Royals

Behind the scenes of Duchess Catherine’s Vogue cover shoot

The setting, the clothes, the hair! Here’s everything you need to know about the royal’s first ever magazine shoot.
Duchess Catherine

This week, for the first time ever, the world was shown a very different, very beautiful side the Duchess of Cambridge.

The mother-of-two participated in her first ever magazine photoshoot as part of a collaboration between iconic fashion magazine British Vogue and the National Portrait Gallery.

The images were taken as part of the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition and will appear in the June issue of the publication, and just like everything the Duchess does, the world wants to know every detail.

They were first shared on The Royal Family’s Facebook page over the weekend.

An onlooker gazes up at the stunning portraits at the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Catherine had made it clear to the team working on the shoot that she wished for the images to reflect the rarely-seen aspects of her private life.

As, of course, Kate isn’t always donning designer coats and heels when she is running after her two little ones, she hoped the photos would channel the woman she is at home; a hands-on mother donning jeans and a tee.

The shoot took place in a picturesque area of the Norfolk countryside on a chilly morning in late January.

Catherine drove herself to the shoot in a Land Rover Defender (which can be seen in the background in one of the shots) as she and her lovely family live close by in a 10-bedroom house situated in Anmer Hall, Norfolk.

Upon arrival, she met with her crew for the day including the photographer that would take the inevitably iconic pictures.

The mother to George, two, and Charlotte, one, had requested that the Vogue commission was given to a British photographer “for whom this would be a new opportunity” and as a result, 35-year-old London-born photographer Josh Olins was chosen.

“This was the Duchess’s first sitting for a magazine and she was a joy to work with, a natural,” the talented shutterbug said in a press release. “I am incredibly grateful to Alexandra Shulman for placing her faith in me for such an important and historic assignment.”

Watch as Duchess Catherine reveals Prince George’s nickname for the Queen in the video player below! Post continues…

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Of course, everyone just really wants to know all about the outfits worn by the wife of Prince William.

Sources tell Hello! that Vogue fashion director Lucinda Chambers had accumulated about ten suitcases packed full of garments for The Duchess to choose from.

After she had rifled through the curated choices, she said to Lucina that she would happily wear “whatever she wanted.”

While we’re used to seeing Kate dolled up, the mother-of-two wanted to show off a more natural side.

For both the incredible cover and the black and white shot, Kate donned a $10,000 charcoal brown suede coat over the top of a Burberry shirt.

She topped the look off her signature smile and a wide brimmed hat from London vintage store Beyond Retro.

For her second outfit, Kate wore a simple black and red striped long-sleeve from French store Petit Bateau with navy trousers by Burberry.

The brunette beauty kept her makeup simple and understated with neutral browns used for eyeshadow, made strong by her defined eyebrows.

In a surprise to no one at all, Catherine let her waves down with her signature Chelsea blowdry, styled by her entrusted hairdresser Amanda Tucker who recently accompanied the royal pair on their trip to India and Bhutan.

A close look at the Duchess’ signature makeup look.

It seems as if this is one photogenic family! In an excerpt from her upcoming interview with Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Alexandra Shulman, Kate revealed that her two precious kids have no qualms about posing with their mum.

“From taking photographs of George and Charlotte, I have been struck by the wonderful lack of self-consciousness that you see in photographs of children, without the self-awareness that adults generally feel,” she said.

The stunning cover shoot was debuted just days before portraits of little Princess Charlotte were released.

Too cute! The loving mum captured the happy moment little Charlotte pushed her toy trolley around their green gardens.

The shots, which were taken by the 34-year-old herself, celebrated her little girl as she ticked over the day of her first year on earth.

In the past, Catherine has been dubbed a keen snapper having taken more than a few stunning shots of her little ones.

To celebrate her first daughter’s birth, the loving mother captured the adorable moment her eldest son George cradled his new baby sister in his arms before sharing the snaps with the world.

Prince William and Duchess Catherine are besotted by their two adorable children.

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