After her scene stealing appearance in the Queen's diamonds on Tuesday night, the Duchess of Cambridge was back to earth with a bump in grittier surroundings today.
But she still stood out a mile in a new kingfisher blue dress by LK Bennett and black suede heels as she arrived to officially open The ICAP Art Room at Northolt High School in west London.
Kate has been Royal Patron of The Art Room charity since 2012. It is a national charity which offers art as therapy to children and young people aged five to 16 who are facing challenges in their lives.
After her scene stealing appearance in the Queen's diamonds on Tuesday night, the Duchess of Cambridge was back to earth with a bump in grittier surroundings today
With studios in Oxford and London, Northolt High School has been chosen as the charity’s seventh venture as it is a school serving a diverse population.
The Duchess battled the west London winds as she arrived to open a new art room at a London school
Kate's long brunette locks blew around her face as the wintry weather took hold
While she may not have been wearing a designer label Kate still stood out in a blue dress by LK Bennett
The Duchess was greeted by raucous applause by the school’s 1,000 pupils when she arrived in the school hall, before moving on to the Art Room itself, where she sat with children attending an art therapy session and chatted to each one in turn.
The Art Room offers art therapy to children aged five to 16 years old who are facing challenges in their lives, and has six other studios at schools in Oxfordshire and London.
Northolt’s Art Room was funded with £105,000 raised by the City firm ICAP, which holds a charity day every year at which guests including the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have in the past stood in as traders to raise money on the phones. The firm donates all of its revenue and commissions made on the day to charity.
Up to 60 children each week will use the Art Room, some of them coming from neighbouring schools, working with art therapists in group sessions designed to build up their self-confidence and self-esteem. It has been proven to reduce children’s emotional and behavioural problems.
Jon Snow, Patron of The Art Room, said: ‘The Duchess thinks there should be an Art Room in every school in Britain. If you can prevent a child from being excluded you’re probably preventing a child ending up in a young offenders institution.
'Kids who come in in crisis emerge confident and with their self-esteem boosted, and there is no stigma attached to spending time in the Art Room.’
Kate was presented with a posy by Atoria Mason, 13, and Tim Garner, 14, and spent time meeting school teachers, governors and Art Room staff during the visit, which was only the second public engagement the Duchess has carried out this year.
Juli Beattie, founder director of The Art Room, said: ‘Every human being needs time to be listened to, to have a cup of tea and to be nurtured.
‘When children come to us they suddenly realise that they are as able as any other child and as talented. And to have the Duchess, who studied history of art and knows the power of art in making a difference to the children, is so important to us.’
The Art Room offers art therapy to children aged five to 16 years old who are facing challenges in their lives, and has six other studios at schools in Oxfordshire and London.
Northolt’s Art Room was funded with £105,000 raised by the City firm ICAP, which holds a charity day every year at which guests including the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have in the past stood in as traders to raise money on the phones. The firm donates all of its revenue and commissions made on the day to charity.
Up to 60 children each week will use the Art Room, some of them coming from neighbouring schools, working with art therapists in group sessions designed to build up their self-confidence and self-esteem. It has been proven to reduce children’s emotional and behavioural problems.
A delighted Kate was presented with a posy by Atoria Mason, 13, and Tim Garner, 14, and spent time meeting school teachers, governors and Art Room staff during the visit
Jon Snow, Patron of The Art Room, said: ‘The Duchess thinks there should be an Art Room in every school in Britain. If you can prevent a child from being excluded you’re probably preventing a child ending up in a young offenders institution.
'Kids who come in in crisis emerge confident and with their self-esteem boosted, and there is no stigma attached to spending time in the Art Room.’
Kate spent time in the new Art Room where she sat with children attending an art therapy session and chatted to each one in turn
Up to 60 children each week will use the Art Room, some of them coming from neighbouring schools
Kensington Palace said the Duchess chose to link herself to the charity as it ¿reflects her interest in the arts and her particular interest in using the creativity of art to enrich the lives of young people¿
Northolt’s Art Room was funded with £105,000 raised by the City firm ICAP, which holds a charity day every year at which guests including the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have in the past stood in as traders to raise money on the phones
Jon Snow, Patron of The Art Room, said: ‘The Duchess thinks there should be an Art Room in every school in Britain.'
Kate was presented with a posy by Atoria Mason, 13, and Tim Garner, 14, and spent time meeting school teachers, governors and Art Room staff during the visit, which was only the second public engagement the Duchess has carried out this year.
Juli Beattie, founder director of The Art Room, said: ‘Every human being needs time to be listened to, to have a cup of tea and to be nurtured.
‘When children come to us they suddenly realise that they are as able as any other child and as talented. And to have the Duchess, who studied history of art and knows the power of art in making a difference to the children, is so important to us.’
Jewellery-lover Kate wore a pair of £1,200 diamond drop earrings by Kiki McDonough, a slightly less flashy design than the priceless Cartier necklace she wore earlier in the week
Kate wore a similar style by the jeweller to Cheltenham races last year (l) and today's design featured green amethyst and diamonds (r)
Gloria Lowe, head teacher of the school, said: ‘There is no doubt the children using the Art Room are better placed academically and less likely to behave in a way that would stop them from achieving.’
Later this year The Art Room will open its eighth and ninth studios in Edinburgh and London.
ICAP staff also volunteered their time to help refurbish the room to become a bright, new studio.
Chairman of the charity's trustees, Jonathan Lloyd-Jones said: 'The Duchess has taken a genuine interest in what we have done. It has been a real commitment on her part and we feel very privileged.'
Meanwhile husband William donned waterproofs and made an unannounced trip to Datchet with his brother Prince Harry to help move sandbags being used to defend properties in the flood-hit Berkshire village
The royal brothers formed a human chain with troops from the Household Cavalry - Harry's regiment - to move sandbags off a lorry.
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