She has the world at her feet – she could spend her days horse riding, or Netflix and chilling, or bathing in champagne (that’s what royals do, yes?) – and yet the Duchess of Cambridge whiles away spare moments with a more humble pursuit: she colours in. Presumably between the lines.
Prince William revealed his wife’s surprisingly low-key hobby recently, when he met author Johanna Basford at a Queen’s Birthday Honours ceremony.
Basford’s 2013 Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book has sold over a million copies worldwide, been translated into 14 languages and now garnered its creator an Order of the British Empire for services to art and entrepreneurship.
After receiving her award, Basford was introduced to the Duke of Cambridge. “Prince William actually said that his wife likes to colour in the Secret Garden, which was really sweet,” Basford told the Press Association.
Adult colouring-in books gained a huge following last year, with fans swearing they relieve stress and give a much-needed break from staring at screens.
When Kate Middleton wears a particularly striking high street dress it sells out in seconds, so one can only assume that adult colouring in is about to get a (gale-force) second wind. Better restock your Derwent supplies while you can.
