Pregnant Kate Middleton visits seaside town before maternity leave

Although she is eight months pregnant, Kate Middleton has been busier than ever attending two engagements on Wednesday in the seaside town of Margate. The fashionable royal looked effortlessly chic as she met artists, gallery staff members and local school children.

As one of her final engagements before going on maternity leave, the Duchess of Cambridge showed off her growing baby bump in a $255 dalmatian-print coat by Hobbs. She paired the outfit with simple black heels and a matching clutch. And as a royal who likes to recycle her outfits, she donned this same dress in Southampton in 2013 when she was also eight months pregnant with her firstborn Prince George.

Kate, who has a degree in history of art from St. Andrews University (where she met husband Prince William), waved to crowds upon entering the Turner Contemporary art gallery to have a private viewing of a special exhibition titled Self: Image and Identity. Among the pieces on display is the last self-portrait by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, which was recently acquired for Britain by the National Portrait Gallery through a national fundraising charity that helps museums and galleries buy and display works of art for everyone to enjoy.

The 33-year-old royal then met with some of the artists, whose works are on display in the exhibition, and learned about how the gallery works with the local community through the Clore Learning Studio. Before moving on to her second engagement, the pregnant Duchess met with local school children involved in the art project and attended a reception to meet staff and supporters of the Turner Contemporary.

The art lover then made her way to the Resort Studios in Margate to view an exhibition featuring photomontages of local personalities and meet artists in residence to hear about their work with communities within the area. 

 This visit suits Kate, who is a patron of the National Portrait Gallery and of the Art Room, which maintains a dedicated art room in a number of schools. Each week up to 85 children receive art lessons designed to provide them with self-confidence, self-esteem and independence through creativity and self-expression.

The mom of one seems to have instilled her love of art into her son Prince George. The Duchess revealed earlier this year that she paints with the young royal.

via hellomagazine