The Duchess of Cambridge is “honored” to have her photos of Holocaust survivors and their families included in an exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London. “Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors,” which opened Friday, features over 50 contemporary portraits from 13 photographers, alongside photography by Kate, who is patron of the Royal Photographic Society.
On Aug. 6, the Cambridges’ social media accounts shared pictures of the exhibit, in addition to a previously seen behind-the-scenes photo of photographer Kate speaking with Holocaust survivor Steven Frank and his granddaughters, Maggie and Trixie. “Honoured to be part of the new photography exhibition at @ImperialWarMuseums in London, bringing together over 50 contemporary portraits of Holocaust survivors and their families,” the Duchess said in the caption.
“Displayed for the very first time, these powerful photographs capture the special connections between Holocaust survivors and the younger generations of their families, and remind us of our collective responsibility to ensure their stories live on,” the caption continued. “The photographs present a group of survivors who made the UK their home after beginnings marked by unimaginable loss and trauma. While offering a space to remember and share their stories, these portraits are a celebration of the full lives they have lived and the special legacy which their children and grandchildren will carry into the future.”
The royal mom of three took the photos of Steven with his granddaughters and Yvonne Bernstein with her granddaughter Chloe in January of 2020 for a project by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Jewish News and the Royal Photographic Society to mark 75 years since the end of the Holocaust.
“I wanted to make the portraits deeply personal to Yvonne and Steven – a celebration of family and the life that they have built since they both arrived in Britain in the 1940s. The families brought items of personal significance with them which are included in the photographs,” the Duchess said in a statement at the time. “It was a true honour to have been asked to participate in this project and I hope in some way Yvonne and Steven’s memories will be kept alive as they pass the baton to the next generation.”