Kate Middleton is New Patron of the Royal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is one of the oldest photographic societies in existence, with a long history of supporting photographers and other creatives. Queen Elizabeth was patron for 67 years, but has now handed the role down to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince William.
Queen Elizabeth became patron back in 1952, the same year that she took the throne following the death of her father, King George VI. The Royal Photographic Society and The Duchess of Cambridge both announced the new patronage oh their respective Instagram accounts, with The Duchess promising to fulfil the role as a keen photographer.
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“The Duchess of Cambridge 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,” writes @kensingtonroyal. “Learning photography is a fun and engaging way to help young people develop confidence and self-expression, and to help develop new skills.”
The Duchess joined young citizens from Action for Children for workshops run by the Royal Photographic Society, covering basics such as light, colour, and taking portraits.
Kate Middleton is no stranger to taking her own portraits, and was celebrated for her professional snaps of her children. In addition, Middleton reportedly enjoys nature photography, particularly of landscapes from around the world. Her camera of choice at the time was a Canon PowerShot G12 compact.
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The Royal Photographic Society gave Middleton an honorary lifetime membership in 2017, which was criticised by some professionals who felt she hadn’t earned the award. Regardless, the RPS are enthusiastic about the new appointment.
“The Duchess is a great supporter of the arts. She is a Patron of the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and has published many of her own photographic portraits of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis,” writes the RPS.
