As patron of the several charities including the Gallery, she was invited along for a special preview of the new exhibition displaying the work of the late Lucian Freud.
The Duchess, now more formally known as Catherine rather than Kate, took her first public engagement in her stride – her husband Prince William is currently on a military tour of duty in the Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina.
“It’s an honour for the Duchess to be patron of such a distinguished body and having spent the last few months preparing for the role she has been looking forward very much to this” said a spokesman for the Duchess.
Catherine wore a suitably warm looking 1950’s style double-breasted dress designed by clothing label Jesire as she took in the large exhibition which featured over one hundred of Freud’s paintings, many of which are nude studies, including the famous portrait of the artist’s friend Sue Tilly, entitled Benefits Supervisor Sleeping. The painting was sold in 2008 to Chelsea owner, the oligarch Roman Abramovich, for £1.72 million.
Sue Tilly poses with the Freud painting Benefits Supervisor Sleeping
The Duchess will continue to visit all of the charities to which she is a patron over the coming weeks, which include East Anglia Children’s Hospices, Action on Addiction and The Art Room.
Images: Getty
