New fashion exhibition and temporary garden celebrating the life of Diana, Princess of Wales to open at Kensington Palace in 2017

Diana: Her Fashion Story – Opens 24 February 2017
The White Garden at Kensington Palace – In place for Spring/Summer 2017

From her first public appearances in 1981, Diana, Princess of Wales, captivated the world’s attention as a princess, as a trendsetter and as a patron and advocate of charities. Twenty years on from her death, a new exhibition and temporary garden celebrating her life will be opened at Kensington Palace, her home for over 15 years.

Opening in February, the exhibition ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. From her earliest royal engagements, everything Diana wore was closely scrutinised, and the exhibition will explore how she navigated her unique position in the public eye: learning to use her image to engage and inspire people, and to champion the causes she cared about.

Replacing the popular ‘Fashion Rules’ exhibition in Kensington Palace’s Pigott Galleries, ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will display exquisite and celebrated outfits from throughout the Princess’s public life. The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the 1980s, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana’s ‘working wardrobe’ in the 1990s. The Princess’s relationship with her favourite designers will be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process.

Exhibition highlights will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for Diana’s engagement portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1981, and Victor Edelstein’s iconic ink blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta. A blue tartan Emanuel suit, worn for an official visit to Venice in the 1980s, will go on display in public for the first time. The suit, a rare survival of the Princess’s daywear, was only recently rediscovered and acquired by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity responsible for Kensington Palace – at auction.

Whilst in residence at Kensington Palace, the Princess admired the changing floral displays in the historic Sunken Garden and would often stop to talk to the gardeners who care for it. In 2017, the gardeners at Kensington will dedicate the new planting in the garden to Diana, creating a temporary White Garden.

Complementing the palace’s exhibition, ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’, the garden will be planted with flowers and foliage inspired by memories of the Princess’s life, image and style. Spring planting will include an elegant palette of tulips and scented narcisii through a carpet of forget-me-nots. In the summer, pots of classic English white roses will surround the reflective pool in the centre of the garden and the planting will become more exuberant, with glowing ornamental grasses weaving through Cosmos daisies and billows of graceful Gaura. The garden will be installed for Spring and Summer 2017.

Eleri Lynn, curator of ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’, said,

‘Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most photographed women in the world, and every fashion choice she made was closely scrutinised. Our exhibition explores the story of a young woman who had to quickly learn the rules of royal and diplomatic dressing, who in the process put the spotlight on the British fashion industry and designers.

We see her growing in confidence throughout her life, increasingly taking control of how she was represented, and intelligently communicating through her clothes. This is a story many women around the world can relate to, and we hope many visitors will join us next year, to get a closer look at some of Diana’s most iconic outfits, on display in her former home.’

Sean Harkin, Gardens Team Leader, Kensington Palace, said,

‘It’s a great privilege for myself and my team to care every day for the beautiful gardens of Kensington Palace, and we’re looking forward to creating a White Garden next year which celebrates the life of one the palace’s most famous residents: Diana, Princess of Wales. We hope to capture the energy and spirit which made her such a popular figure around the world.’

Diana: Her Fashion Story is generously sponsored by The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc.

To purchase tickets, click here.

For details on BBC documentary Diana: Designing a Princess, click here.

Kensington Palace: Prince Harry to visit Big White Wall
London 

Monday 27th February, 2017

Prince Harry will visit the digital mental health service Big White Wall at their London office on Monday 27th February.

The online service offers immediate access to both peer and professional support from specially trained clinicians to its members who are dealing with issues related to their mental health. Big White Wall is one of the CONTACT coalition, the military charity partner of Their Royal Highnesses’ Head’s Together Campaign.

Whilst anyone aged 16 and over can access the service, Big White Wall sees a large number of ex-service personnel, their families and the families of those still serving seek help online for issues including anxiety, depression, stress, anger or early stage alcoholism. Since 2010, with support from the Ministry of Defence, Help for Heroes and NHS England, Big White Wall has supported thousands of these individuals in the UK.

All Big White Wall members have anonymous access to a supportive community of peers, clinically moderated forums, self-help materials and a range of online group courses. Big White Wall also offers one-to-one therapy online via text, audio and video, 16 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is available to 31% of the UK population via local NHS contracts. It is also widely commissioned by UK universities, public and private sector employers.

Prince Harry will be taken through Big White Wall’s online services with a live demonstration at the London office. His Royal Highness will then meet the service’s clinicians who deliver Big White Wall’s services, and hear more in particular about their work supporting serving or ex-service personnel with their mental health.

