18 Gratifying Things About The Duchess Of Cambridge
Kate Middleton gets a lot of attention in the media, but the somewhat reserved royal's history is a little elusive. Since people didn't get to see Kate grow up like we did her husband, Prince William, the world still craves information about the future Queen of the British empire. And her life has been pretty normal, but super interesting from her childhood years in Jordan, to her parents climb in the social ranks, her regular job and then there was the frenzy over Prince William courtship with Kate--a commoner.
Kate's been keeping a low profile since the announcement of her third pregnancy and now there's that other thing taking up a little of her shine. You know that other big Royal wedding. Kate's been put on the back burner while she lets her brother-in-law Harry and his fiance Meghan Markle gets their chance to sparkle. But with Kate's baby on the way she's bound to take some attention away from Meghan and Harry--until Meghan's May wedding that is. Harry's wedding won't be a national bank holiday, but its still going to be quite an attraction. Check out what we scraped together on the Duchess of Cambridge, despite the fact that she rarely gives in-depth interviews.
18 Kate Did Her Own Wedding Makeup
Who says you need a professional makeup artist at your wedding! Kate took her wedding makeup matters into her own hands and actually did her own makeup for her royal wedding to Prince William.
She did, however, get a few lessons from London makeup artist Arabella Presto before her big day so she could replicate her beautiful, classic makeup look according to Kate's wedding planner Mark Niemierko.
“I heard that Arabella Preston was called in by a mutual friend of hers and Kate's. She's had about three or four lessons with Kate at her private flat in Chelsea and has also gone, very privately to Clarence House. Arabella was supposed to be coming on the day as well but now she isn't because Kate's comfortable and confident in doing it herself.” We are so surprised that Kate would do her own makeup when she could have had almost any makeup artist in the world gladly do her wedding makeup.
17 Kate Invited Her Ex-boyfriend To Her Wedding
Who says exes can't be friends. Kate left the past behind her when she married William, So much so that she even invited her ex-boyfriends, Rupert Finch and Willem Marx to her royal wedding. BUt its possible these relationships weren't all that serious, to begin with. William also had an ex-girlfriend guest list which reportedly included, Rose Farquhar, Arabella Musgrave, Olivia Hunt and Jecca Craig. But its said all are reportedly friends of the couple and run in the same social circle as the royal couple, so everyone is friendly now. And with a 1900 person guest list who would really even bump into anyone for too long anyway. But get this when Prince Charles married Diana his now wife (and mistress) Camila Parker Bowles was in the audience. Then Camila's ex-husband was a guest at Charles and Camila's wedding.
16 Kate's Wedding Date Was A National Holiday
William and Kate's wedding was so important that it's was a national holiday in Britain, but sorry Harry and Meghan Markle will not get the same level of importance since he is not in direct line to the throne (like Will). Even the spokesperson for Theresa May's official Twitter account made it very clear by tweeting, "There are no plans for a Bank Holiday."
Their wedding will fall on a holiday when they wed on May 26, 2018,---the U.K.'s Spring Bank Holiday.
On the other hand, when William and Kate got married in Westminster Abbey the government named it a national holiday and banks closed so everyone in the country could celebrate. But it isn't an annual holiday just a one-off day off when the dup wed in April 2011.
15 Kate Has A Big Scar On Her Head
Kate was one called out for exposing her hair extensions once. But no so fast, that's not entirely correct. Kate was photographed at an event with an unusual line in her hairline near the front of her face. Everyone jumped to conclusions and thought it was a misplaced and exposed hair extension. But it wasn't. It's actually a scar.
The British royal had a surgery when she was a child, but has never explained further.
Kate's spokesperson released a statement on the three-inch scar only saying, "The scar is related to a childhood operation." John Scurr, London based surgeon, Dr. John Scurr told the Daily Mail, "I really doubt it was any serious condition and I would say it is as a result of an arteriovenous malformation - a birthmark - being removed". For now, the scar remains a secret
14 Kate Chopped Off Her Hair & Donated It
Kate's has long hair FOREVER and then in 2018, she cut off her hair for the first time into a slightly longer long bob and it was all for charity. When Kate's stylist Joey Wheeler was summoned to Kensington Palace to give Kate a haircut she had another plan for her hair, a big donation. Wheeler chopped off about 7 inches of hair, that was donated to a charity that makes wigs for children with cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. The Royals locks were given anonymously to the Little Princess Trust. Imagine the child that ended up with the hair, that must be so sweet.
