People

Happy Birthday to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge

January 9, 2015

As the Duchess turns 33 we find a fact for every year of her life.

See the best looks from the Duchess of Cambridge’s 30s, in honor of her 33rd birthday

The Duchess of Cambridge relaxed at her country retreat with Prince William and son Prince George.

Pregnant Kate didn’t go out partying , instead she relaxed at her country retreat Anmer Hall with husband William, 18-month-old George and his nanny Maria Borrallo.

As we’re unlikely to catch a glimpse of her on her birthday , here are 33 facts about Kate, one for each year of her life.

Kate’s great great grandfather John Harrison was a coal miner

Kate’s great great grandfather John Harrison was a coal miner
Kate was born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
Her middle name is Elizabeth
Kate was christened at the parish church of St Andrew’s Bradfield in Berkshire on 20 June 1982
Kate attended nursery school in Amman when her family lived in Jordan for two and a half years.
Her primary school was St Andrew’s School in Pangbourne
When she was 11 she played Eliza Doolittle in a school production of My Fair Lady
She studied Chemistry, Biology and Art at A-Level at Marlborough College
She played Goal Defence for the Marlborough College netball team
Kate completed her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award when she was at Marlborough College
During her gap year Kate crewed on Round the World Challenge boats in the Solent
Kate and William stayed in the same halls of residence in their first year at St Andrews University, St Salvators Hall
Kate was nicknamed “Beautiful Kate” by fellow students at St Andrews University
Her first boyfriend at university was Rupert Finch, now a lawyer and married to William’s friend Natasha Rufus Isaacs
She played hockey for the University of St Andrews hockey team
When she first left University Kate and her younger sister Pippa moved in together in a flat in Chelsea bought by their parents
She used to work as a part-time buyer for clothes company Jigsaw and also worked for her parents firm Party Pieces
During her time working at Jigsaw Kate helped design a £42 girls necklace.
Kate is a keen tennis player
She is a big fan of sailing
Her first influence on the fashion world was when the £40 Top Shop dress she was photographed in on her 25th birthday sold out
Kate first met the Queen in May 2008 at the wedding of Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly
In September 2008 Kate was photographed falling over at a Roller Disco dressed in yellow hot pants and a green sparkly top
She became engaged to Prince William during a holiday to Kenya in October 2010.
Kate’s first official royal engagement was at a lifeboat naming ceremony in Anglesey on February 24 2011, two months before her wedding
In her spare time Kate’s hobbies include photography and painting
Her first child, future King Prince George, was born on July 22 2013 at 4.22pm
Kate has two homes – Kensington Palace in London and Anmer Hall on the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk
She has seven royal patronages: The Art room, National portrait Gallery, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, Action on Addiction, the Natural History Museum, Sportsaid and the 1851 Trust. She also volunteers with the Scouts
Keen cook Kate attended a course at the world-famous Leith’s cookery school in West London
One of her favourite shopping haunts is designer outlet centre Bicester Village in Oxfordshire
She and William did not find out the sex of their first baby before he was born and have said they won’t find out the sex of their second in advance either.
Her next baby is due in April