By Sammie Jones-
The Duchess of Cambridge has become the first royal patron of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Pregnant Kate Middleton is on maternity leave expecting her third child and formally commenced her role on Monday.
Kensington Palace said the patronage would further the Duchess’s interest in the visual arts, photography, and design.
The ambassadorial Royal is already patron of the National Portrait Gallery and the Natural History Museum but will go into the record books as the first royal patron in the museum’s 166-year history. She last visited the museum in June 2017, where she was honored to open the museum’s new entrance, courtyard, and gallery on Exhibition Road.
The Victoria and Albert Museum was founded in 1852, and named after the Duke of Cambridge’s great-great-great-great-grandparents Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Kate is not expected to actively begin to function in her new role until the autumn since she will be spending time preparing for the addition of a new member into the Royal family. She will also be spending time looking after four-year-old Prince George, four, and two-year-old Princess Charlotte, too. Her hands are certainly full, as she mixes the important role of a mother and that of a princess. Her role automatically extends to the occasional motherly affection towards the other children in the extended royal family.
The one thing going for her that was sadly absent with Diana is that she has no feeling of rejection internally or externally. She is happily married according to all indications and greatly admires the role and function Diana played.
Tristram Hunt, director of the museum and former shadow education secretary, said he was looking forward to working with the Duchess.
“From its foundation by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, the V&A has enjoyed a proud history of royal support,” Mr. Hunt said.
The Dutchess of Cambridge has gradually been blossoming into a princess with powerful symbolic connotations, walking a similar path to Princess Diana who was a princess of the people.
