Kate Middleton launched a new photography book that documents the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK

Kate Middleton reacts as she meets with parents and children, and peer supporters, in Battersea Park, London on September 22, 2020. JACK HILL/Getty Images

Kate Middleton announced the publication of a new photography book, “Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020,” which captured life in the UK under lockdown measures and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Duchess of Cambridge revealed the book’s upcoming release on Saturday in a post to Kensington Palace’s official Instagram account. The book will feature the top 100 portraits from her “Hold Still” campaign and stories to accompany the photos.

“When we look back at the COVID-19 pandemic in decades to come, we will think of the challenges we all faced – the loved ones we lost, the extended isolation from our families and friends and the strain placed on our key workers,” wrote Middleton. “But we will also remember the positives: the incredible acts of kindness, the helpers and heroes who emerged from all walks of life, and how together we adapted to a new normal.”

Middleton, 39, explained that the decision to publish the photographs was to create a “lasting record” of people’s personal experiences during the pandemic.

“Through Hold Still, I wanted to use the power of photography to create a lasting record of what we were all experiencing – to capture individuals’ stories and document significant moments for families and communities as we lived through the pandemic,” wrote Middleton.

The community project, a collaboration between Middleton and the National Portrait Gallery, began nearly a year ago when Britain underwent lockdown. NPG said more than 31,000 submissions were received from across the country, with entrants ranging from 4 years old to 75 years old.

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The portraits were displayed in cities and towns across the UK last fall as part of an exhibition.

“Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020” will be available on May 7. Proceeds will be split between the NPG and Mind, a mental health charity supported by the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge.

Middleton and Prince William have been vocal in their support of individuals affected by the pandemic. In December 2020, the couple visited the hospital where Middleton was born to honor medical staff and frontline workers. They recently visited the church where they were married, Westminster Abbey, which has been turned into a vaccination site.

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