She made her return to royal duties last week, but today marked the Duchess of Cambridge’s first official outing with her husband Prince William, and Kate seemed to be in especially animated with spirits with her husband by her side.
Kate, 36, looked fresh and glowing in a £1,350 lavender Emilia Wickstead dress she first wore for her departure from Hamburg in July 2017, as she and William arrived for the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit – an initiative to help improve mental health around the world.
For the outing today, the Duchess accessorised with a £695 taupe crocodile print bag from Aspinal of London - a departure from her usual clutch bags.
During today’s engagement, the couple shared a playful exchange when the Duchess was persuaded to add her mark to a life-size painting by Columbia-born contemporary artist Dario Vargas - and William teased her about ‘ruining’ the artwork.
Mr Vargas, who has been commissioned to paint piece inspired by the event, chatted to the couple before boldly asking if they would like to add their own special touch to the two metre by two metre artwork, entitled Someone to Turn To.
William immediately demurred and pushed Kate forward saying: ‘My wife, she’s the arty one!’
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The Duchess of Cambridge seemed to be delighted to be back on duty with her husband William today as they attended the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London. The royals sat down on a replica of a friendship bench but when they were asked to pose for photographs, they got the giggles while pretending to chat ‘naturally’ for the photographers
Kate, 36, looked fresh and glowing in a £1,350 lavender Emilia Wickstead dress she first wore as she departed from Hamburg on the royal tour of Poland and Germany in July 2017 as she arrived for the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London with Prince William
The Duchess mixed up her look by carrying a croc print handbag from Aspinal of London instead of her usual clutch. The mother-of-two wore her brunette locks in her customary style, with bouncy curls flowing around her shoulders
Look lovely in lavender like Kate in Emilia Wickstead
Aspinal of London ‘Mayfair’ bag
Gianvito Rossi suede pumps at NET-A-PORTER
Zalinah White lilac dress at SilkFred
Boohoo blazer dress
Marks Spencer lilac shift dress
Ivyrevel dress at Asos (now reduced to £13)
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Spot the difference! The Duchess of Cambridge first wore her lilac Emilia Wickstead dress in Hamburg during the royal tour of Germany in July 2017. She recycled the same outfit for today’s Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London while Prince William also seemed to be sporting an identical look
William and Kate joined artist Dario Vargas, a contemporary fine artist from Columbia, who is painting an original piece inspired by the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. William nominated his wife to have a go at adding to the piece, saying that she’s ‘the arty one’
The look of love! Prince William placed a tender hand on his wife’s back as they made their way into the mental health summit at London’s County Hall. The Duchess looked glowing for the occasion, keeping her make up fresh and natural and wearing her brunette hair in bouncy curls
The Duke and Duchess were all smiles as they posed for photos on a replica of a friendship bench, a scheme used to promote mental health in Zimbabwe
The Duchess of Cambridge looked glowing today as she continued her return to royal duties with a visit to the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London. Mother-of-three Kate has taken time away from the spotlight to bond with her youngest child Prince Louis who was born in April
Happy couple! The Cambridges dissolved into giggles while posing for photographers as they learned about ‘friendship benches’, a project that encourages grandmothers in Zimbabwe to offer ‘therapy’ to younger people while sitting down and chatting
Laughing Kate had a go at adding to an artwork being created by Dario Vargas, a contemporary fine artist from Columbia
Laughing Kate, who studied History of Art at St Andrew’s, where she first met her husband, took the brush and joked: ‘Where can you hide it?’.
‘What colour is it?’ asked William. ‘It’s white.‘ Mr Vargas pointed to an area on one of the figure’s shoulders to which a slightly nervous Kate replied: ‘Fine?’.
‘It’s almost ruined the picture,’ joked her husband.
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William was then encouraged to take his turn and said: ‘No, this is probably how you ruin a picture. Does it matter where I go?’
‘You are allowed to go anywhere,’ encouraged Kate. ‘This is a great, great compliment. It’s great to have some creative reason in which the same [mental health] conversations are going on.’
Mr Vargas, who is based in London, later described the couple as ‘great, very fun’.
Kate and William couldn’t help dissolving into giggles after photographers told them to look ‘natural’ as they chatted together on a ‘friendship bench’ at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit
The Duke and Duchess are meeting representatives from mental health organisations at County Hall in London
Spring in her step! The Duchess showed off her perfectly toned legs in a knee-length lilac dress by Emilia Wickstead. Kate looked animated as she chatted to attendees at the summit, including Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (left).
William had a go at adding his touch to a painting by Colombia-born artist Dario Vargas and joked that he risked ruining the artwork. Mr Vargas said he would be leaving the contributions by the royal couple on the painting
The Duchess seemed a little nervous as she added a small contribution to a painting being created by Dario Vargas, inspired by the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London
A close up of the white swoosh painted by the Duchess of Cambridge on an artwork by London-based Dario Vargas, who was been commissioned to paint piece inspired by the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. Right: His artwork was inspired by the concept that mental health issues can often stem from loneliness
Happy couple! The Cambridges exchanged smiles as they made their way into the mental health conference at London’s County Hall. Kate took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to don a summery lilac dress by Emilia Wickstead and forgo wearing a coat
Power couple: William and Kate looked smart as they made their way to the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit at County Hall in London – their first official joint engagement since Kate returned to royal duties after giving birth to their son Prince Louis
He said the concept for his painting was from the idea that mental health issues can stem from loneliness but those who experience issues always have someone to turn to.