For more information on Big White Wall, please visit www.bigwhitewall.com

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 Prince Harry gives a speech at the Heads Together Training Day, Newcastle

 Tuesday 21st February, 2017

Thank you Jayne-Anne for that introduction and thank you so much to everyone in this room for your enthusiasm for the Heads Together campaign. Especially those of you wearing your headbands.

What you have just heard from Jayne-Anne and from Paul and Iain is exactly what this campaign is all about.

You’ve just heard one of the country’s leading business figures speak openly about facing a difficult moment in her life; you’ve heard her talk about realising that she needed to ask for help from a colleague and to ask for the time to get her life back on track; and you’ve seen her celebrate the fact that her own experiences with a mental health challenge have made her a better leader today.

You’ve also heard from Iain and Paul about the lessons they took from being at the centre of a terrible tragedy; you’ve seen from them the importance of admitting that coping with tragedy and trauma requires help from others; and you heard them stand up and admit that the people we might turn to in an emergency are not superhuman.

Jayne-Anne, Paul and Iain may seem to have very different stories.

At their core, though, they share one invaluable lesson – a lesson that is at the very heart of the Heads Together campaign: none of us can get through a mental health difficulties without being willing to have a conversation and being able to admit that we might need some help.

William, Catherine and I started this campaign because we saw that fear of judgement, stigma, and outdated prejudice meant that too many people stayed quiet about their mental health challenges.

And we saw that this fear of even talking about a problem often meant that issues could quickly escalate out of hand. How is it that for most, the first time mental health is talked about is when they’re already suffering?

Stigma cannot and must not be the reason we shy away from equipping ourselves and our families for the day that a dark cloud may appear.

I have seen the threat that this fear and stigma poses in my work with veterans and my former Army friends. Guys and girls in the armed services often need to think they are invincible. I know first-hand from my time as an Apache pilot that you do not want anyone to question your ability to cope with pressure and stress.

When you are called on to assist with a rescue mission in a dangerous situation, you want everyone to know you won’t be fazed by the challenge. Questioning can bring about doubt, when you know the training will kick in. We all consider ourselves at the top of our game and strive for perfection. We all want to be as professional as humanly possible.

What I’ve learned through my work with the Army’s Personnel Recovery Unit, is that this need to be seen as tough and invincible can follow you home from the battlefield.

And when the truth is – no one is invincible and anyone who is repeatedly exposed to tress and trauma will need help with their mental health, this pride can become very dangerous.

I have met too many people who waited too long to start having that conversation. I have met people who disconnected from their spouses and children rather than admit that they needed to speak to someone.

I have sat with a man who struggled to admit he needed help even as he could not stop shaking and blinking as he fought post-traumatic stress.

I have met people who considered taking their own lives rather than admit to anything that might make them look weak in the eyes of others.

This is why we want to change the way we talk about mental health.

It’s the reason I try never to use the ‘D’ in ‘PTSD’ because I don’t think it’s helpful to label people unnecessarily with a ‘disorder’ – and I’ve seen with my own eyes some of the worst cases recover.

It’s the reason we want to work with all of you to have conversations at work, with your friends, with your family to confront any notion that a mental health challenge needs to be kept quiet.

For me it’s as simple as this: if you have a persistent painful issue with your knee, you wouldn’t hesitate to speak to your friends about it or to go to the doctor to get it checked it out. You do that because you know if a problem is left unaddressed it could get worse, not better. And you don’t hesitate to speak about it because you know there is no shame in a bad knee!

Our mental fitness is no different. If you feel stressed or like a cloud is hanging over you, you cannot know how to fix that feeling unless you start speaking about it.

It is hard admitting something is wrong, especially when you can’t explain it. Not knowing what depression feels like, not knowing what the cure for anxiety is.

What I really want to say is that if you do have the courage to speak about it you really can make things better – trust me. Mental health challenges are not a life sentence. I have seen people go from their lowest point –physically shaking, or unwilling to leave the house, or even with suicidal thoughts – to a place of real optimism and resilience in a relatively short space of time.

Recovery really is possible. But it can’t happen if we aren’t willing to have that conversation. I can assure you, not talking about it will make it worse, and talking about it will equip you for the days ahead.

So please, when you go back to your desks speak to your colleagues about how you cope with stress.

When you go home tonight, maybe tell your kids that sometimes you struggle with your emotions and that it is ok to talk about it.  Or instead, maybe pick up the phone to a friend who you suspect may be finding it hard to admit that something isn’t right.

