Kate Middleton 'overwhelmed' by lockdown photography project Hold Still

published 30 August 2020

The Duchess of Cambridge revealed she has been 'overwhelmed' by the public's response to Hold Still, the community photography project she launched with the National Portrait Gallery in May.

Kate Middleton announced on Saturday that out of the 31,000 images submitted, the top 100 have officially been chosen by herself and a panel of five judges, and will feature in a digital exhibition next month.

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The Duchess invited people of all ages across the UK to submit a photo that they had taken during lockdown, aimed to capture and document the spirit, the mood, the hopes, the fears and the feelings of the nation as we continue to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Kate said, 'I’ve been so overwhelmed by the public’s response to Hold Still, the quality of the images has been extraordinary, and the poignancy and the stories behind the images have been equally as moving as well.

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'So I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has entered and taken part. And a big thank you to my fellow judges. I hugely appreciate the time and dedication that they have shown towards the project.'

Judges on the panel included England’s chief nursing officer Ruth May, director of the National Portrait Gallery Nicholas Cullinan, writer and poet Lemn Sissay and photographer Maryam Wahid.

The chosen images will feature in a gallery without walls – a one of a kind digital exhibition – which will launch on Monday 14 September.

Focussed on three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness, a selection of these photographs will also be shown in towns and cities across the UK later in the year.

Kate, who is patron of the National Portrait Gallery, launched the Hold Still in May during a surprise appearance on This Morning.

She told hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, 'Hold Still aims to capture a portrait of the nation, the spirit of the nation, what everyone is going through at this time. Photographs reflecting resilience, bravery, kindness – all those things that people are experiencing.'

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A Freelance Writer and Content Editor, Jenni has been working on the women's lifestyle team at TI-Media on and off for over three years. She writes about your favourite celebrities and TV shows so you never miss an update. Jenni also writes beauty news and features - so for all of your skincare and make-up needs, drop her a line.