Kate Middleton is a member of the British royal family, with the formal title Catherine, Princess of Wales. The Reading, England native married Prince William. The royal wedding took place in April 2011 at London’s Westminster Abbey, amid an international media frenzy. The couple has three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Early Life and Family
Kate Middleton, officially known as Catherine, Princess of Wales, was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on January 9, 1982, in Reading, England. Her parents are Michael and Carol Middleton. Her younger siblings are Pippa and James Middleton.
Kate’s mother’s family was made up of coal miners and builders, indicating a working-class background. Dorothy Goldsmith, her maternal grandmother, encouraged her children to achieve high. As a result, Kate’s mother went on to become an airline hostess, which was a very glamorous job back then.
Carole met Michael Middleton, an aircraft dispatcher with ties to British royalty and a wealthy family from Leeds, while working at British Airways. The pair married shortly afterward.
In 1987, her parents established a mail-order party supplies company. The business was a surprise success, and the Middletons became multimillionaires. Kate and her siblings were well-off thanks to their parents’ business and newfound money.
Kate attended premium boarding schools like St. Andrew’s Prep School, Downe House, and Marlborough College. Her boarding school experience was not without difficulty. Kate left Downe House, an exclusive all-girls boarding school, at the age of 14 owing to abuse and taunts from other pupils.
On her first day at co-ed Marlborough, several particularly mean-spirited lads began ranking new students based on their looks and demeanor. They rated Kate a two out of ten. Despite the initial hurdles, Kate excelled in her academics, passing 11 GCSEs and three A-level exams.
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Middleton met Prince William at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland, when she enrolled in 2001. They lived in the same college dormitory, St. Salvator’s Hall, and took numerous classes together. They soon became pals.
While they often shared breakfast and strolled to class together, the two were first uninterested in each other romantically. Middleton was dating senior Rupert Finch, while William was preoccupied with the press and struggled with his sentiments about his new school.
Royal Romance
In 2002, Middleton wore a provocative outfit to an exclusive fashion show fundraiser. William was also present at the charity function, and he developed a fresh interest in Kate. He attempted to romantically engage her that evening, but Middleton, who was still in a relationship with Finch, rejected the future king’s efforts.
Middleton’s boyfriend graduated at the conclusion of the 2002 school year, and the couple quickly split up due to distance concerns. Middleton, who was newly unmarried and approaching her sophomore year, was invited to share an apartment with William, providing an ideal backdrop for their burgeoning romance.
At initially, Middleton’s life did not change significantly. The pair maintained their connection a secret, owing to the prince’s deep distrust of the media. The pair decided not to touch hands in public or sit together at dinner gatherings. This seems to confuse the journalists for the most part.
However, in 2004, Kate was photographed by photographers while on a royal family ski trip. Her relationship with William drew significant scrutiny, and by 2005, she was a tabloid favorite. That July, the two graduated simultaneously, with Middleton receiving honors in art history.
The Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department stated in February 2006 that Middleton would be assigned her own 24-hour security detail. This sparked claims that Middleton was being groomed for a position of monarchy. However, with William off to a military institution, Middleton was left to deal with the camera frenzy alone.
Alleged Split
Middleton and William reportedly parted up in April 2007. The royal family allegedly pressed William to either propose or let Middleton move on with her life, so he ended the couple’s five-year romance over the phone.
However, media sources suggested differently, as Middleton was sighted at multiple royal occasions with the prince only a few months later. Other speculations suggested the couple was living together. Both parties refuted the rumors.
Marriage Proposal and Engagement Ring
On November 16, 2010, Middleton and William confirmed their engagement. During a holiday in Kenya, the prince proposed to Kate by presenting her with the engagement ring worn by his mother, Princess Diana.
The ring, created by crown jeweler Garrard, contains a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in white gold and encircled by 14 solitaire diamonds. The ring was inspired by a brooch made in 1840 for Prince Albert as a wedding gift for Queen Victoria, which she wore on her wedding day as her “something blue.” The design is now available for anyone to buy at Garrard. “It’s beautiful—I hope I look after it! It’s very special,” Middleton said in the couple’s official engagement interview.
Following their marriage, the pair announced plans to live in North Wales, where William was stationed with the Royal Air Force.
Royal Wedding to Prince William
Middleton and Prince William married on April 29, 2011, in Westminster Abbey, London.
Middleton wore a dress designed by Sarah Burton, which was kept a secret until the wedding. She also wore a tiara given to the Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI, in 1936. Middleton was given the title Catherine, Her Royal Highness, Duchess of Cambridge by Queen Elizabeth II shortly before her wedding.
The wedding reportedly cost around $34 million, with $32 million going for security. Elton John and David and Victoria Beckham attended the ceremony, which was broadcast live to 23 million viewers on television.
Children
The Princess and Prince of Wales have three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.