If we are all willing to have these conversations, we will end the stigma around mental health once and for all. That’s what Heads Together is trying to achieve – removing the stigma to pave the way for better access to services that can help.

And that’s why I am so glad to have all of your help for this important mission.

Thank You

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The Queen to launch 2017 UK-India Year of Culture 

 ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS: OPERATIONAL NOTE

Monday 27th February 2017

Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other Members of the Royal Family, will host a reception to mark the launch of the UK-India Year of Culture 2017.

The 2017 UK-India Year of Culture will celebrate the deep cultural ties and the 70th anniversary of India’s Independence through a year-long programme of events and exhibitions which will take place in both countries. The events are being organised by the British Council, together with the Indian High Commission in London, UK institutions and their Indian counterparts, with the aim of connecting and inspiring people to celebrate the long-standing relationship and vibrant cultural history.

The reception will bring together the best of British and Indian culture and creativity, represented through a range of high profile guests with an interest in both countries. The attendees include guests from the fields of performing arts, fashion, food, literature and sport such as Kunal Nayyar, Neha Kapur, Ayesha Dharker, Kapil Dev, Rio Ferdinand, Anoushka Shankar and Joe Wright.

A highlight of the evening will include a special Indian themed menu of canapes prepared by Royal Chefs working alongside chefs from Veeraswamy, the UK’s oldest Indian Restaurant. There will also be a display from the Royal Collection including items from previous Royal Visits to India, and Indian gifts and manuscripts from the Royal Library.

Earlier in the day, the Band of the Grenadier Guards will a play a selection of Indian themed music during the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, including soundtracks from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”.

The Queen and The Royal Family have a personal connection with India and have visited several times. Her Majesty’s first State Visit to India, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, was in 1961, as the guests of Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The first engagement was to Raj Ghat, the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, where The Queen left a tribute of a wreath of 500 roses and planted a tree. At the State Banquet that evening, Her Majesty said: “To all in India I bring a greeting of goodwill and affection from the British people. I hope that our visit will demonstrate to the world the respect and friendship which exists between Britain and India, and indeed all the countries which are joined together in the free partnership of the Commonwealth. 

Before leaving India, Her Majesty reflected on the visit: My husband and I will take with us the most vivid impressions of places, events, and people. Of events there were so many that they form a kaleidoscope of infinite colour and variety. Most of all we were thrilled by the wonderful welcome which was given to us wherever we went but such great and friendly crowds.” 

Since then, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness have paid two further State Visits to India (in 1983 and 1997) and received three incoming State Visits to the UK from India (1963, 1990 and 2009). In 2009, at the State Banquet given for the then President of India Smt. Pratibha Patil in Windsor Castle, Her Majesty said that the “warmth and hospitality of the Indian people, and the richness and diversity of India itself have been an inspiration” [to her and her family]. The Queen also reflected on the UK’s and India’s “long shared history, which today is a source of great strength in building a new partnership fit for this new century“.

The most recent visit to India was by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2016 (To read more about the Cambridges visit to India in 2016, why not get a copy of Issue 23 of Royal Life).

British Council 

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. They create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. Using the UK’s cultural resources, the British Council makes a positive contribution to the countries they work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

2017 UK/India Year of Culture 

In 2017, the UK and India will celebrate a major bilateral year of cultural exchange. India and the UK have a long and rich history. UK/India 2017 will enrich relationships at all levels of society, their institutions and government, building a shared future for generations to come. For more information on UK/India 2017 please visit www.britishcouncil.in and www.hcilondon.in

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The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will open the new development at the Charterhouse, Charterhouse Square, London

ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS
OPERATIONAL NOTE  

Tuesday 28th February 2017

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit and formally open the new development at the Charterhouse in Central London on Tuesday 28th February.

Upon arrival, The Queen and The Duke will be greeted by senior representatives of the Charterhouse. They will view a 3D representation of the redeveloped site and meet members of the design, building and landscaping teams. Inside the building, Her Majesty will visit the newly created Learning Centre and museum facilities, while His Royal Highness will meet staff and governors in the Great Hall. To conclude, The Queen and The Duke will take part in a short ceremony and plaque unveiling in the Chapel.

Background Information 

The Charterhouse is located immediately adjacent to the ancient boundaries of the City of London in Clerkenwell, in the London Borough of Islington. Originally constructed in 1371 on the site of a Black Death burial ground, the building began life as a Cathusian monastery, which flourished during the late Medieval and early Tudor period. It has since served as a private mansion, a boys’ school and an almshouse, which it remains today. Formally know as Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse, the building is a registered charity.

