Catherine Elizabeth, Duchess of Cambridge (usually known as Kate, born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on 9 January 1982) is the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Catherine grew up in Chapel Row at Bucklebury, a village near Newbury, Berkshire, and studied in Scotland at the University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William in 2001. They started a romantic relationship that continued until a break-up lasting for several months in 2007. However, they continued to be friends and rekindled their relationship later that year.
Prior to her wedding, the Duchess attended many high-profile royal events. She has been admired for her fashion sense and has been placed on numerous "best dressed" lists. Once their relationship became public, Catherine received widespread media attention and there was much speculation that she and Prince William would eventually marry. On 16 November 2010 the office of the Prince at Clarence House announced their engagement, with details announced one week later. Catherine Middleton married Prince William on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
Biography
Early life and family
Middleton was born at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on 9 January 1982 and christened at St Andrew’s Bradfield, Berkshire on 20 June 1982.:32 She is the eldest of three children born to Carole Elizabeth (née Goldsmith), a former flight attendant and now part-owner of Party Pieces with an estimated worth of £30 million, and Michael Francis Middleton, who also worked as a flight attendant prior to becoming a flight dispatcher for British Airways, currently also an owner of Party Pieces. Her parents married on 21 June 1980 at the Parish Church of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and in 1987 founded Party Pieces, a successful mail order company that sells party supplies and decorations. Middleton's two siblings are a sister, Philippa Charlotte, known as "Pippa" (born 1983), and a brother, James William (born 1987). The family have complained about press harassment of Pippa and their mother since Middleton's engagement.
Middleton's paternal family came from Leeds, West Yorkshire, and her great-grandmother Olivia was a member of the Lupton family, who were active for generations in Leeds in commercial and municipal work. Her ancestors include The Rev. Thomas Davis, a Church of England hymn-writer.Carole Middleton's maternal family, the Harrisons, were working class labourers and miners from Sunderland and County Durham.
Career
In November 2006 Middleton accepted a position as an accessory buyer with the clothing chain Jigsaw. In September 2007 it was reported[citation needed] that Middleton was planning to give up her job as an accessory buyer to become a professional photographer. It was announced that she intended to take private classes with photographer Mario Testino, who had taken several well-known photographs of Diana, Princess of Wales and her sons. Middleton and Testino apparently were introduced by Prince William. Testino later denied that Middleton was going to be working for him.
Public image and style
Middleton has been featured in several best-dressed lists and was selected by The Daily Telegraph as the "Most Promising Newcomer" in its 2006 list of style winners and losers.Tatler placed her at number 8 on its yearly listing of the top ten style icons in 2007.She was featured in People magazine's 2007 and 2010 best-dressed lists.[Middleton was named as one of Richard Blackwell's ten "Fabulous Fashion Independents" of 2007. In June 2008 Style.com selected Middleton as its monthly beauty icon. In July 2008 Middleton was included in Vanity Fair's international best-dressed list. In February 2011 Middleton was named the Top Fashion Buzzword of the 2011 season by the Global Language Monitor.
All about: Prince William
Middleton's status as the undeclared girlfriend of William brought her widespread media coverage in Britain and abroad and she was often photographed on her daily outings. On 17 October 2005 she complained through her lawyer about harassment from the media, stating that she had done nothing significant to warrant such publicity. In February 2006, it was announced that Middleton would receive her own 24-hour security detail supplied by the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department. This fuelled further speculation that she and William would soon be engaged, since she would not otherwise be entitled to this service.
Breakup and reconciliation
On 14 April 2007 The Sun newspaper broke a "world exclusive" suggesting that Prince William and Middleton had split up.Other media outlets, such as the BBC, confirmed the story as the day progressed. The couple decided to break up during a holiday in the Swiss resort of Zermatt. Clarence House made only one comment about the relationship's end, according to The Times, stating, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life." Newspapers speculated about the reasons for the split, although these reports relied on anonymous sources.
Engagement and wedding
Prince William and Kate Middleton became engaged in October 2010 in Kenya, East Africa, during a 10-day trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate William's passing his RAF helicopter search and rescue course. Clarence House announced the engagement on 16 November 2010. The couple are to marry in Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011, with the day declared a bank holiday in the United Kingdom.
Title upon marriage
Unlike the majority of royal brides, and in contrast to most previous consorts-in-waiting for over 350 years, Middleton does not come from a royal or aristocratic background and therefore has no title of her own.
Middleton's title upon marriage will depend upon the additional title, if any, which is bestowed upon William. It is customary for royal men to receive a dukedom when they marry. It has been suggested that possible dukedoms for William after his marriage are Clarence, Cambridge, Sussex, Connaught, Kendal, Avondale, and Strathearn.By convention, the wife of a son or grandson of the Sovereign is entitled to the style title or attribute of "Royal Highness". Therefore as the wife of a royal duke and prince, Middleton would assume the title of duchess and be known as "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of X"
Public appearances
Middleton was formally introduced to public life on 24 February 2011, two months before the wedding, when she and William attended a lifeboat naming ceremony in Trearddur, North Wales. On 16 February 2011 Clarence House announced that Middleton's and William's first royal tour of Canada would take place in July 2011.
Titles, styles and arms
9 January 1982 – 29 April 2011: Miss Catherine Middleton
29 April 2011 – present: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge
Coat of Arms
Arms of Kate Middleton
Notes
Kate Middleton's coat of arms is based on those of her father Michael Middleton. Thomas Woodcock, Garter King of Arms, the senior officer of the College of Arms, helped the family with the design. The shield of arms in her version is lozenge shaped and hangs from a blue ribbon, this symbolises her unmarried state. This version of the coat of arms can only be used by Kate or her sister Pippa as it denotes a spinster daughter of their father Michael Middleton.
Escutcheon
On a lozenge, per pale Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, cotised Argent, between three acorns slipped and leaved Or.
Other elements
The lozenge hangs from a blue ribbon, tied in a bow.
Symbolism
The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. The acorns (from the oak tree) is a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family have lived for 30 years. The three acorns also denote the family's three children. The gold chevron in the centre of the arms is an allusion to Carole Middleton's maiden name of Goldsmith. The two white chevronels (narrow chevrons above and below the gold chevron) symbolise peaks and mountains, and the family's love of the Lake District and skiing
Ancestry
Middleton shares many ancestors with Prince William. The closest relationship via William's mother is a common descent from Sir Thomas Fairfax (d. 1520/1) and his wife Agnes Gascoine.The closest relationship via William's father is a common descent from Sir William Gascoine (d. 1487) and his wife, née Lady Margaret Percy. The Daily Mail also contends they both are descended from Sir Thomas Leighton (ca. 1530–1610), Governor of Guernsey from 1570 to 1609, and his wife Elizabeth Knollys (1549–1605), who was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I.
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