I’ve added over 100 photos of Kate visiting the Naomi House Children’s Hospice today. Today is also special as it’s Will and Kate’s 2nd Wedding Anniversary! At today’s event Kate was wearing a peach coat by Tara Jarmon, a Paris-based Canadian designer, a custom beige dress, and of course, her trusty L.K. Bennett pumps. Seriously, every time you don’t think she could get any cuter she does!

GALLERY LINK:
= Appearances & Events > 2013 > Naomi House Children’s Hospice

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a tour of the Warner Bros Studios with Prince William, sitting in the Batmobile, trying out the Batbike and learning to duel with wands.

Examining props from some of the company’s best-loved films, the Royal couple battled one another on film sets and even wondered aloud whether the famous Batmobile came with a baby seat.

The Duke, who gave a speech to inaugurate the studio in his role as president of Bafta, joked he would like to “borrow” the Batmobile for the weekend, as he teased his younger brother for believing Harry Potter was “real”.

“I’m over the moon just to have seen the real batmobile and batbike,” he said. “You don’t do baby seats for those cars do you?”

Poking fun at Prince Harry, he added: “Harry is just happy to have seen a real-life talking owl. I haven’t told him yet that Harry Potter isn’t real.”

He went on: “Please make another in the Dark Knight series. And another, and another.”

He officially inaugurated the studio with a clapperboard, saying: “Warner Brothers Studios Leavesden act one, take one.”

The Royal party were also given a tour of the Harry Potter sets, as the Duke and Duchess were given a lesson in how to cast spells with wands – then duelled against each other.

The Duke cast an “expelliarmus” jinx to disarm his opponent, as nine children representing charities helped by the couple’s foundation looked on.

The Duchess beamed with delight as wand movement teacher Scott Heron, 20, put them through their paces.
He said: “They were really good. I think they could join Dumbledore’s Army.”

While the couple duelled in the Griffindor Common room set, Prince Harry looked around The Burrow, home of the red-headed Weasley family, prompting inevitable jokes about Harry’s hair.

Leanne Dormody, one of the staff, said: “They would have had to make The Burrow much higher if he was a Weasley.”

While learning about the Batman films, the Duke could not resist the chance to sit on the bat bike and was told only two people had ever ridden it; the stunt doubles for Bale and Hathaway.

As he and Harry admired the batmobile, the Duke said: “We’ll have to borrow that for the weekend,” then climbed inside while Harry asked: “How many miles has it done?”

The Duke was so taken with the Batmobile, officially known as the Tumbler, that he spent five minutes inside the vehicle and fired up its 5.7 litre engine, revving it loudly.

The royal party also met Harry Potter author JK Rowling and her husband, Neil, David Heyman, producer of the Potter films, David Yates, director of the last three Potter films, Mike Newell, who directed the fourth Potter film, and Julie Tottman, the animal trainer who was in charge of the owls on the films.

Earlier today, they were given a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how films including the Batman trilogy have been made in the UK.

The £100m studios accounts for a third of all the films now made in the UK. Other movies shot here include Star Wars Episode One, The Phantom Menace, and the James Bond film Goldeneye.

The Duchess arrived wearing a white £38 dress with brown polka dots from Top Shop, with a short black jacket over the top.

The Royal party began the tour with a short presentation on the history of Warner Bros in the UK, then met a line-up of staff in one of the hangar-sized studios.

Waiting for them was an honour guard of mannequins wearing Gotham City Police Dept costumes from the Batman films, together with Christian Bale’s Batman costume, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman outfit, and the costumes worn by baddies Tom Hardy, as Bane, and Heath Ledger, as The Joker.

Props including the batmobile, bat-bike and masks worn by The Joker’s henchmen were also on display.
Sound stage G, where the Royal party met staff, was used for several sets in the Harry Potter films and for the Tom Cruise film All You Need Is Kill.

Source

GALLERY LINK:
- Appearances & Events > 2013 > Inauguration Of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden

Check out 20 new icons added to our media center using photos of Kate at The National Portrait Gallery yesterday! She looked stunning! Don’t forget to Right click > Save As!

The Duchess of Cambridge and her baby bump looked serene in blue tonight at a reception for one of her chosen charities.

Kate took advantage of a warm summer night in London as she arrived in a sleeveless Emilia Wickstead dress in flattering duck egg blue and no coat.

