NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton delivered the eighth Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design in London on Tuesday, May 13
- The Princess of Wales has a deeply-held interest in art and design and studied art history at university, where she met her husband, Prince William
- It comes after Kate released a video on Monday, May 12, celebrating “Mother Nature” after her cancer treatment
Kate Middleton is hailing the achievements of young designers.
The Princess of Wales, 43, stepped out on Tuesday, May 13, to celebrate the creatives who are making waves in the British fashion industry by delivering the eighth Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design on behalf of the British Fashion Council.
Princess Kate — who has a deeply-held interest in art and design and studied art history at university, where she met her husband, Prince William — began the outing by visiting the winning designer’s pop-up studio at the 180 Studio show space in London to witness how their sustainable designs are created.
Wearing an olive tailored suit by Victoria Beckham, she was introduced to the shortlisted designers and others who have benefited from the British Fashion Council Foundation’s initiatives to help budding designers and encourage the future growth of the U.K.’s creative industry.
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The Foundation supports emerging talent by giving grants to help with education, financial support and business mentoring.
Princess Kate then presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design alongside British Fashion Council CEOs Caroline Rush and Laura Weir.
The Princess of Wales’ impact on fashion and design has been notable since she emerged on the royal scene before her 2010 engagement to William. The “Kate effect” has historically seen the brands and clothes she wears sell out and has spawned a mini-industry in identifying her clothing.
Designer Clio Peppiatt, who spoke with PEOPLE after meeting the royal at the event, says, “She has such a huge influence on women and what women want to wear. She is very stylish and always looks impeccably turned out.”
The designer, 34, added that her influence has a trickle-down effect on the entire industry.
“A lot of the time, fashion is not seen at the same level as other arts and creative practices, so to have that support from the very top, it elevates the whole industry,” she says.
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In January, Princess Kate visited a knitwear factory in South Wales to see the other end of the process, where creations are manufactured.
Tuesday’s outing came a day after Kate underlined how important a different kind of beauty had helped her during her cancer journey — the wonder of the natural world.
The Princess, who in January announced she was in remission from an as-yet-undisclosed kind of cancer, issued a short video to mark Mental Health Awareness week and highlight how being outside was a succour to the soul.
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“Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary,” she said in the video. “The natural world’s capacity to inspire us, to nurture us and to help us heal and grow is boundless and has been understood for generations.”
“It is through nature that we can fully understand the true interconnectedness of all things, the importance of balance and the importance of renewal and resilience,” Kate said.
The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was first announced and presented to Richard Quinn in February 2018, when the late Queen memorably made her first visit to London Fashion Week.
