Princess Kate interrupts family break with major announcement

The Princess of Wales has opened up about her inspiration behind a new exhibition she has curated.

Kate, 43, has worked with V&A East Storehouse on a collection which goes on display from today [Wednesday].

The items chosen by the royal include a Victorian Morris & Co furnishing screen designed by William Morris’s assistant John Henry Dearle and costume by Oliver Messel, one of Britain’s foremost stage designers, for the Fairy of the Woodland Glade worn by Diana Vere in the Royal Ballet’s 1960 production of The Sleeping Beauty.

The royal, 43, who visited the new museum in Stratford, East London, in June, wrote in the message displayed with her Makers and Creators exhibition: “Objects can tell a story. A collection of objects can create a narrative, both about our past and as inspiration for the future.

“This display celebrates our past makers and creators and illustrates how much historic objects can influence fashion, design, film, art and creativity today.

“Individual, unique objects can come together to create a collective whole that helps us to explore our social and cultural experiences and the role we play in the wider tapestry of life.”

Other items handpicked by the Princess include a watercolour painting of a forest glade by children’s author Beatrix Potter, a medieval Somerset church tile and a Welsh quilt handmade almost 200 years ago.

The mini-exhibition also boasts a Chinese blue and white Qing dynasty porcelain vase from the mid-17th to early 18th century, a sculpture by Clemence Dane of her hands and a childhood photograph album belonging to Beatrix Potter’s father Rupert Potter.

The Princess’s mini display is on view as part of V&A East Storehouse’s extensive free self-guided experience until early 2026.

‘Real passion’ for the V&A

During her visit to the Storehouse last month, Kate learned about the site’s “order an object” system where paintings, furniture, books and sculptures can be requested by the public for personal viewing.

V&A Director Dr Tristram Hunt previously spoke to HELLO! about their royal visitor, saying: “The Princess is really passionate about the objects, whether it was the photography collection, or whether it was the two woven silks by William Morris, the Pre-Raphaelite paintings.

“She has a real passion for the V&A collections and then a lot of knowledge around making and the processes of making, she was really keen on. And then she just loved that idea of getting behind the scenes of the museum, allowing the public access to those areas people don’t normally get to see.”

Kate, who studied History of Art at the University of St Andrews, became the V&A’s first royal patron in 2018.

Family break

The Prince and Princess of Wales are currently enjoying some time away from their royal duties amid their children’s summer school holidays.

Prince William and Princess Charlotte, ten, attended the Women’s Euro final in Basel, Switzerland last Sunday to witness the Lionesses’ victory.

Meanwhile, Kate was last seen publicly at the Wimbledon men’s final earlier this month, where she handed out the winning trophy to Jannik Sinner.