Inside the National Portrait Gallery event, she spoke of the power of art to change people’s lives in a speech to celebrate the work of one of her charities.

Kate told an audience of 250 artists, schoolchildren and supporters of The Art Room, of which she is patron, that it felt “incredibly special” to be at the National Portrait Gallery in London tonight to celebrate the work of the charity.

The Art Room, which uses art to increase children’s self-confidence and independence, was marking its 11th anniversary and launching a new fundraising campaign at the event, attended by artists including Marc Quinn and Jenny Savile.

Kate, who was wearing dusky blue heels and had her hair half up, said: “I am a firm believer in the power of art to make a difference and The Art Room is doing that on a daily basis.

“We all stand here tonight to celebrate this wonderful work.

“I hope that you will join me in congratulating The Art Room and their supporters on these extraordinary achievements.

“As patron of The Art Room, I feel immense pride to see the amazing work that they are doing but I also feel hugely excited to look to a future with more Art Rooms, where many more challenging and vulnerable children will be helped.”

The Duchess is also patron of the National Portrait Gallery – and a portrait of her is currently on display at the venue.

Award-winning artist Paul Emsley created the large head and shoulders painting of the Duchess set against his trademark dark background.

Despite mixed reaction, Kate was delighted with the painting, saying: “It’s just amazing, I thought it was brilliant.”

Kate, an art history graduate, said: “I always love coming to the National Portrait Gallery so to be here tonight for an evening to celebrate The Art Room makes it feel incredibly special.

“When I have been fortunate enough to join Art Room sessions, I have been overwhelmed by the transformational impact they have.

“Vulnerable children flourish in the safe havens that the Art Room provide.”

The Duchess spoke to children who use the Art Room facilities in London and Oxford and accompanied some of them on a private tour of a Man Ray exhibition at the gallery.

At nearly seven months pregnant, the Duchess shows no signs of slowing down her workload.

Kate, who is due to give birth in mid-July, plans to continue royal duties throughout her pregnancy until mid-June.

Her schedule has been organised so she has several public engagements in a row then the chance to rest behind the scenes.

This week she is busy with a visit to a primary school on the Shameless estate in Manchester yesterday and a trip with William and Harry to the Warner Bros studios in Hertfordshire on Friday.

Source

Catherine just attended the National Portrait Gallery Reception and looked stunning in her blue Emelia Wickstead dress. The first photos have been added to the gallery so please check them out (more to come as the day goes on). She sure looked stunning tonight!

GALLERY LINK:
- Appearances & Events > 2013 > The National Portrait Gallery Reception

The Duchess of Cambridge was today greeted by a wave of St George’s Day flags from cheering schoolchildren as she arrived to launch a counselling programme.

Kate visited The Willows Primary School in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, to launch a project to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol addiction on children and their families.

At six months into her pregnancy, Kate’s baby bump was clearly visible under her patterned blue silk floral dress by Sophia Visconti.

The school counselling initiative is a partnership between charities Place2Be and Action on Addiction with funding from Comic Relief and the Royal Foundation of which the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are patrons.

Action on Addiction will train, supervise and support Place2Be counsellors to deliver the programme in school settings across England.

In a speech in the school hall, the Duchess told the audience: “Addiction is a hugely complex and destructive disease and its impact can be simply devastating. All too often, lives and families can be shattered by it.

“Through my Patronage of Action on Addiction, I feel fortunate to have met a wide range of inspirational people who have overcome addiction. It is so encouraging to see that with the right help – like that of Action on Addiction – it can be conquered.

“But those who are addicted are not the only victims. I have been struck by the profound and deeply damaging impact it has on the children of affected parents.

“Research has shown that children of those who are addicted are seven times more likely to have addiction problems themselves. They are also brought up surrounded by fear, instability and chaos.

“Last year, I asked The Royal Foundation, which I share with William and Harry, to see what could be done to help these children.

“In partnership with Comic Relief, our foundation commissioned a piece of research to explore this issue. Today, it gives me an enormous feeling of pride and excitement to launch a programme that will bring this research to life.

“The cycle of addiction needs to be broken. My hope is that through this specialist and targeted delivery of care, these children will have the best possible start in life – the one that they deserve.”

Source

GALLERY LINK:
- Appearances & Events > 2013 > The Williows Primary School

EDIT: Check out several new icons from this appearance! Right click > Save As!