Royal Profile: Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge

Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton to Michael and Carole Middleton on 9 January 1982{Source}. The Duchess is the eldest of three children and has one sister (Philippa AKA Pippa, 1983) and one brother (James, 1987).

On 20 June 1982, she was christened at the St. Andrew's Bradfield Parish Church{Source}.

At the age of two, her family moved to Jordan where her father worked for two and a half years {Source}. During this time, she attended a nursery school in Amman, Jordan {Source}. Upon the family's return to the UK in September 1986, she began attending St. Andrew's School, where she attended until 1995 {Source}. She then attended Marlbourough College, where she took A-Levels in Chemistry, Biology and Art {Source}.

During her time at Marlborough College, she was an avid sportswoman{Source}. She participated in the school's tennis, hockey and netball sports, as well as took part in track and field{Source}. Also during this time, she took part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards Gold Award {Source}. She left Marborough in 2000 to undertake a gap year before beginning university{Source}. During her gap year, she studied at the British Institute in Florence, Italy, undertook a Raleigh International Programme in Italy, and crewed on the Round the World Challenge Boats in Solent {Source}. Upon her return from her GAP Year, she enrolled at St. Andrew's University, graduating in 2005 with a 2:1 degree in History of Art{Source}. During her time at St. Andrew's University, she participated in the school's hockey team {Source}.

Upon completing her degree in 2005, she began working as a photographer for her parents' business, Party Pieces{Source} and worked as a buyer for the clothing company Jigsaw Junior {Source}. In 2008, she launched a spin off business of Party Pieces called First Birthdays{Source}.

After several years of dating the heir's-heir to the throne (Prince William of Wales) after meeting him at University, the announcement of their engagement was made in November 2010 {Source}. Their wedding took place on 29 April 2011 (St. Catherine's Day) at Westminister Abbey. Upon her marriage, her title become officially Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, The Countess of Strathearn and The Lady Carrickfergus {Source}. Together, they have two children, both of whom are entitled to the use of the title and style HRH Prince/ss of Cambridge:
  1. Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge (2013)
  2. Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge (2015)
During her years as a royal, she has taken an interest in a variety of causes, which include {Source}:
  1. The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry (Co-Patron with her husband and brother-in-law, 2011)
  2. Scout Association (Volunteer, 2011)
  3. Action on Addiction (Patron, 2012)
  4. East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (Royal Patron, 2012)
  5. The Art Room (Royal Patron, 2012)
  6. The National Portrait Gallery, London (Patron, 2012)
  7. Place2Be (Patron, 2013)
  8. SportsAid (Patron, 2013)
  9. The Natural History Museum (Patron, 2013)
  10. The 1851 Trust (Patron, 2014)
In 2011, during an official tour of Canada, she joined her husband and brother-in-law in the ranks of the Honorary Canadian Rangers {Source}. In 2015, The Duke of Edinburgh relinquished his military appointment as Honorary Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps to his granddaughter-in-law {Source}.

In addition to their joint tour of Canada, The Duchess of Cambridge has undertaken official tours to numerous countries. In July 2011, after their Canada tour, they spent a few days in the Western part of the United States {Source}. In November 2011, she and The Duke of Cambridge paid a visit to Denmark{Source}.  In September 2012, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu {Source}. In 2013, she did not undertake any official duties overseas due to giving birth to her first child. In 2014, she and The Duke of Cambridge visited Australia and New Zealand (with an 8 month old Prince George), France, Belgium and the Eastern portion of the United States {Source}. In 2016, so far, she and The Duke of Cambridge will make official visits to Bhutan, and India {Source}. 

The Duchess’s hobbies include recreational sports such as hill walking, tennis, swimming, sailing, and the arts such as photography and painting{Source}.

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