Kate Middleton Finds Joy in a New Hobby With a Touching Connection to Queen Elizabeth
Kate Middleton is undoubtedly a woman of many talents, and is known to also indulge in many hobbies. The Princess of Wales is best known for her love of photography, painting, drawing, sailing, and gardening. Recently, British contemporary artist Chris Levine revealed that he has also been teaching Middleton to meditate. As per PEOPLE, Levine said of the disclosure, "I think I've said too much!" His revelation reminded royal watchers of his famous portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth, where he captured her peacefully meditating with her eyes closed.
Levin was commissioned to take the photo in 2004, marking 800 years of Jersey’s loyalty to the Crown. During two photo sessions, the photographer reportedly took more than 8,000 images of Queen Elizabeth. One of the photos, taken by accident, captured the Queen with her eyes closed, in a 'meditative pose,' appearing calm and at ease. The picture, titled Lightness of Being, is acclaimed as one of the most striking portraits of the late monarch. It also serves as the cover of Levine’s new book, Inner Light.
Levine has spoken of the iconic photo in various interviews. In an interview with The Wallpaper, he revealed, "There was a lot of light on Ma’am while we were shooting, and each pass of the moving camera took a while to reposition and recalibrate. I was concerned that it was uncomfortable between passes and suggested to Ma'am that she rest between shots." He added, "She closed her eyes and we captured the moment. Some years later, I was reviewing the outtakes from the sittings and came across the shot and was blown away. I immediately put a filter on it, and the piece was made." He shared that the only tweak he made to the photo was changing the Queen's lipstick color.
In a separate conversation in September, the photographer spoke about how the image served as his inspiration to help the Princess of Wales meditate. He told HELLO!, "This shot was actually an out-take. A couple of years later, I was looking through the work, and thought: 'Wow, that's pretty powerful.' It's the most evocative image of a royal by any artist, and it's become a historic work." Like Middleton, many celebrities have vouched for meditation, with multiple studies proving its power in reducing anxiety and boosting mental health.
Apart from meditation, Middleton, a nature enthusiast, loves 'forest bathing,' a mindful Japanese-inspired activity that involves immersing oneself in nature to boost well-being. She often speaks about the calming power of the outdoors and its benefits for mental health. Additionally, she also shares her passion for photography with the late Queen, who was also known for capturing family moments behind the lens.