The Duchess of Cambridge has updated her new YouTube channel with a video of a phone call to a Hold Still participant – and told a student she feels like she knows her ‘so well’ just from looking at her photo.
The series, called ‘Cancelled,’ plays phone calls recorded in Autumn 2020 with Kate Middleton, 39, and finalists from the National Portrait Gallery’s Hold Still photography exhibition.
In the five-minute long video, a slick message flashes on up the screen saying: ‘Her Royal Highness wanted to speak to some of the finalists to find out more about the stories behind their photos.’
In the next scene, a photograph of the royal on the phone, donning a cream blouse and black trousers, along with a snap of a mother called Niaz Maleknia, from Primrose Hill, London, appears while a recording can be heard.
‘Hello is that Niaz?’ asks the duchess, to which she replies: ‘Yes, good afternoon. Hello.’
Another message then explains: ‘With exams, graduations and proms all cancelled due to the outbreaks of Covid-19, Romy, in a photograph taken by her mother Niaz, reminds us of the silent heroes that make up the class of 2020.’
The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured), 39, has shared a second series of telephone calls that she held with participants from the Hold Still project to her new YouTube channel
Niaz (pictured) thanked Kate Middleton for selecting the photo of her daughter and told how she was ‘thrilled’ to take part in it
A message appears on the screen explaining: ‘With exams, graduations and proms all cancelled due to the outbreaks of Covid-19, Romy, in a photograph taken by her mother Niaz, reminds us of the silent heroes that make up the class of 2020.’ Pictured, Niaz’ Hold Still submission of daughter, Romy
Kate, who opted to wear her dark hair loose, then can be heard saying: ‘I just wanted to say a huge thank you for sending in your photograph. We thought it was fantastic.’
Amateur photographer Niaz responds: ‘Thank you so much for selecting the photo, I was thrilled to take part in it. And you know, you’ve clearly got an amazing interest in photography. So yeah it was really, really, it was inspiring and I thought the briefs were really good.’
When she went on to say that her daughter Romy is sitting right next to her, a delighted Kate enthuses: ‘Hi Romy. I feel I know you so well just by looking at the photograph.
‘I think it’s so important you know that your mum’s really highlighted how much young people have been affected by lockdown and all of the disruptions that you had with work and with school and everything.’
The royal went on to ask Romy how it has been for her and her friends and whether it’s been a ‘difficult time.’
The Duchess (pictured) highlighted how she and Prince William are interested in mental health and asked how Romy thinks young people are managing with all of the change
Niaz (pictured), who has completed her M.A at LCC, continues to pursue her passion for photography
‘It’s been quite difficult,’ replied Romy. ‘I mean, I was in my last year of school so I was meant to do my A levels which is what the photo relates to. The photo was taken on what was supposed to be my last day of a levels.
We had a virtual graduation which was very strange. It was a bit odd. It is what it is . It’s been OK.’
Kate added: ‘We found it was really important and I think the judging panel too to tell the story of young people because obviously there’s been so much disruption but also making sure and highlighting the support that they, and you, all need as well.’
The Duchess, who highlighted how she and Prince William are interested in mental health, went on to ask how Romy thinks young people are managing with all of the change, to which the student replied: ‘To be honest, with mental health it hasn’t been great.
A lot of the people I know struggled. But I think it’s weird because I think people have become more open about it because it’s so common now that people are struggling with it and it’s natural to struggle with it in these circumstances. ‘
Kate added: ‘Absolutely because everything has experienced something together in a way, so there’s no shame in talking about it.
At the end of the video, it was revealed that Romy (pictured) was accepted to Standford University in California with an unconditional offer
And that’s what we’ve been really keen to do, is break that stigma and try to start conversations around mental health and it’s great to hear that people are being a lot more open about it.’
Speaking of what inspired her to submit her photograph, Niaz explained: ‘I came to photography quite late. I just completed my M.A at LCC. So I sort of keep a lookout and I read all the magazines and I heard about it, I think, on Instagram.
And I had actually been going around London. And at first, it was quite inspiring but then it became quite boring because it all just looks the same. And then when this came i just thought I just really wanted to take part.’
She continued: ‘There were a couple of different shots of different scenes that could have worked. And I just thought this is one, you know, the young, the story of, sort of this class of twenty-twenty I just felt that had been overlooked.’
In response, the Duchess of Cambridge enthused: ‘And compositionally it’s fantastically composed as well. I need to get some tips of you, obviously.’
At the end of the video, it was revealed that Romy was accepted to Standford University in California with an unconditional offer, while her mother continues to pursue her passion for photography.