First-ever Kate Middleton Figurine Available from The Hamilton Collection

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever since Prince William and Catherine "Kate" Middleton announced their royal engagement, Middleton has been at the center of international headlines as the globe celebrates the most alluring royal romance in decades.

Aiming to deliver on America's avid desire for all things Kate, a commoner turned princess-to-be, The Hamilton Collection creates the first-ever Kate Middleton figurine.

Working with world-renowned sculptors, The Hamilton Collection's latest collectible figurine captures Kate's timeless beauty and classic style, while maintaining her chic fashion sense and down-to-earth demeanor, traits that fascinate millions worldwide.

Aptly named "A Royal Engagement," the exclusive collectible features Kate's slender silhouette in her oft-photographed royal blue dress, her flowing chestnut coiffure and radiant smile. The figurine also features a detailed faux replica of Kate's oval-cut Ceylon sapphire engagement ring, the same ring once owned by Prince William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Internet searches for phrases such as "Kate Middleton blue dress," "flights to London," and "royal wedding collectibles" immediately spiked once Prince William and Kate announced their engagement in November, according to a Forbes.com media blog citing Google. Fans want to know more about the future princess, including details about her fashion sense, wedding dress rumors and historically meaningful engagement ring. The Hamilton Collection's "Royal Engagement" sculpture is the first in a series of intricate, limited-edition figurines to feature Kate in her most glamorous ensembles, including the much-anticipated wedding gown.

"Just like Princess Diana, Kate truly is the 'people's princess,'" says Kelli Edwards, general manager of The Hamilton Collection. "She has an understated elegance worthy of her pending royal title but is also warmly relatable to the masses. Our artists worked diligently to create a collection of stunning figurines that do her justice, and we believe Kate will be just as popular with our collectors as our best-selling Diana, Princess of Wales figurine."

Collectors will receive a new Kate Middleton figurine each month, including "Officially Elegant," which features the blushing bride-to-be in the ivory dress worn for her official engagement photos with Prince William. A new figurine is scheduled to come out about every four weeks and will include a figurine of Miss Middleton in her wedding gown. Each measures about 7 1/4 inches high, is hand-numbered and comes with a matching Certificate of Authenticity. Editions are limited to 95 casting days. The collection is available at The Hamilton Collection website, http://www.hamiltoncollection.com/katemiddleton, and truly is a collector's fairytale dream come true.

Image: http://www.ereleases.com/pic/2011-Kate-Middleton-Figurine.jpg

About The Hamilton Collection

The Hamilton Collection is one of the world's leading direct-response marketers of limited-edition collectibles. For more than 40 years, The Hamilton Collection has enjoyed a strong reputation for its exclusive, high-quality collectible products, developed with prestigious joint venture licenses with Precious Moments, Disney, NASCAR, John Deere, Major League Baseball and celebrated artists including Thomas Kinkade, Lena Liu and many others. The company creates fine sculptures and die-cast cars with special attention to authenticity and minute detail. All figural sculptures are handcrafted, hand-painted and available only as limited editions. The Hamilton Collection is part of the Niles, Ill.-based Bradford Group. The company's products are online at http://www.hamiltoncollection.com.

About The Bradford Group

The Bradford Group is the recognized leader in new product development and sales of collectibles including plates and dolls, music boxes and ornaments, as well as architectural villages, checks, die-cast cars and more. The Bradford Group family of companies includes: Bradford Exchange, Ashton-Drake Galleries, Bradford Exchange Checks, The Hamilton Collection and Hawthorne Village. The company's products are online at http://www.bradfordexchange.com.

For additional information, interview and image requests, contact Jason Mudd, APR of AXIA Public Relations at 904-425-9152 or Eric Cravey at 904-861-2141.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE The Hamilton Collection