Kate Middleton's GREAT Transformation: Olympics Watcher to Post-Games Partier

Just hours after turning out to support Zara Phillips at an equestrian event, the duchess represents the royal family at a creative industries reception in London

By Gina Serpe Jul 30, 2012 8:50 PMTags
Kate Middleton, Catherine, Duchess of CambridgeDanny Martindale/WireImage

It's going to take an Olympic effort to make it through the games without a daily twice daily thrice daily update on Kate Middleton and the royal family's whereabouts. And frankly, we've already proved ourselves not up for that challenge.

And who can blame us, when Prince William insists on hanging out with David Beckham and Middleton flits around from London games venue to Olympic party circuit without a hair out of place?

Because that's just what she did today, when, hours after she, Wills and Prince Harry (along with a majority portion of the royal family) turned up in Greenwich to cheer on cousin Zara Phillips at the cross-country equestrian event, she took a solo turn out on the town, turning up at the Creative Industries reception for the government's GREAT campaign.

Which is, what?

Well, pretty much exactly as advertised: springboarding off the Olympic and Paralympic Games, GREAT aims to showcase Britain's excellence in culture, creativity, art and entertainment.

Held at London's Royal Academy of Arts, the mostly trade and industry reception was attended by roughly 800 of Kate's closest friends. And she looked, as always, um, great.

Ditching her more casual, preppy garb, Middleton transformed into the stunning duchess we've come to know and love, wearing (yes, once again, she loves to recycle!) a lavender Roksanda Ilincic dress that she first wore during her 2011 royal tour.

An oldie and still a goodie.