'I want to give you a big cuddle': Kate Middleton shows her sensitive side with a hug for Holocaust survivor she photographed as they reunite at Imperial War Museum exhibition
- Kate Middleton, 39, threw her arms around Holocaust survivor Steven Frank during outing in London todayÂ
- Duchess cut an elegant figure as she visited the Imperial War Museum for a royal visit this afternoon
- Mother-of-three opted for an Alexander McQueen shirt first worn months after her 2011 wedding to William
- Royal was officially opening two new galleries, The Second World War Galleries and The Holocaust Galleries
- The Duchess of Cambridge also viewed an exhibition which includes two portraits she took last yearÂ
- She was reunited with two Holocaust survivors she photographed last year, and offered one man a warm hugÂ
The Duchess of Cambridge was tonight reunited with two Holocaust survivors she photographed last year and told them: �It is your stories that will ensure that what happened is never forgotten.’
Kate Middleton, 39, was at the Imperial War Museum in London to officially open their two new galleries devoted to the Second World War and the Holocaust.
Waiting for her were Stephen Frank and Yvonne Bernstein, who both famously posed with their grandchildren for the keen royal amateur photographer as part of the Generations: Portrait of Holocaust Survivors, to mark 75 years since the end of the genocide.
The duchess appeared thrilled to see Mr Frank, saying: �Hello! I want to give you a big cuddle!’
She was slightly hesitant as to whether to do so but Mr Frank swept her into his arms anyway, as she greeted him and his grand-daughters, Maggie and Trixie.Â
The Duchess had an emotional reunion with Steven Frank and his two granddaughters Maggie, 15, and Trixie 13, who she photographed holding a pan his mother used when he was a boyÂ
Meanwhile Kate also met with Yvonne, 82, whom she photographed alongside her 11-year-old granddaughter Chloe, also survived the Nazi Holocaust
The Duchess could be seen offering Steven a huge hug as they reunited for the first time to view the portrait in the museum earlier today (pictured)Â
The mother-of-three also leant down to share a hug with Yvonne during her outing this evening, before the two held hands while they spokeÂ
'Their stories will stay with me': Kate Middleton reunited with Holocaust survivors whom she photographed to mark 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
Steven Frank, 84, with his two granddaughters Maggie, 15, and Trixie 13, was photographed holding a pan his mother used as a boy
To mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Mr Frank and Mrs Bernstein, who both settled in Britain after the war, were photographed by the Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace in moving family portraits for a new exhibition.Â
In one of the pictures Mr Frank is seen holding a pan, this had been one of his mother's items that he had kept from during his time at Westerbork transit camp. He was later sent to Theresienstadt with his brothers and mother.
Whilst at the camp his mother would do laundry for prisoners in exchange for a small amount of bread. She would put crumbs into the pan, adding hot water to make a paste. She would give each child a spoonful to keep them alive, denying herself of the food.
It was this act of kindness from his mother and her use of the pan that ultimately saved his life. He survived multiple concentration camps and Mr Frank and his and his brothers are three of only 93 children who survived the camp, out of 15,000 children sent there.
At the time, Kate, who is patron of the Royal Photographic Society and had produced a thesis on photography during her art history degree, said 'despite unbelievable trauma at the start of their lives' they were 'two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet'.Â
She added: 'They look back on their experiences with sadness but also with gratitude that they were some of the lucky few to make it through.Â
'Their stories will stay with me forever.'
Memories: Yvonne Bernstein, 82, pictured alongside her 11-year-old granddaughter Chloe, also survived the Nazi Holocaust
She said that whilst she had been lucky enough to meet the survivors, she recognised that not everyone in the future would be able to hear such stories first hand. Â
'It is vital that their memories are preserved and passed on to future generations, so that what they went through will never be forgotten.
'One of the most moving accounts I read as a young girl was 'The Diary of Anne Frank' which tells a very personal reflection of life under Nazi occupation from a child's perspective. Her sensitive and intimate interpretation of the horrors of the time was one of the underlying inspirations behind the images.
'I wanted to make the portraits deeply personal to Yvonne and Steven – a celebration of family and the life that they have built since they both arrived in Britain in the 1940s. The families brought items of personal significance with them which are included in the photographs.
