Duchess Kate dazzles in £49,000 Cartier necklace at Olympics exhibition

The Duchess of Cambridge glamorously ushered in next week’s London Olympics by visiting Road To 2012: Aiming High exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) today. Later in the day, the exhibition featuring photographs of London 2012 sports stars will be thrown open to the general public.

Earlier at 9.05 am, Duchess Kate arrived at the gallery close to Trafalgar Square in a chauffeur driven car. Attired in a short-sleeved brilliant blue Stella McCartney 'Ridley Stretch Cady' dress, Prince William’s wife was welcomed by dignitaries including Dame Tanith Grey-Thompson.

Kate looking stunning in blue McCartney

dress & £49,000 Cartier necklace at the

National Portrait Gallery. Credit: Now Mag

Check: Kate's Stella McCartney dress

Duchess Kate was also seen sporting an exquisite £49,000 Cartier gold necklace with a large hoop at the end, which went rather well with the Olympic theme. The Duchess of Cambridge’s outfit and accessories were completed by her trademark blow dried hair and a pair of black Prada heels on her feet.

Check: Close up look at Kate's £49,000 Cartier gold necklace from Trinity range

Once at the venue, Duchess Kate joined a select bunch of guests at the launch of the exhibition. She was scheduled to meet some of the photographers and sitters engaged in the project, which showcases portraits of famous faces and newcomers all aspiring for a medal at the games.

Among the photographs showcased at the exhibition are those of Jade Jones, the men's rowing eight, taekwondo fighter; Boris Johnson, the London Mayor; and Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor. The Indian-born co-created the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculptor at the Olympic Park.

In the current exhibition there are more than 100 portraits clicked by photographers Jonathan Anderson & Edwin Low, Jillian Edelstein and Nadav Kander. Duchess Kate herself also features in the exhibition. She is seen in a black and white photograph clicked by Jillian Edlestein earlier this year at a Team GB hockey event at the Olympic Park.

Check: Black and White Pic of Kate by Jullian Edlestein

‘Road To 2012’ is not the only exhibition Duchess Kate visited; she also dropped in to check out a couple of other exhibitions. In one, she viewed the footage of a bare-chested sleeping David Beckham snapped by Sam Taylor wood. She also scrutinized the Diamond Jubilee exhibition on ‘The Queen, Art and Image’ by NPG.

‘Road to 2012’ exhibition is the first of many public engagements that Duchess Kate will be involved with, over the coming weeks, having an Olympic theme. It may be noted that Catherine is visiting the new NPG as she happens to be its patron. Also as an ambassador for Team GB and Paralympics GB, Kate has a formal role to play in the Olympics.

The current exhibition is the third, final and the largest segment of the NPG’s three-year Olympic-themed project. It has showcased the preparations made by athletes and those working behind the scenes for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic. In 2010, the Changing Pace exhibition was staged with the inaugural event entitled ‘Setting Out.’

Sources: Daily Telegraph/Daily Mail