Princess Kate has taken up meditation under the guidance of renowned British contemporary artist Chris Levine.
The artist, celebrated for creating one of the most iconic photographs of Queen Elizabeth II, has been instructing the Princess of Wales in the contemplative practice.
Mr Levine inadvertently disclosed the royal’s new pursuit before catching himself with the admission, telling the Mail: “I think I’ve said too much!”
The artist’s connection to the Royal Family stems from his 2004 commission to photograph the late Queen for Jersey’s commemoration of eight centuries of Crown allegiance.
‘I think I’ve said too much!’ Princess Kate’s teacher reveals her new hobby
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His resulting work included the serene image “Lightness of Being,” which captured Elizabeth II with eyes closed in a moment of tranquil repose and became one of the most acclaimed royal portraits ever created.
During the royal photography session, Mr Levine captured more than 8,000 images across two sittings, with the monarch personally selecting the official portrait titled “Equanimity,” which later graced Time magazine’s cover.
Yet it was an unplanned moment between poses that produced the artist’s most celebrated work.
Mr Levine photographed the Queen in a state of complete relaxation, her eyes gently shut, creating an image of profound tranquillity.
Prince William and Princess Kate pictured in Northern Ireland as they spotlighted organisations in the country
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GETTY“A couple of years later, I was looking through the work, and thought: ‘Wow, that’s pretty powerful,'” Mr Levine told Hello!.
“It’s the most evocative image of a royal by any artist, and it’s become a historic work.”
This meditative quality of the photograph inspired Mr Levine’s own practice and now forms the foundation of his instruction to Kate.
The Princess of Wales’s commitment to wellbeing extends beyond her new meditation practice, as she has long championed the benefits of spending time in nature.
She has previously embraced “forest bathing,” a Japanese-inspired practice of immersing oneself in woodland environments for therapeutic purposes.
Her connection to the natural world gained particular significance during her cancer treatment last year.
In her initial public health update following her diagnosis announcement, she was photographed leaning against a tree in Windsor, gazing upward.
Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith observed to People: “There she is in nature, which has fortified her, and looking upward in a sign of real hope and encouragement for everybody.”
This outdoor sanctuary appears to have provided crucial support throughout her recovery journey.
Scientific research has demonstrated meditation’s effectiveness, with a 2022 study revealing the practice can match medication in alleviating anxiety symptoms.
Kate joins other members of the Royal Family who have incorporated meditation into their wellness routines.
Prince Harry disclosed in 2019 that daily meditation helped him manage anxiety whilst preparing for fatherhood with his wife, Meghan Markle.
The Duchess of Sussex herself documented her meditation journey on her former lifestyle blog The Tig, acknowledging initial challenges with “the thoughts, the distractions, the boredom of it.”
However, she wrote that the practice “soon became the quietude that rocked my world,” adding: “I can’t put my finger on the why or the how, but I will tell you this much, for me…I am just happier. And meditation has much to do with that.”
