The love story of Kate Middleton and Prince William could be ripped straight from the pages of a fairytale: a regular girl meets a prince, falls in love, and has her happily ever after. However, despite her famous moniker, there’s a lot more to the Duchess of Cambridge than her royal duties and public life.
During her royal tenure, the mother of three has displayed an incredible commitment to early education and mental health initiatives. “It is our duty, as parents and as teachers, to give all children the space to build their emotional strength and provide a strong foundation for their future,” she says. Privately, the future Queen Consort loves playing tennis and dabbling in photography. In fact, she recently revealed some of her photographic skills, by sharing some candid snaps of her family at their home in Kensington.
Not unlike her late mother-in-law Princess Diana, Middleton is clearly driven by a desire to do good and create impactful change in the community – the epitome of everything a queen should be. With an anthropologic drive and a devotion to family and the arts, the Duchess has deservedly become one of the most beloved members of the royal family.
Here, we’ve rounded up the top 29 things to know about the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
1. What Is Kate Middleton’s Full Name?
Although she’s known to many as Kate Middleton, the future Queen Consort was born Catherine Elizabeth Middle. Her full royal name is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
2. How Old Is Kate Middleton?
Middleton’s date of birth is 9 January 1982, which means she turned 37 earlier this year.
3. Who Are Kate Middleton Parents?
While not exactly royal, Middleton was born to a wealthy upper-class family. Her father, Michael Middleton, was a flight dispatcher. Her mother, Carole Goldsmith, was a flight attendant.
4. Does Kate Middleton Have Any Siblings?
Kate is the eldest of the three Middleton siblings. Most people are familiar with Pippa, Kate’s younger sister, but she also has a brother named James.
5. How Tall Is Kate Middleton?
Middleton stands at 1.75m or 5’7”.
6. What Is Kate Middleton Net Worth?
Even before she married into the British royal family, Middleton was wealthy. Her net worth was estimated at $USD 7 to 10 million ($AUD 10.1 to 14.42 million).
7. Where Did Kate Middleton Go To School?
Middleton had a privileged education, starting from her early years at St Andrew’s private school. She graduated from the University of St Andrews in 2005 with honours in art history.
8. Is Kate Middleton Religious?
Like many other aristocratic Brits, Kate was born, baptised, and confirmed into the Church of England.
9. Who Has Kate Middleton Dated Before William?
Before Middleton found her prince, she was romantically linked to a few men. Her “first love”, reporter Willem Marx, was a friend from Marlborough College. During a break-up with William in 2007, she briefly dated Henry Ropner, a former schoolmate of William’s. Rupert Finch, another St Andrews student, dated Middleton for less than a year.
10. How Did Kate Middleton Meet Prince William?
Most reports say that Middleton and Prince William first met at St Andrews, the university where they both studied. However, old friends have revealed in interviews that they met through mutual friends. Whatever the actual story is, we know that Middleton really first caught the Prince’s eye at a charity fashion show.
11. When Did Kate Middleton Get Engaged?
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton in October 2010 during a trip to Kenya. The engagement was announced to the public a month later.
12. What Does Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring Look Like?
Middleton’s engagement ring was actually the ring of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince William’s mother. The 12-carat blue sapphire ring is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in 18K white gold.
13. Who Made Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring?
The original ring was created by former Crown Jeweller Garrard & Co. Princess Diana infamously picked it from a selection of rings (instead of having one custom made, as was a royal tradition). G Collins and Sons resized the ring for Middleton, adding two platinum studs to the design.
14. How Much Did Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring Cost?
At the time it was purchased, in 1981, the ring cost £28,000. Today, its value is estimated at over £300,000 ($AUD 551,130).
15. When Did Kate Middleton Get Married?
Kate and William were married in a grand ceremony on 29 April 2011.
16. Where Did Kate Middleton Get Married?
The royal couple wed in Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous churches in Europe. The abbey has been the location of countless coronations and royal weddings over the centuries.
17. Who Were Kate Middleton’s Bridesmaids?
Traditionally, royal wedding bridesmaids are young girls of noble birth who are close to the families. Middleton’s bridesmaids included Lady Louise Windsor, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Custem, and Eliza Lopes.
18. What Did Kate Middleton Wedding Dress Look Like?
Middleton’s dress was the subject of much conversation and media attention for the weeks after her wedding. The dress is made up of an ivory satin bodice with floral lace appliques and a full-length skirt.
19. Who Made Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress?
The famous royal wedding gown was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen.
20. How Much Did Made Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress Cost?
While the actual cost of Middleton’s designer dress was never confirmed, there were speculations that the gown cost over £250,000 ($AUD 459,200).
21. Does Kate Middleton Wear A Tiara?
Tiaras and crowns are pretty much standard for the royal family. Since her wedding day, Kate’s been spotted with a tiara only a handful of times and only at official events.
22. Does Kate Middleton Like Meghan Markle?
Meghan Markle (wife of Prince Harry) is Kate Middleton’s sister-in-law. Although there are rumours circulating that the two are at odds, she recently paid Markle a visit to meet the new royal baby Archie and has been known to take a style note or two from the former actress.
23. What Are Kate Middleton’s Best Fashion Moments?
It’s fair to say, that the royal whose outfits inspired a viral #RepliKate movement, is making a name as a fashion icon. Whether it’s her favourite teal Emily Wickstead number or a homage to her royal predecessors, Kate Middleton has an eye for colour and silhouettes – not to mention always looking incredibly polished.
RELATED: Every Time Kate Middleton Has Reworn An Outfit
24. What Does Kate Middleton Look Like Without Makeup?
As with any member of the royal family, it’s rare to see the Duchess of Cambridge donning an off-duty look – makeup inclusive. Regardless, her natural beauty and kind smile are always talking points.
25. What Makeup Does Kate Middleton Use?
Middleton surprisingly does her own makeup – even for her own wedding! She hasn’t revealed her holy grail products, but friends and makeup artists she’s worked with dropped names like Bobbi Brown, Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, and Urban Decay.
RELATED: Kate Middleton Was Just Spotted Wearing This $32 Lip Product
26. What Is Kate Middleton Skin Care Routine?
Like most other royals and aristocrats, Middleton has flawless skin. Her daily skincare routine, as leaked by trusted sources, include Trilogy’s famed rosehip oil, Beuti Skincare’s Beauty Sleep Elixir, and Karin Herzog’s product line. She also uses affordable drugstore products like the Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Day Cream.
27. How Many Kids Does Kate Middleton Have?
Kate Middleton and Prince William are the proud parents of three beautiful royal children: their eldest son Prince George (who is about to turn six this year), their only daughter Princess Charlotte (born in 2015), and the youngest, Prince Louis, who just turned one last month.
28. What Did Kate Middleton Call Her Kids?
To us, they’re Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. To Kate, they’re either “poppet” or, in young Charlotte’s case, “Lottie”.
29. Will Kate Middleton Become Queen?
While she is married to Prince William (third in line for the British throne), Kate Middleton will technically become “Queen Consort”, and not a queen. The title of “Queen” is reserved for female monarchs who are royal by blood.
