Vanity Fair has already released the July 2011 cover that features a never-before-seen engagement photo of the British royal couple, as taken in November/ December. The cover was taken by Mario Testino, as was the July 1997 Princess Diana cover taken by Testino 14-years ago. I can see why they didn’t use this photo before the wedding and why they left it out of the wedding’s promotional material. It’s nothing like as nice as the other engagement photos. It’s dark, oddly-composed and unflattering. It shows the sides of the couple’s faces and distorts their otherwise good-looking features. Along with the cover, Vanity Fair has posted an excerpt from the article. ‘Despite Will and Kate’s new official titles, duke and duchess, respectively, [William] made it clear at the wedding that he will continue to be addressed as Prince William, meaning Kate by default will be Princess Catherine, reports Vanity Fair writer Katie Nicholl. This may rattle some family hierarchies; the Countess of Wessex had wanted to be known as Princess Sophie, but had been forbidden by the Queen. The newest royal couple grace the July issue cover, with an exclusive portrait series by Mario Testino. The issue hits newsstands in New York and L.A. on Thursday, June 2, and nationally, in print and on the iPad, on Tuesday, June 7.’ Yeah, so it’s going to be out earlier than I’d expected but I guess it’s a normal July release date.
Testino has given an interview about photographing the couple to Nicholl, who also writes for The UK’s Mail On Sunday. Testino felt ‘very confident,’ photographing Kate Middleton, because of her natural grace. Asked why he’d been chose to take the photographs, he replied, ‘I guess it was a way for them to keep William’s mother in the whole process of it.’ Testino said that the couple exuded ‘sheer happiness,’ before adding, ‘They are a young couple in love.’