The site’s rich heritage is now being opened up to the public for the first time, through a £4m redevelopment project known as Revealing the Charterhouse. This has seen the creation of a Learning Centre and Museum, improved landscaping in external areas, and the accompanying redevelopment of Charterhouse Square, on to which the building faces. The new facilities opened to the public on 27th January 2017 and it is anticipated that over 100,000 people, including 2000 school students, will visit over the next twelve months. The redevelopment project has received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a number of other trusts, foundations, businesses and individuals.

Residents of the almshouse are known as “brothers.” With a minimum age of sixty, they are selected from a range of professions including education, the clergy, and the arts. Those who become brothers are considered in need of financial support.

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Kensington Palace: The Duchess of Cambridge to visit
Ronald McDonald House Evelina London 

Tuesday 28th February, 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit Ronald McDonald House Evelina London on Tuesday 28th February, officially marking the opening of their purpose-built ‘home away from home’ accommodation for the families of children being treated at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

The new 59-bedroom House offers comfort, support, and a safe environment where families can interact and share their experiences, and stay free of charge for as long as the need to whilst their child is in hospital. The facility is equipped with kitchens, playrooms, and laundry facilities, and has communal lounges so that families can feel at home. Just a five minute walk to the Evelina London, the location also helps families remain as close as possible to their child. Run in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, which made a significant contribution to the cost of the build, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, which provided the land and helped to bring the parties together, the House is expected to accommodate around 975 families each year.

The new £13 million House is run by Ronald McDonald House Charities, an independent charity founded in 1989. There are currently 14 Houses across the UK, helping support over 7,000 families a year and keeping them together at a stressful time so that they can concentrate on the wellbeing of their child.

On arrival The Duchess will hear more about Ronald McDonald House Charities, and what the new House will mean to the families and children being treated at Evelina London. Her Royal Highness will then be taken on a tour of the House, meeting families who are currently benefitting from its new facilities and services. Before departing, The Duchess will attend a short reception in the Day Room, and unveil a plaque to mark the House’s official opening.

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 Kensington Palace: Prince Harry to attend England Rugby Team Open Training Session 

Twickenham Stadium, London 

Friday 17th February, 2017

In his new role as Patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Prince Harry will attend the England rugby team open training session at Twickenham Stadium on Friday 17 February. The training day is an opportunity for England Rugby to thank the rugby community for their continued support, including young people from various RFU youth programmes. Prince Harry will join these young people as they watch the England team prepare for their next RBS 6 Nations match.

The event at Twickenham Stadium will see over 12,000 supporters from clubs and schools filling the stands to watch the England senior squad in a training session. It will also feature a live Q&A from coaches and England players.

On arrival, Prince Harry will take his seat in the stands with young people from various RFU youth projects. He will first meet young rugby players involved in England Rugby’s Try for Change programme. Try for Change uses the power of rugby as a force for good to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in England and across the world. Whilst the training session is taking place, Prince Harry will chat to the young rugby players to hear about how rugby has helped to turn their lives around.

His Royal Highness will then meet representatives from RFU’s National Youth Council and Young Rugby Ambassadors (YRA) programmes. The YRA programme supports and incentivises young volunteers aged 14-25, and has over 1,300 YRAs across the country supporting their clubs, universities, colleges and schools. Prince Harry will also meet young people from Didcot RFC who were chosen from groups around the country to form a Guard of Honour for the England team.

Prince Harry will then make his way on to the pitch to meet players from the England team as they finish their training session.

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Kensington Palace: The Duke of Cambridge Will Officially Launch the SkillForce Prince William Award

 Wales 

Wednesday 1st March

The Duke of Cambridge, Patron of SkillForce, will officially launch the charity’s new award programme, The Prince William Award (PWA), while visiting a primary school in Wales. His Royal Highness will join three groups of school children as they each demonstrate different age related levels of the award programme. The Prince William Award is aimed at helping young children between the ages of 6 and 14 to develop good character, confidence and resilience.

The PWA is designed in three stages. The Pioneer Award is for children aged between 6 and 7, and helps to develop character, and to teach children to understand the value of significant character traits. The second stage is the Explorer Award for children aged 8 to 11, and focuses on developing character within a team and the impact individuals can make on group performance. The third stage of The PWA is the Trailblazer Award, which concentrates on inspiring children aged 12 to 14 with confidence as leaders, and equipping them with skills to take on responsibility.

