The first official portrait of Duchess Kate Middleton painted by Scottish artist Paul Emsley is no longer available to the public for viewing more than a decade after it was first exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and is now stored in a storage room in the gallery (where it can only be viewed by booking an appointment in advance). Richard Eden, a senior editor at Britain's Daily Mail, says that although Middleton, 41, herself expressed appreciation and enthusiasm for the final product presented to her in 2012 and even called it "amazing and wonderful," with Prince William adding that it was beautiful, behind the scenes art critics were far less generous.
William and Kate on the red carpet at the BAFTA // Photo: Reuters (archive)
Eden called the work "shocking and rotten" and added that the result matured Middleton and was clearly unflattering. "It's inconceivable that the portrait was removed from public viewing without the Duchess (who also serves as the gallery's patron) being a party to the matter," a person close to the editor said. "It was considered a very disrespectful act."
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Emsley painted the portrait at the beginning of the Duchess's public career when the two met twice for this purpose. First time at Kensington Palace and second time at Emsley's studio. The oil portrait was given a prominent place of honor in the museum during the period when it was on display and open to the public from 2013 to 2018, when it was loaned to a traveling exhibition around the world until the gallery closed for renovations in 2020.
Kate Middleton, Photo: AP
Emsley admitted in past interviews that he was surprised by the criticism he received after the portrait was published and even described it as a "witch hunt," but made it clear that he was pleased with the result and would not have changed anything.
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