© Getty Images

Catherine, Princess of Wales -

A member of the British royal family, Catherine, Princess of Wales is also one of its most stylish and fashion conscious.

© Reuters

Kate Middleton - She was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on January 9, 1982, in Reading, England.

© Getty Images

Early childhood -

Kate Middleton with sister Pippa and their father Michael in Jerash, Jordan. The Middleton family lived in Amman from 1984 to 1986, where Michael Middleton worked for British Airways.

© Getty Images

Growing up - Kate grew up in the village of Chapel Row in Berkshire. At age four she enrolled at St Andrew's School, and she boarded part-weekly at St Andrew's in her later years. She's pictured front row, center, with classmates.

© Getty Images

School days - In her teenage years she studied at Downe House School and was a border at Marlborough College in Wiltshire. She's pictured front row, left, with her hockey team.

© Getty Images

Kate and William -

Kate graduated in 2005 from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. It was here that she met Prince William in 2001.

The pair were students in residence at St Salvator's Hall. Apparently she caught William's eye during a charity fashion show at the university. They started dating in 2003.

© Getty Images

Press scrutiny and split from William - In April 2007 Kate and William split up. Press speculation was rife as to the reasons behind the breakup.

© Getty Images

Popping the question in Africa - Back together, Prince William and Kate Middleton became engaged in 2010 during a trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.

© Getty Images

Engagement ring - The ring, a Ceylon sapphire stone set in white gold, was originally Princess Diana's engagement ring.

© Getty Images

Marriage - The couple married in Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.

© Getty Images

The wedding - The global audience for the wedding was estimated at around 300 million: 26 million people watched the event live in the United Kingdom alone.

© Getty Images

Balcony kiss - On that day, Catherine assumed her first title: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

© Getty Images

Wedding gown available at H&M -

An almost identical version of Kate Middleton's wedding dress, a white lace floor-length gown designed by Alexander McQueen, was made available at H&M.

© Getty Images

First official engagement - Catherine and William meet the Obamas at Buckingham Palace two weeks after their wedding. The occasion marked her first official engagement as a duchess.

© Public Domain

First solo event - By now formally introduced to public life, she undertook her first solo event in her new role in October 2011, appearing at an engagement for the charity In Kind Direct.

© Getty Images

On her own - Other "firsts" followed, including her first solo military engagement and her first speaking engagement.

© Getty Images

Diamond Jubilee Tour - In September 2012, the then Duke and Duchess embarked on a tour of Singapore, Malaysia, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

© Getty Images

Birth of Prince George - In December 2012 it was announced that the Kate was pregnant with her first child. In July 2013, she gave birth to Prince George.

© Getty Images

Heading Down Under - In April 2014 the couple and their son embarked on a two-week visit to Australia and New Zealand. This was Prince George's first major public appearance since his christening a year earlier.

© Getty Images

Public image and style - As early as 2006, Kate Middleton was appearing on numerous "best dressed" lists. Prominent for her fashion style, in 2018 Tatler named her on its list of Britain's best-dressed people.

© Getty Images

Designer wear - She wears apparel from many new designers, but has also been seen in dresses by Catherine Walker, who designed many of Princess Diana's favorite evening gowns and day suits.

© Getty Images

The "Kate Middleton effect" - The Duchess is seen by many young adults from abroad as best representing UK culture, with the "Kate Middleton effect" responsible for sales of particular fashion products.

© Getty Images

Australia, 2014 - Kate and her breezy girl-next-door look.

© Reuters

Second child - On May 2, 2015, Kate Middleton gave birth to Princess Charlotte. The couple and their newborn daughter are seen here at St Mary's Hospital, London.

© Getty Images

Princess Charlotte - The little princess's full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, named for her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales.

© Getty Images

Charity work - Kate Middleton has given her royal patronage to several causes, and her charity work focuses mainly on issues surrounding young children, addiction, and art.

© Getty Images

Hair today, gone tomorrow -

In 2018, locks of her hair were reportedly donated to the Little Princess Trust, a charity which makes wigs for children diagnosed with cancer.