The Duke will meet with students who have participated in the award scheme during its pilot year, and will join them as they complete exercises including; a construction task, a trust based exercise, and a challenge designed to test leadership skills.

After completing these exercises His Royal Highness will give a speech to mark the official launch of the award, and will congratulate children already participating, before unveiling the first award trophies.

SkillForce is a national education charity that works with schools to transform lives using the skills and experience of ex-Service veterans. The charity supports children and young people in more than 200 primary and secondary schools across England, Scotland and Wales preparing them for their next steps in education, work and life. The Duke became Patron in 2009.

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Kensington Palace:
The Duchess of Cambridge will visit Action for Children to see their
work with families

22nd February 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit two Action for Children projects supporting vulnerable families in Wales. This will be her first engagements with Action for Children since becoming its Patron in December, following on from Her Majesty The Queen.

Action For Children cares for disadvantaged children from across the UK, from before they are born until they are into their twenties. The organisation helps all types of families, supporting children and carers through fostering or adoption, and intervening early to stop neglect and abuse. The charity also makes life better for children with disabilities. It’s 7,000 staff and volunteers operate over 600 services, improving the lives of 390,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers every year. The Duchess, who has made supporting vulnerable families a key area of focus, has previously visited Action for Children programmes at Cape Hill Children’s Centre in Smethwick in 2015. The visit on 22nd February will allow Her Royal Highness to see two of the successful projects in Wales, where Action for Children helped 13,000 children and young people last year.

The Duchess will first visit Torfaen to see MIST, a child and adolescent mental health project which works specifically with children who are living in care with foster families or birth families. The service works with both the young person and their carers or birth family to address complex mental health needs, intervening where it becomes clear the child is at risk of being placed in residential or institutional care, with the aim of keeping the child in their local area, and having as normal a life as possible. MIST has been running for 12 years. It is commissioned by Health, Social Care and Education and hosted by Action for Children – Gweithredu dros Blant.

The Duchess will then visit the Caerphilly Family Intervention Team (FIT) to learn about their work with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, problems with family relationships and those who have or who are likely to self-harm. The Duchess will view the team’s family therapy work which helps families understand the reasons behind certain behaviour. It supports them to manage feelings and behaviours using creative techniques that are tailored to meet individual needs. The project is delivered by Family Support Practitioners who are trained and supervised by a Clinical Psychologist and Systemic Psychotherapist.

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Kensington Palace:
Prince Harry will visit Newcastle and Gateshead with Heads Together 

Tuesday 21st February, 2017

Prince Harry will join a training session in the centre of Newcastle with Team Heads Together as part of an ongoing campaign to get the nation talking about mental health. As the countdown to the Virgin Money London Marathon continues, Prince Harry will meet the runners and Heads Together supporters from across the North East who are working to make 2017 the mental health marathon. Heads Together, the campaign to change the conversation on mental health which is spearheaded by Their Royal Highnesses, is the Official Charity of the Year of the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Prince Harry’s visit to the North East will begin in Gateshead, where His Royal Highness will learn how Walking With the Wounded is working with the local council and police on projects to support ex-servicemen, with a focus on providing specialist support for mental health, including those who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The Prince will hear from project leaders and beneficiaries of these services, before attending a round table on how multi-agency partnerships can support mental health provision for servicemen with complex needs. Walking With The Wounded is one of the CONTACT coalition, a charity partner of the Heads Together Campaign.

Next, Prince Harry will head to the Quayside where he will join Steve Cram, Jonathan Edwards and some of the Team Heads Together runners from across the North East and Scotland as they take part in a special training day. As the group takes part in drills and exercises at the iconic Quayside, by the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, The Prince will meet some of the runners to hear why they are running, and to raise awareness of the benefits of having open conversations about mental health. The runners will have spent the day getting top training, nutrition and fundraising tips as they prepare for the race, alongside tips on how to spread the Heads Together message to challenge the stigma on talking about our mental health.

The day concludes at Virgin Money Head Quarters, one of the Official Partners of Heads Together, where staff, runners, and representatives from the campaign’s eight charity partners will be taking part in a Heads Together charity day. Prince Harry will head to the charity village to meet staff who have been raising funds and awareness about mental health, before joining speakers, including Virgin Money CEO Jayne-Anne Gadhia, and runners, who will talk about the important of a positive attitude to mental health in the workplace, and how having conversations about mental health can save lives.

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