The Little Princess Trust was founded in 2006 by Simon and Wendy Tarplee who lost their daughter to cancer. They have made over 5000 wigs for sick children. Even Harry Styles donated his hair to the charity.
13 Kate's Perfect Nose Sparked Surge Of Women Going Under The Knife
Whether Kate went under the knife, that's unknown, but a ton of people want to imitate her! According to a report scores of people went to plastic surgeons asking for the Kate Middleton nose. We get it when Kate wears something it sells out, but her nose is another thing.
According to a new report by the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons, rhinoplasty surgeries in the UK have risen.
And it's not just women, men want her nose too. British plastic surgeon, Yannis Alexandrides, MD, said, “Kate Middleton's nose complements her facial features in the best way possible and she acts as an inspiration for younger girls. My patients often bring her pictures as the desired effect, as well as other actresses and models. This is a trend that has been fully fueled by the popularity of visual social media, such as Instagram.”
It's called the Kate effect.
12 Kate's A Bargain Shopper
From what we hear Kate loves a great bargain. By now you may have heard the princess likes to shop at TopShop and Zara. But get this she also loves rummaging through all the sales racks at TK Maxx ( the British equivalent to TJ Maxx).
Yup before getting married Kate would be spotted headed to the sales section looking for the best bargains.
One sneaky Reiss outlet store employee once told the author of Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World, Mark Ellwood, "She said, 'Oh, it's Kate Middleton-she's in here all the time. You look up and there'll be Kate and her same two friends going through the 60 percent off rack. You have no idea she's there and security must be outside, but she comes in all the time.'" Kate may have access to a super expensive wardrobe but at heart, she's just like us.
11 Kate Loves To Get Down In The Kitchen
Sure Kate and the entire Royal kingdom have immediate a live-in chef, but she still loves to cook when she can of course. When William and Kate were first married they did not have maids or butlers and fended for themselves according to chef Carolyn Robb. “Kate does quite a lot of the cooking at the moment. You have to remember that she's not royal. She comes from a normal background and a normal home where she's always cooked for herself. And what I've always heard is that William enjoys spending time with her family because they just eat together at the kitchen table like a normal family. I'm sure that that's what they still do.” BUt Kates a foodie and loves to try out all the local cuisine when she travels with William.
10 Kate Worked A Regular Job
Kate didn't always know she was headed to royalty. She was actually part of her family's party supply business, Party Pieces. Kate worked on the catalog design, photography and marking for her family's very successful business, that her mother started when she was a child. She also helped launch a secondary brand with the company called, First Birthdays.
But she was also an accessories buyer for the clothing company Jigsaw Junior. Paparazzi did harass Kate about her relationship with William during her time at the store, but Kate was always very humble at her job.
“She sat in the kitchen at lunchtime and chatted with everyone from the van drivers to the account girls,” Bell Robinson (the store's former owner) told the Evening Standard.
Kate's job now is a philanthropist.
9 Kate's a Photographer at Heart
Kate may have missed her calling. She went to college and got a degree in Art History but she should have gone into photography. The talented photographer has taken very sweet photos of her children, George and Charlotte that have been released to the public and they were pure adorableness. Kate wanted to skip a fancy photographer for a birthday photo shoot since she wants to be 'resourceful with money' and who better than mom to capture those super candid and relaxed photos of the children. She has previously commissioned famed photographer Mario Testino, but opted to do the images herself. And she may even want the job as a Royal Photographer after the official royal photographer passed away in 2005. Kate was also honored with a lifetime member of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society in recognition of her 'talent and enthusiasm'. Kate's used her creativity for years as she also did photography for her family's party supply company.
8 Kate's A College Graduate
Kate Middleton is one smart lady, technically if she becomes queen she will be the first with a college degree. Can you believe that? The Royals don't seem to be too preoccupied with getting degrees(although they are privately taught), at least not in the past. But Kate didn't always know she would be a princess and chose to get her degree.
She got an Art History degree from the prestigious University of St Andrews in Scotland before she walked down the aisle with husband William.
And while Kate has no need for her degree she isn't afraid to bust out her art skills which she showed off recently when helped open the Victoria and Albert Museum's Exhibition Road Quarter. She also graced her sister Pippa a sweet gift, an original sketch of St. Mark's Church for her wedding ceremony program. William also has a degree from St Andrews in Geography.
