It’s not every day that we plebs get a glimpse into Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Kensington Palace home. In fact, it hardly ever happens. But on Sunday, rare photos of William and Kate’s Kensington Palace home offices surfaced — and thanks to Kate’s desk adornment of choice, we’re convinced she should start a book club.
So, what was the occasion that prompted the royal couple to offer a look into their personal lives? Not surprisingly, the photos were shared in service of the greater good. Posted to the official Kensington Palace Instagram feed, they show both William and Kate on the phone in their respective spaces speaking to local charities concerning the coronavirus quarantine. “Self-isolation and social distancing can pose huge challenges to our mental health — in recent weeks The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been in regular contact with organisations and patronages to understand the issues they are facing during this difficult time,” the caption explained.
A photo of William speaking on the phone to Mind CEO Paul Farmer reveals that his home office is basically all business. But the photo of Kate talking to Place2be CEO Catherine Roche shows that Kate’s space is filled with warm and elegant touches: a cream-colored sofa, a window seat, an oversized armoire, a child-sized settee and, our favorite, a collection of clothbound Penguin classics illustrated by Coralie Bickford-Smith.
Hey, Oprah has a book club. Reese, too. Kate could be a fantastic arbiter of books — and, bonus, reading is an ideal activity during self-isolation downtime. If you want to get started with Kate’s unofficial book club (i.e. the tomes sitting on her desk), here are a few picks from her collection.
A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens
The Sonnets and a Lover’s Complaint by William Shakespeare
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Odyssey by Homer
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
In sharing the photos of their home offices, the Cambridges also announced that Public Health England has taken several steps to help foster mental health during these unprecedented times. That includes publishing new guidance to help support people during the COVID-19 outbreak, updating its Every Mind Matters platform, and offering advice on maintaining good mental health.
“It is great to see the mental health sector working together with the NHS to help people keep on top of their mental well-being,” Kate said. “By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead.”
Before you go, check out these photos of Kate Middleton doing regular mom things.
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