Kate the Great: From Middle(ton) To Monarchy

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Late Queen Elizabeth II often referred to Prince William and Prince Harry as her “substitutes” – the future of the British monarchy. At her Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in 2022, another member of the royal family stood radiant and entirely at ease – the Duchess of Cambridge, now Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. Just years before, she was Kate, the commoner and Prince William’s sweetheart at university. Today, there was no mistaking her position at the fore of England’s royal family.
Getty Images Photo by Indigo & Richard Heathcote & Samir Hussein & Dave Hogan & Hagen Hopkins

Like Diana, Kate is a style icon and the veritable embodiment of the People’s Princess. Observers believe her marriage to Prince William earned the British royal family more affection than it had recently. Still, how much do we know about the rising star of the British monarchy? Here are glimpses into the surreal life of Kate Middleton thus far.

She Had An Ordinary Childhood

Catherine (Kate) Middleton was born on January 9, 1982, to proud parents Michael and Carole Middleton. Her parents met and fell in love while working as flight attendants for British Airways. In 1987, they founded a mail-order business that sold supplies for children’s parties. Catherine and her two younger siblings (Pippa and James) had a quiet, ordinary upbringing in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

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The success of the family business and some family inheritance enabled Catherine to attend St. Andrew’s, an excellent prep school, and on to the highly-esteemed Marlborough College later. Kate was an accomplished student, excelling in academics and sports.

She Attends The University Of St. Andrews

When it came to education, the princess went all the way. In 2001, Kate signed up for a degree in History of Art at the University of St. Andrews. The beautiful brunette would have scarcely known how the innocuous choice of a university would completely transform her life.

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Taking this step in life was about to turn her life upside down. Things were not going to be the same. It was where she met fellow art history student Prince William, who at the time was at the time second in line to the British throne. The romance between them grew steadily - fortunately, the press was none the wiser yet.

Kate And William Were Housemates

Kate and William were housemates before they started dating. They hung out in the same circle of friends, most living in the same cottage. Everyone in the flat got on very well. Kate and Prince William gradually grew very close, and the relationship blossomed organically from then.

Getty Images Photo by Handout

The pair saw more of each other and hung out more often. Regardless of how or where the couple first met, it was fate that they would end up together. In a few years down the line, the modest couple would turn to be one of the most famous items in the world.

Kate And William Have A Moment

Although sparks had been flying, Kate and Prince William remained friends for a while. Things changed in 2002, during a student fashion show, when Kate walked the ramp in a sheer outfit. Although she wasn't dressed to fit royalty, she was stunning in everyone's eyes.

Shutterstock Editorial Photo by Malcolm Clarke/Daily Mail & Getty Images Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library

Rumor has it that William began to see her in a completely different light, and that’s when they went from friends to something more – or at least that’s what the world would like to believe. On his part, Prince William maintained that the turning point in their relationship developed gradually after spending more time together.

The Love Story Begins

Kate and Prince William began dating in 2002. The couple kept things incredibly discreet until 2004 when they went public with the relationship while vacationing together in Switzerland. How did the couple manage to keep their relationship a secret? It was primarily due to a gentleman’s agreement between the royal family and newspaper editors.

Getty Images Photo by Indigo


As a result, the pair remained safe in a bubble of privacy, free from tabloid scrutiny for most of their days at St. Andrews. This agreement was temporary, as soon the whole world discovered the woman who was thought to be the future queen of England.

She Moves To London After University

Of course, the media attention intensified as soon as Kate graduated from university. She accepted a job as a junior buyer with a fashion chain, Jigsaw, and set up a home in London. Her royal beau had meanwhile joined the military and thrown himself into training. Kate's sudden celebrity status may not have been easy, but she handled the press scrutiny with poise.

Alamy Stock Photo by WENN Rights Ltd

Despite intrusions by the paparazzi. Kate kept to herself and attempted a semblance of private life. She took on different roles at her parents’ company and did a lot of charity work during this period.

Her First Public Appearance

Kate continued being the subject of intense media fascination. Despite the overwhelming press interest, the couple’s romance appeared to be going from strength to strength. In 2006, Kate made her first public appearance with the royal family. She and her family attended the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

Alamy Stock Photo by Tim Clarke/PA Images

Kate joined the royal family in supporting Prince William, who was part of the parade. Her presence signaled to the world that the relationship was the real deal. This was the beginning of a new era not only in her own personal life but also in a change for the whole royal family.

Engagement Rumors And Mania

Soon enough, the press spotted Kate joining William, his father, and his brother on several holidays. Speculation about an engagement announcement made the rounds like wildfire. One store went ahead of itself and even commissioned memorabilia around the imminent event. It is safe to say that nobody saw what was coming instead. In April 2007, the tabloids announced that the royal pair had gone their separate ways.

Getty Images Photo by Richard Heathcote

The news came as a shock to even the most dedicated followers of the royal romance thus far. We know today that things worked their way, and everyone lived happily ever after; however, the separation announcement was as devastating as it could have been back then.

Conjectures On The Royal Split

Tabloid newspapers were rife with speculation on the couple’s split – some reports were cautious, while others were downright salacious. Anonymous sources weighed in regularly. One report went so far as to claim that Prince William had met someone “much more exciting.”

Getty Images Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press

Kate was the perfect woman for William and the perfect woman to sit on the throne. The royal family knew it; the entire United Kingdom knew it. Some insiders had the right handle on the situation. An anonymous source close to Kate believed it was just a break. It wouldn’t be the last we would see of the couple.

