Kate Middleton launches powerful new book as a 'lasting record' of coronavirus lockdown

Kate Middleton is launching a new book as a "lasting record" of the coronavirus lockdown. 

• Kate Middleton is launching a new book to serve as a "lasting record" of the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020.
• The book will feature 100 portraits from the Hold Still photography collection (opens in new tab), which was on display across the country last year, alongside a foreword and photo of the Duchess.
• In other royal news (opens in new tab), Prince William's unusual nickname for Princess Charlotte (opens in new tab) has been revealed.

The Duchess of Cambridge has announced that she is launching a book, set to be released within the year, as a permanent record of the coronavirus lockdown in England.

The new book will bring together the final 100 portraits from the Duchess' Hold Still collection, as a representation of "our shared and individual experiences of the first UK lockdown (opens in new tab)".

The cover of the book, revealed on social media, is set to be one of the most powerful portraits from the collection: a photograph of a nurse working in a Covid clinic with full PPE.

A portrait of Kate, smiling with a camera in hand and taken by photographer Matt Porteous at Anmer Hall, will also feature in the book alongside the foreword written by the Duchess of Cambridge herself.

"When we look back at the COVID-19 pandemic in decades to come, we will think of the challenges we all faced – the loved ones we lost, the extended isolation from our families and friends and the strain placed on our key workers," Kate's foreword to the book begins, "But we will also remember the positives: the incredible acts of kindness, the helpers and heroes who emerged from all walks of life, and how together we adapted to a new normal."

"Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing – to capture individuals' stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic," She continues, "I hope that the final 100 images showcase the experiences and emotions borne during this extraordinary moment in history, pay tribute to the awe-inspiring efforts of all who have worked to protect those around them, and provide a space for us to pause and reflect upon this unparalleled period."

Funds raised from the publication of the book will be divided between Mind, the mental health charity that both Kate and Prince William have worked closely with over the last year, and the National Portrait Gallery.

The book will be available to buy in all UK bookshops and online from Friday May 17, but it's also possible to pre-order the book now (opens in new tab). You can also see all 100 photos for free (opens in new tab) via the National Gallery's website.

Spearheaded by the Duchess of Cambridge, the Hold Still photography collection aimed to paint a portrait of life in the UK over May and June last year in the heat of the coronavirus lockdown. Over 31,000 portraits were submitted to the National Gallery in London and the final 100 portraits were eventually displayed across the UK in autumn 2020 as part of a community exhibition.