The eyebrows are almost Cara Delevingne but the cover shot is more Nebraska than Norfolk.
The Duchess of Cambridge has taken part in her first fashion shoot, appearing in the June edition of Vogue.
The images taken near Anmer Hall, Kate’s Norfolk home, by the British photographer Josh Olins are a collaboration between the magazine and the National Portrait Gallery, where an exhibition to mark the magazine’s 100th anniversary is currently on show.
The duchess, who is patron of the gallery, will visit the exhibition on Wednesday. Two of the pictures will be on public view at the gallery from today.
A spokesman for the duchess said: “She hopes that people appreciate the portraits with the sense of relaxed fun with which they were taken.”
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So what does a duchess wear on the cover of Vogue? Most supermodels or celebrities would reach for a dazzling red carpet gown and diamonds but if you are Kate, then a Burberry trench coat, classic white shirt and vintage felt fedora will do.
Often criticised for a conservative dress sense that makes her look older than her 34 years, she again opted for a rather bland ensemble. She even eschewed her bouncy blow-dry for naturalistic make-up and gently tousled hair.
Shot outside in a sunny rural setting, there are echoes of the actress Jane Seymour in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the 1990s television series about a doctor in the Wild West.
Kate clearly did not want to appear regal, preferring to look polished but not dressed up. Glowing with good health and opting for earthy tones — even her lipstick is brown — this is Kate as a country wife with added King’s Road allure.
“This is Kate as a country wife with King’s Road allure
The duchess’s decision to wear Burberry is not surprising. The iconic British brand has a close relationship with the royal family. Last year the Queen lent Burberry’s Christopher Bailey her Grenadier Guards for a catwalk show in LA — the first time the monarch had allowed them to be used for a corporate event.
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But Kate’s coat is no ordinary Burberry mac. Made in Italy in luxurious chocolate-brown calf suede, it has a fashionable 1970s-style revere collar and is quoted as being for sale on the Moda Operandi site for $7,500 (£5,100). There is nothing Norfolk about that.
If you wanted something similar on the high street, Asos has a light brown version by the Spanish brand Mango in its sale for £101.50, while Reiss, a favourite high street brand of the duchess, has a beige suede trench for £525. Her felt hat is from the vintage website Beyond Retro, a surprising choice for the duchess, who is not known for wearing vintage clothing. It is, however, typical of her to mix high and low price points. Beyond Retro has a similar hat on sale for £35.
For her second picture in the portfolio the duchess is photographed smiling in a red Breton-striped top. The look will raise readers’ eyebrows too. It is a surprisingly downbeat clothing choice for Vogue. Costing just £35 from Petit Bateau, it is a deliberate reference to the striped top and skinny jeans she wears to pick up Prince George from nursery or to push a trolley in Waitrose.
She may well be on the cover of style’s bible, but everything about this Vogue shoot demonstrates her determination to resist becoming a frivolous fashion plate and to stick to a sensible mix of high street and classic designer items.
It is significant that she chose not to be shot for Vogue by Patrick Demarchelier, 72, the photographer responsible for the Diana, Princess of Wales covers of Vogue, or Mario Testino, 61, who photographed the duchess on her engagement. Instead she opted for Olins, 36, who is known for his naturalistic approach and whose stark lines have made him a favourite of magazine editors.
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See the full shoot in the June issue of British Vogue, on sale May 5