Kate And William Rekindle The Romance

As predicted, the separation did not last long. By June 2007, news buzzed about the couple having rekindled their romance. A month later, Kate and her mother attended the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, which seemed to confirm the couple was back together.

Getty Images Photo by Dave Hogan

Still, Kate and Prince William sat two rows apart and insisted they were “good friends” and nothing more. The couple presumably decided to keep their second chance at a relationship out of the spotlight. Unlike before, they stopped visiting their old haunts, and the world rarely saw them in public together.

Trouble With Paparazzi

Too often, the paparazzi accosted Kate – a troubling repetition of history that gravely concerned Prince William. A royal family spokesperson told newspapers how the prince wanted more than anything for the press to stop harassing Kate. In late 2007, Kate left her job at Jigsaw and took on a production role in her parents’ company.

Alamy Stock Photo by Jeff Moore

It allowed her to spend more time with Prince William – supporting him at polo matches and attending family events. The couple frequently went on holidays overseas, their relationship growing again in strength.

Kate Trains To Cross The English Channel


In 2007, Kate briefly trained with The Sisterhood, an all-woman dragon-boat crew preparing to cross the English Channel for charity. The future Duchess joined the training on a friend’s invitation. Kate, an already accomplished sportswoman, was keen to compete since the race supported charity. The prospect was exciting since the team was racing against an all-male crew.

Alamy Stock Photo by Squirrel

Kate had to withdraw from the event due to grave security concerns. She was reportedly upset but decided to drop out after considering the safety of the team as a whole. The paparazzi had become such a nightmare that Kate's lawyers issued a warning to respect her privacy.

Kate At Her Parents’ Company

The Middleton siblings, notably Kate, played a decisive role in shaping their parents’ company. As children, Kate and her siblings modeled for the company catalog and helped develop new categories for the brand. Several catalogs featured Pippa and Kate holding cupcakes and wearing t-shirts with their ages printed.

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A CNN report later revealed that in 2008, Kate spearheaded the launch of a new babies’ parties division in the company, which also supported a charity called Starlight Children’s Foundation. Kate and her sister Pippa were mini child celes within their local community and would later on become super celebs.

Her Allergy to Horses

Kate is among the few in the royal family who has ever been on horseback. Unlike Prince William, she never learned horse riding as a child or grew up around them. In 2009, the Duchess told Australian author Katty Lette that she is severely allergic to horses. Reports say the Duchess is actively working to overcome her allergy.

Getty Images Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo

She has made it a point to spend more time with horses. Kate has also been photographed around horses and will pat them on occasion. As horses are a significant part of royal life, she really never had an option, and she had to learn how to live alongside this beautiful creature.

When The Queen Broke Protocol For Kate

The late Queen Elizabeth was the most important person in the royal family, and getting along with her was top priority to anyone joining the family. In the summer of 2009, Kate and the Queen spent quality time together on a family trip to Balmoral.

Alamy Stock Photo by allan wright

The two seem to have got on well, evident in how the late Queen broke protocol and permitted Kate to take photos of the estate. It was an unprecedented generous gesture by the late Queen since Kate and Prince William were not married then. Kate must have done something right for someone as composed as the Queen to let her guard down.

“Waity Katie”

It wasn’t long before media speculation about the couple’s marriage plans resumed. Days passed, and the months turned into years without so much as a peep about wedding bells. During this time, an evidently exasperated British media began calling her “Waity Katie.” Thankfully, the wait and name-calling would not last much longer.

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In October 2010, Prince William popped the question to Kate while they were holidaying in Kenya. Kate would later describe to the press how romantic the engagement was. Prince William gave her the same sapphire ring his mother, the late Princess Diana, wore when she got engaged - his way of ensuring his mother did not miss out on that moment.

The Royal Couple Announce Their Engagement

In November 2010, the royal family issued a public statement announcing the engagement of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. The prince had informed the queen and other close members of the family. He had also sought permission from Kate’s father. The happy couple later appeared at a press conference, stating that the timing was right.

Getty Images Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage

In preparation for her new life and entry into the royal family, Kate assumed the more formal name - Catherine. She was born Catherine; however, this was the first time her official name would be heard. Her full name was no stranger to the British History books, and many grand women carry the same title.

Kate And William Chat With The Press

Kate and Prince William appeared in a series of interviews after their engagement. In one of them, Kate described how she blushed a "bright red" and scurried off shyly when she met the prince for the first time at university. The future Duchess shared how they eventually became good friends, even though the prince did not participate in Fresher’s Week.

Alamy Stock Photo by ITV/PA Images

He was conspicuously absent the first few weeks, so it took time for the couple to get to know each other. There was no rush, and things really did take a slow pace, but you know what they say. For the good things in life, one must wait.

Kate Did Not Have Pictures Of William

The royal romance piqued the curiosity of many an eager fan, and with a relationship as high profile as this one - gossip was rife. One of the rumors was that Kate had pictures of the prince plastered across the walls of her room. The Duchess quashed the rumors once and for all during the engagement interview in 2010.

Alamy Stock Photo by Anwar Hussein

The only poster she had was of the Levis guy, she countered. Prince William jokingly added that it was probably him in Levis. Kate and William had a true fairytale going on, and everything (including the breakup they had) was part of this Cinderella story most girls in the world envied.

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