© Getty Images

Helping with recovery - In her capacity as patron of Action on Addiction, the Princess has occasionally made visits to its centers, spending time with recovering addicts and joining in with leisure activities.

© Getty Images

Art for art's sake - As patron of The Art Room, Kate, who studied history of art at university, encourages children to express themselves through art.

© Getty Images

High flyer - Catherine is seen inspecting a training plane during a visit to the RAF Air Cadets at RAF Wittering in February 2017. The Princess of Wales is Royal Patron and Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadet Organization.

© Getty Images

Third child - In September 2017, the couple's third pregnancy was announced.

© Getty Images

Prince Louis - Prince Louis was born on April 23, 2018.

© Getty Images

Speaking Italian - During a November 2018 visit to Leicester City Football Club where William and Kate paid their respects to the victims of a helicopter crash that killed five people, including the club’s chairman, Kate ended up chatting in Italian to a soccer fan in the crowd.

© Getty Images

Reflecting on the 2007 breakup - In a 2014 interview, Kate and William reflected on the turbulent times during their courtship. They were both young and still trying to find themselves. The split in 2007 gave them both the time needed to reevaluate the situation.

© Getty Images

Royal tensions - When it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex were planning to move out of Kensington Palace, rumors began to surface of a feud between Kate and Meghan, and of increased tension between the princes.

© Getty Images

The Kate and Meghan "rivalry" -

The alleged rift between Kate and Meghan has had celebrity gossip tongues wagging overtime. According to the Sun newspaper, royal aides claim that they are "very different people" and that the American former actress had at times struggled to fit into royal circles.

© Getty Images

Kate and the Queen - Over the years, the relationship between the late Queen Elizabeth II and Kate became stronger and stronger.

© Getty Images

Early criticism - But a 2019 article in Marie Claire notes that Kate was reportedly very hurt by the British monarch's early criticisms of her lifestyle.

© Getty Images

A regular couple - Kate and husband William react with the crowd like regular spectators at the velodrome during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

© Getty Images

Emotional - In fact, Kate can be highly emotional during spectator events as she follows the highs and lows of competitive sport.

© Getty Images

Kate and Pippa Middleton - Kate pictured with younger sister Pippa. She began receiving media attention after her appearance as the maid of honor at Kate's wedding to Prince William.

© Getty Images

Siblings: Pippa and James - Kate's younger sister Pippa and brother James, who's the youngest of the three.

© Getty Images

Winter holiday - The royal couple with their children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, enjoy a short private skiing break in 2016 in the French Alps.

© Getty Images

No public displays of affection - Whereas it's totally natural for most couples to hold hands in public, William and Kate rarely express public displays of affection (PDA). Some royal observers believe this is because the late Queen rarely held hands with her husband in public, and this appears to have set an unwritten precedent with other members of the royal family.

© Getty Images

Emotionally close - But while the Wales' PDA is clearly limited, there's no doubt the couple are deeply in love and emotionally close.

© Getty Images

Canadian welcome - William, Kate, George, and Charlotte arrive at Victoria, in British Columbia, during their 2016 tour of Canada.

© Getty Images

Relaxed and informal - Kate Middleton in one of her effortless, best-dressed moments.

© Getty Images

Saying it with flowers - William says it with flowers during the royal couple's 2014 tour of Australia.

© Getty Images

Royal bloom - Kate looking radiant with a bouquet of flowers while attending the National Review of The Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle in 2013.

© Getty Images

Joining in the fun - Kate has adapted to her royal duties with great ease, and is always relaxed and willing to join in festivities wherever she goes.

© Getty Images

Headliners - Jokes, laughter, small talk... and eye-catching headwear are shared by Kate and her father-in-law, the now King Charles, at a royal event.

© Getty Images

All laughs, all smiles, all to live for -

With her husband expected to become King one day, Catherine, Princess of Wales looks set to become the future Queen Consort.

See also: How the British royal family makes money

© Getty Images