Getting Artsy with The Duchess of Cambridge

While the ball and chain away, the wife will…work? Wait, that’s not how the saying goes..

The Duchess of Cambridge was back to work for her patronages yesterday, just a week after making her first official solo engagement. Catherine spent Pancake Day visiting two schools on behalf of The Art Room. Last year, Kate Middleton spent Pancake Day with her fiance flipping pancakes in Belfast; my how things have changed!

First up – Rose Hill Primary School, where Catherine arrived to a crowd of well wishers. In fact, the crowds were so excited to see their beloved Catherine, Max Foster tweeted that between The Duchess of Cambridge and all of the teenage girls he wished he brought earplugs! Once inside, Catherine visited with a group of eight children as they worked on a poem.

The Duchess of Cambridge continued her day at Oxford Spires Academy School. While visiting The Art Room facilities there, Catherine met with both current and former students and heard of how the organization had imrpoved their lives. The Duchess of Cambridge aproned up and spent time with the children as they painted.

Both appearances left students, staff and onlookers in awe of Catherine as she earned high praise from all who interacted with her. The Art Room trustee Pat Norman was quoted as saying: “It’s very special that we have her patronage.” Perhaps Mr. Norman is alluding to Catherine’s strong connection to the arts; students and teachers alike commented on her knowledge and understanding of the program. As you will recall, The Duchess of Cambridge has a deep-rooted passion for the cause; she graduated St. Andrews University with a degree in History of Art.

For video of The Duchess of Cambridge in Oxford yesterday, please visit The Huffington Post and BBC News.

The Duchess appeared in a coat dress by Irish designer Orla Kiely. As usual, the brown, patterened frock, which looked stunning on Kate, had the Twitter universe fluttering with discussion. Personally, I could never pull the pattern off (most others I have chatted to agree), but Catherine wore it well. Can that woman do no wrong? I have yet to see her look bad. I was disappointed to see her hair down; it would have been nice to see it up as she wore it for the Skid Row day of arts in Los Angeles. I have to hand it to her though – if I had spent the day around paints and children with my hair down, I would come out with fresh highlights!

For more on Catherine’s outfit, check out What Kate Wore’s latest post and be sure to follow along on Twitter – the go-to source on Kate’s style.

 

All images via PopSugar.

Finally, after curiosity over the most guarded royal secret since Kate’s wedding dress, the name of the Cambridge puppy has been revelead – Lupo! Wait..what? Yea, that was my reaction too. Chances are if you placed your bets in Las Vegas, you lost big. Lupo is an adorable name;will be curious if we ever learn the meaning behind it!

 

Image Via People Magazine

 

Spotlight On: East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

What is East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices?

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices supports children who are battling life-threatening conditions, as well as their families, throughout  Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. EACH will provide whatever the families may need, either at home or in one of their three facilities. Family members can take advantage of the organization’s familial support groups and bereavement support; youth facing these conditions can partake in music therapy and specialized care.

Why is East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices of Interest to Catherine?

From the beginning, Catherine has set out to make a difference in the lives of people of all ages. Most specifically, The Duchess of Cambridge has a strong interest in the youth population – no matter what their struggles, she wants to contribute to their well-being. EACH gives Catherine the platform to not only bring a smile to the faces of struggling youth, but to their parents, sibling and extended family, bridging her desire to help the people as a whole.

How Can I Help?

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices is a charity that runs on donations from the public. EACH is thrilled to have The Duchess of Cambridge as its Royal Patron as her involvement can only fuel the public’s knowledge of the cause and desire to contribute. This year, the organization will need to raise £4.8 million in public donations to fully operate. Donations can be made in all shapes in sizes through various internal programs; each hospice center has a fundraising committee for the local community to be involved in, donations can be made in memory of a loved one, there are drives within the schools and over the holidays and so much more. Please visit http://www.each.org.uk/how-to-help to chose the donation method that is right for you.

If you are Twitter, please follow the charitable organiztion at @EACH_hospices.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ official announcement regarding its newest Royal Patron can be found here.