Duke and Duchess of Cambridge now on display at Madame Tussaud’s

GlobalPost

Gosh darn that dashing Prince William. That gorgeous Kate Middleton. They're always up on pedestal, out of reach to us mere mortals. Now, thanks to new wax statues of the newlyweds at Madame Tussaud’s, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be on display for all posterity. 

The new figurines capture the couple as they appeared in their classy engagement photos, the duchess sporting an elegant Issa dress, the duke grinning and wearing a nice purple tie.

The celebrity couple did not appear at today's unveiling in London, said The Washington Post. But Tussauds said they were constantly updated on the project, a close exchange reflecting the museum's long "relationship with the Royal family," the Daily Mail noted, a history "that goes back 180 years, when Madame Tussaud opened her first attraction in London featuring the figure of King William IV."

More from GlobalPost: Kate Middleton gives her first public speech (VIDEO)

Still, the celebrity couple declined to model for the statues themselves, said the Telegraph, which might possibly explain why it took 30 people to make each figurine to the tune of 150,000 pounds apiece. 

The sculptors, working off of photographs, reportedly spent four months on the project.

The man responsible for the duchess' picture-perfect head, Louis Wiltshire, told the Telegraph that the engagement scene was chosen because the two looked "so happy."

But going from 2D to 3D is tricky business, he said, saying the duchess' head was "pieced together from different photos to get the structure right — likeness is important but so is the expression.”

The Washington Post noted that while the Queen is the most-liked figure in the museum these days, they expect that to change as the Duke and Duchess approach their first wedding anniversary later this month. 

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.