'It was a true honour to have been asked to participate in this project and I hope in some way Yvonne and Steven's memories will be kept alive as they pass the baton to the next generation.'
Mr Frank (pictured as a youngster with his father, right), was among a handful of children to make it out alive. In the picture on right right Mr Frank is centre with his mother and father by his side
 Mrs Bernstein (pictured as a youngster) was hidden as a child in France throughout most of the Second World War and her uncle was seized and murdered for shielding her
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�Nice to see you!’ she said.
She appeared touched when he gave her a letter written by an American serviceman to his mother after she sent him a card. �I thought you might like to read it,’ he said.
�Oh, that’s so thoughtful of you, thank you. That’s very special,’ she said.
She thanked Mr Frank and his two granddaughters for �trusting me’. �And you were very patient, so thank you,’ she added.
�I loved the items you chose and the colours. Thank you for your time. You were good sitters. Seeing this really brings back such special memories. We need to tell your stories. That is what is so powerful about this project, the generational nature of it and the handover of stories. �
She also hugged Mrs Bernstein, who was with her granddaughter, Chloe Wright, saying: �Hello Yvonne, it’s so lovely to see you.’
�Ooh, you have cold hands,’ exclaimed Mrs Bernstein.
â€?I always have cold hands,’ the duchess laughed. â€?Is it strange seeing your photograph up there? It so nice to see you again. I think about the sitting so often, it was such a wonderful opportunity. Thank you so much. â€?Â
Meanwhile the royal also opted to wear Princess Diana 's dazzling diamond and sapphire drop earrings for the outing (pictured)Â Â
The Duchess could be seen speaking with members of staff during her outing to the museum in London earlier today (pictured)Â
Kate wore her lengthy brunette locks in a bouncy blow dry as she arrived at the museum earlier this afternoon (pictured left and right)Â
The Duchess met with members of staff while visiting the museum in London this evening removing her coat as she toured the new exhibitionsÂ
As part of her tour of the museum today, Kate officially opened two new galleries, the Second World War Gallery and the Holocaust Gallery (pictured)Â
The mother-of-three appeared engaged as she heard about the atrocities of war in two exhibitions during her outing to the museum in London tonightÂ
The mother-of-two could be seen gesturing to various items within the museum as she chatted with staff members about the exhibitionsÂ
The Duchess chatted with members of staff as she was given a tour of the museum earlier this afternoon Â
The thrifty royal first wore the top for a visit alongside the Duke on 19th of August 2011, when the royal couple visited Birmingham (left, and right, today
The pair chatted about families and Mrs Bernstein asked the duchess whether, as a working mother, she got much chance to see her children.
�All the time, � replied Kate, �they’re my priority. �
Admiring another portrait of John Hajdu MBE, not taken by herself, the duchess was much taken with a tiny threadbare teddy tucked into his top pocket.
She told Mr Hajdu , who was born in Hungary in 1937 but now lives in Muswell Hill, North London, with his wife Maureen, and has two children and four grandchildren: �Hello, very nice to meet you. Is this your portrait? And is this your teddy? I love your teddy.
Mr Hajdu said: �This little chap came through the war with me.’
â€?He’s in amazing condition,’ said Kate, â€?does he have a name?’’Â
As she departed the museum earlier this evening, the Duchess wrapped up warm in her Catherine Walker coat and continued chatting to staff membersÂ
The mother-of-three could be seen wrapping her navy Catherine Walker jacket across her body as she left the museum on the cool autumn nightÂ
The Duchess of Cambridge could be seen fiddling with her jacket as she stepped out of the London museum earlier this eveningÂ
�’Just teddy.’
The 82-year-old explained that his childhood toy had escaped with him first the onslaught of the Nazis - when he was put with his mother in the horrific Budapest ghetto - and then Soviet occupation, before coming with him to England in 1956 after fleeing the Hungarian revolution through minefields.
�And teddy was with you all the time,’ Kate marvelled. �Wow, goodness me, what a story.
�I hope parents explain these stories to their children to ensure it never happens again.
