Kate Middleton Wears a Plaid Alessandra Rich Dress at V&A

The Duchess of Cambridge is getting her culture fix.

Today, Kate paid a visit to the V&A Museum to view two new exhibitions as the historic institution reopens to the public for the first time this year. Dressed in a stunning houndstooth, pleated maxi dress by Alessandra Rich, her look came complete with a prominent collar, bold buttons, and puffed sleeves. Notably, the duchess has worn dresses from the celeb-loved British designer on a number of occasions, including for a 2019 visit to Bletchley Park and a recent trip to Ireland alongside Prince William. (Superstar Beyoncé also recently wore a number from Rich last week.)

As for the rest of her museum look, the duchess paired her dress with classic navy pumps by Jennifer Chamandi, a matching suede mini clutch, textured hoop earrings, and dainty necklaces.

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During her visit, Kate learned more about the updated gallery's new on-site digital experiences, which will transform the way visitors view exhibitions in the museum's Raphael Court. The Raphael Court also houses the Raphael Cartoons, which were commissioned in 1515 by Pope Leo X for the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and are currently on loan from Queen Elizabeth II herself.

Kate also viewed the new 2021 exhibition Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser, which features more than 300 pieces spanning the realms of film, performance, fashion, art, and music that pay ode to the classic story, Alice in Wonderland. The duchess then spoke with staff about what it's been like working within the museum sector in the time of COVID-19 and how they've had to adapt to countless changes to keep themselves and guests safe amid reopening.

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The V&A is one of the world's leading art, design, and performance museums, and has helped provide countless works of art to inspire British designers and manufacturers. The Duchess of Cambridge became the first Royal Patron of the V&A back in 2018.

Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, where she covers all things film, TV, music, and more. When she's not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the same early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey's Twitter feed. 

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