, who are marking their 150th anniversary this year, are committed to helping vulnerable children, young people, and their families, across the UK. The charity's 7,000 staff and volunteers operated over 522 services in the UK, improving the lives of 301,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers last year." Kate was shown black and white photos from the Action for Children's archives including some of the first children helped by the charity when it was founded in 1869.
A wrap-up video of the event including footage of Kate's chat with Josh.
It was a summery look for the Duchess. Kate wore a print tiered dress with a tie waist for the engagement. Following numerous searches for the piece, the Telegraph's Bethan Holt revealed the dress is by Ridley London.
The Duchess wore a custom version of the Virginia Midi dress. The £449 piece is described as: "Playful and chic, this silk chiffon midi dress features a flattering v-neck, fitted bodice, short floaty sleeves and a flattering a-line skirt with a frounced hem. Lined in luxurious silk, this dress is great dressed up with heels or down with trainers and a biker."
Ridley London was founded by Camilla Ridley in 2010. Speaking about her journey she said: "After the birth of my daughter Emmanuelle, I established British made bespoke childrenswear label Milliemanu. This enabled me to build my brilliant tailoring team and develop relationships with the very best suppliers. After much customer demand for well made womenswear that really fitted, Ridley London was born. Above all, we put personal service at the heart of everything we do at Ridley. We want to build happy and lasting relationships with each one of our customers. You’ll often find me in our London store or on one of our event stands. Meeting, understanding and helping customers is intrinsic to the creative process. All of our stylists are highly trained and experienced, and really understand the subtle nuances of physique, colour, style and cut."
More on the brand:
"No one is quite like you. You're a real one off. A complete individual. From every curve and unique measurement to the way you see the world and the world sees you. It's the things that make you different that make you special. Ridley London is a new type of label, created to help you celebrate your individuality. Every Ridley garment is individually made to order in London from the finest materials and can be tailored to fit you perfectly. Our team of stylists is on hand to help you create a garment to make you look and feel your very best. For seasons to come."
The Duchess teamed the dress with her Castaner Carina wedges. The £90 espadrilles debuted in 2004 and remain a customer favourite fifteen years later.
The Carina style is available in various colours at My Theresa, Moda Operandi and Net-A-Porter.
And accessorised with her Catherine Zoraida Fern Hoop earrings.
The patronage is an excellent choice for Kate. It was great to see Action for Children involved today. I'm looking forward to seeing future collaborations. Kate's look had a very fresh feel to it, and the earrings and wedges made it perfect for June. Kate's hair looks a little lighter and longer which really suits her in my opinion. Ridley London is a new brand for the Duchess. Would you like to see more of their pieces in her rotation moving forward?
In other news, rumours are circulating the Cambridges will undertake an autumn tour. The Mail on Sunday reports the couple will visit several countries in Asia. We should hear an official announcement in the coming weeks.