7 Kate's Royal Name Changes In Different Countries
Do you know who the Countess of Strathearn from Scotland or Lady Carrickfergus from is? Yeah, we didn't know either, but they are both Kate's official royal titles along with being the Duchess of Cambridge. But what about Kate's real official surname. Well, she's actually Mrs. Catherine Mountbatten-Windsor. That's William's real last name when he's not using one of his titles. And there will be another name change if William becomes King of England. Kate will use the name Consort and would become Majesty Queen Consort Catherine VI and could use the name, Queen Catherine. And while we call Kate a princess, technically she is not. She would have to have been born a royal to get that title and Kate is a commoner. Last names don't seem to mean much to the Royals.
6 Kate Was A World Traveler Before Marrying William
Kate was no wilting flower before meeting the future King of England. Firstly Kate was born in England but lived in Jordan for a couple of years as a little girl when her father worked as a manager for British Airways. But that's not all, she also took a gap year off from college. Gap years seem to be a tradition for the Brits. Before she started college she took a year off and studied in Italian and Art History in Italy.
She studied at the British Institute of Florence in Palazzo Dello Strozzino, where she was taught Italian three hours a day for three months.
And she coincidentally went on the same a mission to Chile ( at different times) that her future husband William also went on. Small world? Her mission was with Raleigh International, an educational development charity, which aids underprivileged children.
5 Kim Kardashian Made Kate A Shoe
Back in 2012, Kim Kardashian honored of Kate's 30th birthday with her very own shoe design. Towards the beginning of her career, Kim K. worked with the shoe subscription company, Shoe Dazzle before her Yeezy obsession. She was the face of the brand for a little while. The company sells a monthly shoe subscription based on your style. She honored the princess with a high heeled, black quilted pump. We aren't sure if the high heels made it to Kate, but it's safe to say they do not share the same sense of style. Kim wrote on her website that the shoe emulated Kate's signature style--- “gorgeous, classic quilting and a really graceful silhouette.” At the time Kim suggested that customers wear the trendy shoes with “lavish separates” or “an eye-catching dress” to make an impression on the public.
4 Blink and You Missed Kate's British Vogue Cover
Kate's no model, but she graced the cover of Vogue, much like her late mother in law, Princess Diana. Kate skipped the traditional interview and only lent her face to the cover for the magazine's 100 years of British Vogue for the June 2016.
"It's a privilege to have been chosen to photograph the Duchess of Cambridge for the centenary issue of British Vogue and an honor that two of those portraits will hang in the National Portrait Gallery,"
Photographer Josh Olins said. "This was the Duchess's first sitting for a magazine and she was a joy to work with, a natural. I am extremely grateful to Alexandra Shulman for placing her faith in me for such an important and historic assignment." Kate doesn't sit for magazine covers so this was a big deal for the royal.
3 Kate's On a Strict Diet… Sort Of
Stop the presses, Kate doesn't like almond milk, a staple in most healthy people's regimen. There was a rumor that Kate loved almond milk, so the dairy alternative was placed out during an event at a local coffee shop, so she could enjoy the healthy beverage and guess what she hates it. "Don't believe everything you read - I don't even like almond milk," she reportedly remarked.
But Kate did follow a strict diet before her wedding and after she gave birth to her kids---the Dunkan Diet, a high protein, low carb diet that helps shed pounds quickly. But don't worry about Kate, she still loves to indulge in when she travels and can often be seen indulging in the local cuisine. And she isn't afraid of a few sweets during her afternoon tea.
2 Kate's A Certified Scuba Diver
Kate might be a busy lady traveling the world and working on her philanthropic causes, she still managed to find time to pass an advanced scuba diving course and is a qualified diver along with her husband, William. Kate can dive up to a depth of 98 feet.
“Diving is something the Duchess very much enjoys, and the Duke of Cambridge, who is, of course, the president of the BSAC [British Sub-Aqua Club], has said in the past that he is hopeful his children will become interested in the sport,”
said a spokesperson for Kensington Palace revealed. Kate and William often travel to the private Caribbean island, Mustique, where the couple is known for their underwater adventures. Who knew these two were such fun travelers, even though this is a dangerous activity.
1 Kate's A Capricorn
Kate Middleton is a Capricorn and William is a Cancer, basically, a match made in zodiac heaven! The duo's astrological signs are at the opposite ends of the spectrum, leading to a better connection. Both signs are frugal. The Capricorn is a hard worker, and the Cancer tells them when to relax. While the Capricorn helps push the Cancer along. They get along as long as they are each respected as individuals, but remain dedicated to each other. We can't know for sure hoe Kate and William's relationship is behind closed doors, but with two children at home and a third on the way we think they are doing OK. The pair seems to be matched up well, but remember the duo had a short breakup before getting married. Chuck it up to youth since these two seem solid.
Kate was born on January 9, 1982
