The very first official joint painted portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been unveiled today at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

The striking image was painted by award-winning artist Jamie Coreth – and shows Kate and William posing happily together. In the painting, the duchess is dressed in an emerald green dress by The Vampire's Wife, and bejewelled Manolo Blahnik pumps, while William looks smart in a black suit with a blue tie.

The work of art was commissioned as a gift to Cambridgeshire in 2021 by the Cambridgeshire Royal Portrait Fund. Because of this, Coreth incorporated inspiration from the area into the portrait by painting the background with the tones and colours of many of the historical stone buildings of Cambridge.

preview for Platinum Jubilee Trooping the Colour parade, 2022

Members of the public will be able to view the piece for themselves at the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum for the next three years, and the painting will then be exhibited in other community spaces and galleries around the city. It will also be loaned to London’s National Portrait Gallery in 2023 to mark the iconic gallery’s reopening.

"It has been the most extraordinary privilege of my life to be chosen to paint this picture," explained Coreth. "I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified."

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Kate and William at the Fitzwilliam Museum to view the portrait

"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."

The portrait marks a big moment for designer Susie Cave of The Vampire’s Wife with Kate choosing to wear one of her designs for such a pivotal moment.

The duchess is clearly a big fan of the label, as she has regularly turned to the brand over the years. She wore one of Cave's trademark styles in pink during her tour of Belize earlier this year, while she also wore the emerald gown during her trip to Ireland in 2020.

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The Duchess of Cambridge wearing The Vampire’s Wife during her visit to Belize
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The Duchess of Cambridge wearing The Vampire’s Wife in Dublin 2020

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