‘I had always rather hoped they might have a go but didn’t know until the day that they would,’ he said. ‘I think I am going to leave their contributions untouched!’
The duke and duchess were attending the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit at County Hall in London together, which is being co-hosted by the UK Government and the OECD.
The couple, along with Prince Harry, have made mental health one of the cornerstone issues of their public work.
No sign of sleepless nights here! The Duchess of Cambridge has three young children at home, including a six-month-old baby but she looked fresh and glowing today as she attended her second post maternity leave engagement at County Hall in London
Royal fans gathered on the pavement nearby to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess as they arrived at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit at County Hall in London
The summit sees political figures, academics and policy-makers from around the world come together in the capital to discuss issues around the stigma of mental health and how to better address them.
Around one in four people globally will experience a mental health problem at same time in their life.
Mental illness is also the biggest cause of lost economic output, with an estimated cost to the global community of nearly $2.5 trillion a year.
Keen to continue their shared initiative, they first attend a session on Children, Young People and the Next Generation.
How Kate and William BOTH recycled outfits from previous engagements
Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed that they’re both keen on recycling old outfits, by stepping out in the same ensembles they both wore as they left Hamburg during the royal tour of Poland and Germany in July 2017.
And it’s not the first time that they’ve both repeated the exact same outfits they wore when carrying out a previous joint engagement.
For instance, Kate stepped out in a blue belted Alexander McQueen coat for a wreath laying ceremony commemorating 100 years since the start of the First World War in Blenheim, New Zealand during the couple’s royal tour in April 2014.
William wore a dark navy suit, teamed with a white shirt and a blue and red striped tie for the occasion.
Just two months later in June 2014, the pair wore the exact same ensembles to the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France, although this time Kate paired her outfit with a black hat.
For their first joint engagement after their wedding in 2011, Kate stunned in a bespoke sequinned blush pink dress by Jenny Packham, while William was dapper in a tuxedo for the ARK 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner in London.
A full five years later, the royal couple gave the same ensembles a second outing as they attended a gala in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ in Norfolk.
Kate stepped out in a blue belted Alexander McQueen coat for a wreath laying ceremony in New Zealand in April 2014, while William wore a dark navy suit with a striped tie. In June 2014, Kate and William recycled the same ensembles for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France
For their first joint engagement after their wedding in 2011, Kate stunned in a bespoke sequinned blush pink dress by Jenny Packham, while William was dapper in a tuxedo for the ARK 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner in London. Both repeated the same look as they attended a gala dinner in support of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ in Norfolk in June 2016
William asked one delegate: ‘Have you noticed a shift in attitude in the last few years and months. Have you notice a general change, can you see this the shift? Are we slowly waking up to mental health? ‘ Kate asked another: ‘What’s the best way to access (help)? Is it online, apps?’
Her husband interjected: ‘It’s interesting that social media allows you to draw people out but how important is human contact? ‘ The Duke also showed off his knowledge of Swahili when talking to Samuel Njoroge, 44, from Kenya.
‘Jambo,’ he greeted him, which means hello in the local dialect.
The prince has spent long periods in the country and even proposed to his wife there.
Before they left, the couple visited a stand run by United for Global Mental Health and heard about the work of Dixon Chibanda, who started an initiative in Zimbabwe which has taught elderly women the skills to become lay health workers through the use of a ‘friendship bench’.
The Duchess of Cambridge swept her brunette locks off her face as she made her way into the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit at County Hall, London. Smiling Kate looked in great spirits as she continued her return to royal duties following the birth of her son Prince Louis in April
Mother-of-three Kate is enjoying a successful return to royal duties after taking five months off, following the birth of her youngest child Prince Louis. The Duchess chose a lilac dress by Emilia Wickstead she first wore more than a year ago for her second post maternity leave engagement in London
Pleased to meet you: Prince William looked in great form as he greeted delegates at the first Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit
Yummy mummy! The Duchess looked very glamorous this afternoon as she stepped out in a lilac dress by Emilia Wickstead. She and William have joined forces for their first official engagement since she gave birth to Prince Louis in April
Grandmothers are considered key figures in Zimbabwean communities and are now being trained to offer ‘therapy’ sessions sitting on benches.
The duke and duchess sat down on a replica of one of the first friendship bench to discuss the issue with CEO Elisha London.
When she was asked to get up so they could pose for photographs by themselves, William and Kate got the giggles as they pretended to chat ‘naturally’ for the photographers.
William and Kate took the opportunity to speak to and listen to delegates at the conference on mental health – a subject they have placed at the heart of their work as royals. The Duchess is enjoying a successful return to royal duties after taking time out to focus on her youngest child, Prince Louis
Prince William paused to do up the buttons on his suit jacket as the royal couple made their way to the mental health conference. The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant in a light purple dress by Emilia Wickstead, proving her penchant for recycling her old outfits
Perfectly co-ordinated! The Duchess paired her outfit with her favourite Gianvito Rossi taupe suede heels and carried an Aspinal of London Mayfair bag – a departure from the clutches she usually prefers. Right: On arrival, Kate was greeted by Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Article source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6255933/Kate-stuns-lilac-dress-mental-health-conference-London.html