Kate Middleton has taken a brief step away from her summer holiday to share a heartfelt message about the value of creativity and historic objects. The Princess of Wales, who serves as patron of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), has curated a special display now open to the public at the V&A East Storehouse in Stratford, East London.

Celebrating makers and creators

In a handwritten note accompanying the exhibition, titled Makers and Creators, Kate reflected on the stories that objects can tell.
“Objects can tell a story. A collection of objects can create a narrative. Both about our past and as inspiration for the future,” she wrote.

The princess’s message highlights how historical artifacts continue to shape modern creativity in fields like fashion, design, film, and art. She added, “Individual, unique objects can come together to create a collective whole that helps us to explore our social and cultural experiences and the role we play in the wider tapestry of life.”

Kate personally selected a mix of items for the display. The collection includes a Beatrix Potter watercolor painting, a Qing dynasty porcelain vase, a Welsh hand-quilted bedcover from the 1830s, a Royal Ballet costume designed by Oliver Messel, a 15th-century church tile from Somerset, a sculpture by Clemence Dane, a William Morris-era furnishing screen, and an oil painting titled A Woman Holding a Mirror and a Rose by George Henry Boughton.

A new way to explore the V&A