Princess Kate made her way through the ranks of the royal family, quickly transforming from a commoner into the future queen consort of England.
The Princess of Wales met her future husband, Prince William, in college, and the couple tied the knot in 2011 after nearly a decade together. They went on to welcome son Prince George, daughter Princess Charlotte and son Prince Louis.
Since joining the royal family, Kate has solidified herself as an activist and a caring mother. Though the Prince of Wales is first in line to the throne, Kate has already begun preparing for the time when the pair will ascend as king and queen.
“Kate’s been taking on new responsibilities little by little over the last few years, so it won’t be a shock when the time comes,” royal expert Rebecca Long told Us Weekly exclusively in April 2019. “William and Kate are the favorite royals to take the crown in many generations, so the people of the U.K. are very excited about it.”
Scroll to relive highlights from Princess Kate’s life:
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1982
Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born to Michael Middleton and Carole Middleton on January 9, 1982. She and her younger siblings, sister Pippa Middleton and brother James Middleton, were raised in Chapel Row, England.
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2001
Kate attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where she studied art history. She graduated in 2005.
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2003
The then college student began dating William in December 2003 after meeting him at St Andrews. They split briefly in April 2007 but got back together months later.
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2010
William and Kate announced their engagement in November 2010. The prince popped the question in October 2010 during a getaway to Kenya. He famously proposed with the engagement ring that belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana.
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2011
Kate began her royal duties months before tying the knot with William. The duo even traveled to Belfast for an official visit one month before their nuptials.
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2011
Wedding bells! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey in April 2011.
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2011
Kate traveled to the United States for the first time in July 2011, making a stop in California during a tour of nearby Canada.
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2011
The duchess appeared at her first solo royal engagement in October 2011 at an event for In Kind Direct, a charity founded by father-in-law Prince Charles.
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2013
The palace announced Kate’s first pregnancy in December 2012 amid concerns over her hyperemesis gravidarum, which caused severe morning sickness. She gave birth to Prince George in July 2013.
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2014
William, Kate and George took an extensive trip to New Zealand and Australia in April 2014, touring several regions in the areas.
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2015
Kate delivered her second child, Princess Charlotte, in May 2015.
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2016
The twosome took a royal tour of India and Bhutan in April 2016.
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2016
William, Kate and Prince Harry launched a joint mental health initiative called Heads Together in May 2016, which prompted her to open up about her own experiences with motherhood and other aspects of life.
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2016
Kate traveled outside of the country by herself on official royal business for the first time in October 2016, visiting The Netherlands.
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2018
The future king and queen consort went to Sweden and Norway in January 2018.
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2018
Kate welcomed her third child, Prince Louis, in April 2018.
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2019
William and Kate embarked on a royal tour of Pakistan in October 2019.
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2020
As the coronavirus pandemic raged on, Kate showed her support for healthcare workers on the frontlines as part of the Clap for Carers campaign in April 2020. William and the couple’s three children also joined in the commemorative clapping.
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2020
“Like most people, Kate doesn’t think twice about recycling clothes,” a royal insider told Us exclusively in May 2020 after the duchess rocked the same red L.K. Bennett dress over Zoom that she previously wore to Wimbledon in 2015. “She thinks it would be a waste to wear something once and then throw it away.”
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2020
Ready for her next role! As she continues her royal tenure, a source told Us exclusively that “Kate has flourished into a queen in waiting” while William prepares to one day take over the throne. “The royal family couldn’t be more pleased,” the source added in November 2020.
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2020
Kate was the picture of a proud mom in December 2020 when George, Charlotte and Louis made their red carpet debut alongside their parents. William and Kate held their children’s hands as they attended a pantomime performance of The National Lottery’s Pantoland. A source exclusively told Us later that month that the couple hoped “to be able to take the kids with them on royal engagements” in 2021 as long as the events did not “interfere” with their schooling.
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2021
Kate and William celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in April 2021. In honor of the special occasion, they released two new portraits and an Instagram video of them with their kids. “Thank you to everyone for the kind messages on our wedding anniversary,” they captioned the montage. “We are enormously grateful for the 10 years of support we have received in our lives as a family. W&C.”
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2021
The duchess launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2021. “I wanted to understand what we could do to help prevent some of today’s toughest social challenges and what more we could do to help with the rising rates of poor mental health,” she explained in a Twitter video. “Working closely with others, the center hopes to raise awareness of why the first five years of life are just so important for our future life outcomes, and what we can do as a society to embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy, more nurturing society.”
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2021
Kate glowed in the Cambridges’ annual family Christmas card, released in December 2021. She and William placed their hands on each other’s knees as George, Charlotte and Louis posed around them.
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2022
The duchess sat for a trio of new portraits, taken by fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, in honor of her 40th birthday. The images are set to be displayed at England’s National Portrait Gallery in a rotating “Coming Home” exhibition, taking place in the U.K. cities of Berkshire, St. Andrews and Anglesey.
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2023
Kate made her return to the 76th British Academy Film Awards with William in February, stunning in a white, one-shoulder Jenny Packham gown with full-length black gloves.
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2023
Kate and Charlotte wore matching looks at Charles’ coronation in May 2023. The mother-daughter duo each sported white dresses designed by Alexander McQueen, as well as bejeweled floral headpieces by Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen. Kate accessorized her look with Queen Elizabeth’s George VI Festoon Necklace and Princess Diana’s South Sea Pearl Earrings.
During the ceremony, Kate showed her respect to Charles by curtsying as he and Camilla exited Westminster Abbey. She, William and their kids later joined the king and queen during their balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.
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2024
Kensington Palace announced in January that Kate was hospitalized for “planned abdominal surgery.” The statement noted that Kate would be “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
Later that month, the palace confirmed she had “returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery.” Despite the report, speculation about her whereabouts ensued — but a spokesperson for Kate shut down the rumors in February.
“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates,” a rep for Kate told Us in a statement. “That guidance stands.”
In March, Kate was spotted for the first time since surgery while in a car alongside her mother.
