LIFE & CULTURE

Carole Middleton Shares Adorable Throwback Photo Of The Duchess As A Child Model

Plus Pippa and James make an appearance too!

While we all know about The Duchess of Cambridge’s infamous turn on the catwalk at university that made Prince William sit up and pay attention, but did you know that she actually got her modeling start many years before?

In 1989, at the tender age of seven, Kate posed in an ad for her family’s business, Party Pieces. And to celebrate 30 years of the company, her mother shared this blast from the past.

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Kate Middleton models for Party Pieces
(Credit: Partypieces.co.uk)

The image shows the Duchess rocking a party hat and blowing on a party popper alongside her younger sisters Pippa and James.

“It is still very much a family business today, and over the years all my children have played a huge part in it from modelling for the catalogue to developing new categories for the brand,” Carole writes.

Party Pieces was born in 1987 while Carole was pregnant with James and Kate was due to start school. The idea came from “being a mum who was new to hosting children’s parties, finding the simplest of things like party bags was a real challenge.”

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Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George. Photo: Getty

The business went from humble beginnings in the Middleton’s garden shed to become a thriving business with over 40 employees – including all three children through the years.

“James established our personalised cakes, Catherine started the 1st birthday side of the business, and Pippa developed the Party Pieces blog.”

While the kids are no longer involved in this business, the proud mum says she still gets their input.

“They grew up with me working and appreciate the demands of a busy business and a working mum, and although now they are not involved day to day in the business, I still value their ideas and opinions.”

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