�What I love is the personal stories, told in context, like your teddy.’
He said afterwards: �I am living history and very happy to be here. She was a lovely lady and very interested, I think, to hear my story for the first time. I had only had a chance to grab two things when we left - and one was teddy.
�I think it really opened her eyes.’
As she toured the Holocaust exhibition, the duchess was clearly moved by what she saw.
�It’s the stories that mean most to me,’ she said.
Looking at photographs which told the life of pre-war Jewish communities living under Nazi rule, she wondered: �At the time would they have known [what was to follow] ?’
The Imperial War Museum’s new galleries in London display more than 1,500 items from 80 countries that bring to life the impact of the Second World War on millions of people.
The Holocaust Galleries, meanwhile tell the individual stories of some of the six million murdered Jewish people through more than 2,000 photographs, books, artworks, letters and personal belongings.
Touring the Second World War Galleries, Kate looked at displays on the Battle of Britain - her grandfather, Captain Peter Middleton was an RAF pilot during the war - and had a go at an Enigma codebreaker machine. Her grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, and her twin sister Mary both worked with at Bletchley Park during the war.
She marvelled, again, at the way the museum had told the story of the war throughout personal accounts, saying; �It just brings it to life. A lot of people still don’t want to share their stories. It’s amazing. can’t wait to bring my kids.’
Kate wrapped up against the cold in her elegant navy jacket from Catherine Walker, which she paired with a cream designer shirt first worn months after her 2011 wedding to Prince William.Â
Meanwhile the royal also opted to wear Princess Diana's dazzling diamond and sapphire drop earrings for the outing.Â
The Catherine Walker coat is a favourite of the Duchess, who first stepped out in the garment earlier this year for Mental Health Awareness Week with a visit to Wolverhampton. Â
The thrifty mother-of-three first wore the Alexander McQueen top for a visit alongside the Duke on 19th of August 2011, when the royal couple visited Birmingham.Â
She has since re-wore the piece a number of times in the following years, including a visit to Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes in 2014.Â
Today she paired the distinctive blouse with a pair of smart suit trousers and a lengthy blue long-line coat.Â
The Duchess wore her locks down in her usual bouncy blow dry style, and kept her makeup minimal for the occasion.
Meanwhile she also added a touch of glamour to the outfit with her pair of dangling  blue earrings, and placed a poppy on the collar of her coat.Â
The earrings, which can be adapted and worn as studs or as drops, are a favourite pair of Kate's and have been worn by the Duchess on a number of high profile occasions.Â
The Duchess firstly visited the new Second World War Galleries, which display over 1,500 collection items from 80 countries that bring to life the impact of the Second World War on millions of people.Â
She then visited The Holocaust Galleries, which tell the individual stories of some of the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust through over 2,000 photos, books, artworks, letters and personal belongings.Â
During her visit, Kate also unveiled a plaque to officially open the two new Galleries.Â
The Duchess was then accompanied to Generations: Portraits of the Holocaust, which features over 50 photographic portraits of Holocaust survivors and their families.Â
Kate toured the exhibition and met with individuals involved in the project, before reuniting with Stephen Frank BEM and Yvonne Bernstein, who she photographed alongside their granddaughters for the exhibition in January 2020.Â
Mr Frank was among only a handful of children to make it out alive from the last of the many concentration camps he was sent to. By then his father had been gassed to death for speaking out against the Nazis.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, cut an elegant figure as she arrived at the Imperial War Museum in London today to officially open two new galleries
The earrings, which can be adapted and worn as studs or as drops, are a favourite pair of Kate's and have been worn by the Duchess on a number of high profile occasions. Pictured right, Princess Diana wearing the same earrings but as studs at an engagement in May 1988
Meanwhile she also added a touch of glamour to the outfit with her pair of dangling blue earrings, and placed a poppy on the collar of her coat
The royal proved she is still the Queen of thrifty shopping as she recycled several garments for her visit earlier today, including an Alexander McQueen blouse she first wore in 2011 (pictured left and right)Â
The Duchess of Cambridge beamed widely as she arrived at the museum in London this afternoon to open the galleriesÂ
Cover up like the Duchess of Cambridge in Catherine Walker
The Duchess of Cambridge has easily transitioned into the colder months thanks to her stellar collection of outerwear.
So far, she's gone from a Ganni quilted jacket to this Catherine Walker longline number; she's certainly got a plethora of choices. How many coats does one need? Well, it's always good to have options depending on the event.
To visit the Imperial War Museum, Kate wore the bold blue wool coat over an Alexander McQueen blouse and navy tailored trousers to create a sophisticated winter look.
Kate's coat was made just for her, but with the range of coats we've rounded up in the edit, you can easily replicate the royal.
As the mother-of-three walked into the Imperial War Museum earlier this afternoon, she turned to give waiting fans and photographers a brief waveÂ
Meanwhile she also added a touch of glamour to the outfit with a pair of dangling blue earrings, and placed a poppy on the collar of her coat
The mother-of-three was beaming as she arrived for her visit to the Imperial War Museum earlier this afternoon in London (pictured)Â
The Duchess recycled her navy blue Catherine Walker coat, which she first wore in May this year to visit Wolverhampton (pictured)Â
Mrs Bernstein was hidden as a child in France throughout most of the Second World War and her uncle was seized and murdered for shielding her.
Both Mr Frank and Mrs Bernstein were photographed at Kensington Palace alongside their granddaughters.
The photos, released last year, are now on display at the Imperial War Museum in an exhibition bringing together more than 50 contemporary portraits of Holocaust survivors and their families.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Instagram account shared the news, writing: 'Displayed for the very first time, these powerful photographs capture the special connections between Holocaust survivors and the younger generations of their families, and remind us of our collective responsibility to ensure their stories live on
'The photographs present a group of survivors who made the UK their home after beginnings marked by unimaginable loss and trauma.
'While offering a space to remember and share their stories, these portraits are a celebration of the full lives they have lived and the special legacy which their children and grandchildren will carry into the future.
'The exhibition is in partnership with the @RoyalPhotographicSociety and @holocaustmemorialdaytrust, two organisations who invited The Duchess to be part of this special project, marking 75 years since the end of the Holocaust last year.'Â
Business chic! The Duchess beamed widely as she arrived at the museum to open two new galleries this afternoon (pictured left and right)Â
The royal paired her Alexander McQueen blouse with a pair of navy blue trousers, heels and her longline Catherine Walker coat (pictured)Â
The Duchess wore her locks down in her usual bouncy blow dry style, and kept her makeup minimal for the occasion (pictured left and right)Â
The Duchess also visited the exhibition 'Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors', which includes the two portraits she took last year to mark 75 years since the end of the Holocaust
The Duchess appeared excited ahead of the visit to the museum in central London earlier today (pictured left and right)Â
In one of the pictures Mr Frank is seen holding a pan, this had been one of his mother's items that he had kept from during his time at Westerbork transit camp. He was later sent to Theresienstadt with his brothers and mother.
Whilst at the camp his mother would do laundry for prisoners in exchange for a small amount of bread. She would put crumbs into the pan, adding hot water to make a paste. She would give each child a spoonful to keep them alive, denying herself of the food.
It was this act of kindness from his mother and her use of the pan that ultimately saved his life. He survived multiple concentration camps and Mr Frank and his and his brothers are three of only 93 children who survived the camp, out of 15,000 children sent there.
Kate, who is patron of the Royal Photographic Society and had produced a thesis on photography during her art history degree, said at the time 'despite unbelievable trauma at the start of their lives' they were 'two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet'.
She added: 'They look back on their experiences with sadness but also with gratitude that they were some of the lucky few to make it through.
'Their stories will stay with me forever.'
She added that whilst she had been lucky enough to meet the survivors, she recognised that not everyone in the future would be able to hear such stories first hand.
Kate has always had a passion for photography and she produced her undergraduate thesis on the era of photography - in particular, photographs of children.
She graduated in 2005 from the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, with an undergraduate (2:1 Hons) in the history of art.
Recently she turned her skills to the creation of Hold Still, a book that pulled together photographs of lockdown across the UK.
She looks lovely. Love the top!
by Sarah 2677