Middleton grew up in Berkshire and after attending Marlborough College, went to the University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William, also studying there, in 2001. They started a relationship, followed by media attention, triggering complaints by Middleton that the media were harassing her. In April 2007, the press reported that William and Middleton had split up. They continued to be friends, and later in 2007 they reunited. Since then, Middleton has attended many high-profile royal events. She has been admired for her fashion sense and has been placed on numerous "best dressed" lists.
Early Life
Middleton was born at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Berkshire, the first of three children of Michael Francis Middleton (born 1949), a flight dispatcher in 1980 and an airline officer in 1982 for British Airways and Carole Elizabeth Middleton (born 1955, née Goldsmith), a flight attendant. Michael and Carole were married on 21 June 1980 at the Parish Church of Dorney, Buckinghamshire. In 1987 Michael and Carole Middleton founded Party Pieces, a mail order company that sells party supplies and decorations. They have since become millionaires.
Middleton was raised in Bucklebury, Berkshire. She is of English descent, but with a few distant Scottish and French Hugenot ancestors. Her paternal family came from Leeds, West Yorkshire, and her great-grandmother Olivia was a member of the Lupton family, who were active for generations in Leeds in commercial and municipal work. Carole Middleton's maternal family, the Harrisons, were working class labourers and miners from County Durham. Middleton has two siblings, Philippa "Pippa" Charlotte and James William. Pippa Middleton, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, has received press coverage since her sister became famous, with focus on her relationships and lifestyle.
Education
Middleton was educated at St. Andrew's School in the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire in Sout East England, and Marlborough College, a co-educational independanr school in the market town of Marloborough in Wiltshire in South West England followed by the University of St Andrews in the town of St Andrews in Fife, where she met Prince William, and graduated with a 2:1 (Hons) in the History of Art.
Relationship woth Prince William
Middleton's unsubstantiated status as the girlfriend of Prince William brought her widespread media coverage in the UK and abroad, and she was often photographed on her daily outings. On 17 October 2005, she complained through her lawyer about harassment from the media, stating that she had done nothing significant to warrant such publicity.
In February 2006, it was announced that Middleton would receive her own 24-hour security detail supplied by the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department. This fuelled further speculation that she and Prince William would soon be engaged, since she would not, otherwise, be entitled to this service. No engagement occurred, and Middleton was not granted an allowance to fund this security. Media attention increased around the time of Middleton's 25th birthday in January 2007, prompting warnings from both Prince Charles and Prince William and from Middleton's lawyers, who threatened legal action. Two newspaper groups, News International, which publishes The Times and The Sun, and the Guardian Media Group, publishers of The Guardian, decided to refrain from publishing paparazzi photographs of her.
Middleton attended at least one event as an official royal guest, Prince William's Passing Out Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 15 December 2006.
Breakup and reconcilliation
On 14 April 2007 The Sun newspaper broke a "world exclusive" suggesting that Prince William and Kate Middleton had split up. Other media outlets such as the BBC confirmed the story as the day progressed. The couple decided to break up during a holiday in the Swiss resort of Zermatt.
Clarence House made only one comment about the relationship's end, according to The Times, stating, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life." ewspapers speculated about the reasons for the split, although these reports relied on anonymous sources. The original report in The Sun quoted a "close friend of the couple" as saying that Middleton felt William had not been paying her enough attention. The paper highlighted reports that William had been spending time with other young women, and said the Prince, aged 24 at the time of the split, felt he was too young to marry.
A report in the Daily Mail blamed a desire by royal courtiers not to "hurry along" a marriage announcement, and William's desire to enjoy his bachelor status within his Army career. The Mail also suggested that William's friend Guy Pelly encouraged the Prince to take a "careless approach" to relationships. The same article suggested that Middleton had "expected too much" in wanting William to demonstrate his commitment to her.
In June 2007, Middleton and Prince William insisted they were "just good friends" following reports of a reconciliation. Middleton and her family attended the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium; she and William sat two rows apart. The couple were subsequently seen together in public on a number of occasions, and several news sources, including the BBC and the Daily Mail, stated that they had "rekindled their relationship. Middleton also joined William and Charles on a deerstalking expedition at Balmoral and attended the wedding of William's cousin, Peter Phillips, even though William, due to a prior commitment, did not. In April 2008, Middleton accompanied Prince William when he was awarded his RAF wings at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. On 16 June 2008, Middleton attended William's investiture into the Order of the Garter along with the Royal Family.
Engagement and possible titles
On 16 November 2010, Clarence House announced that the couple are to marry in 2011. The couple became engaged in October 2010 in Kenya, East Africa, during a 10-day trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate William's passing his RAF helicopter search and rescue course. They are to marry in Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. It is customary for royal men to receive a dukedom when they marry – the suggested dukedoms are the Dukedom of Clarence, Dukedom of Cambridge or Dukedom of Sussex; Kendal, Avondale, and Strathearn have all also been mooted. As the wife of a royal duke and prince, Middleton would assume the courtesy title of duchess as well as the style of Her Royal Highness.
In Letters Patent dated 21 August 1996 (shortly after the divorce of the Prince and Princess of Wales) it was acknowledged that by "convention the wife of the son of a sovereign of these Realms the wife of a son of a son of a Sovereign and the wife of the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales is entitled to the style title or attribute of Royal Highness". If William were not given a title then, after the wedding, Middleton would, by convention (unless explicitly vetoed by the Queen), be known as Her Royal Highness, Princess William of Wales taking her husband's first name on marriage (as with Princess Michael of Kent). If however William is given a title, she would be known as "Her Royal Highness the Duchess [or other rank if appropriate] of N". As William's wife, she could then become Princess of Wales if his father Charles becomes king, and Queen consort if William becomes king.
2006-present
In November 2006 Middleton accepted a position as an assistant accessories buyer with clothing chain Jigsaw.
In September 2007 it was reported that Middleton was planning to give up her job as an accessories buyer to become a professional photographer. Some months later, it was announced that she intended to take private classes with internationally renowned photographer Mario Testino, who had taken several well-known photographs of Princess Diana and her sons. Middleton and Testino apparently were introduced by Prince William. Testino later denied that Middleton was going to be working for him or had ever worked for him. In December 2007, it was also reported that Middleton had moved in with Prince William at Clarence House, the residence of the Prince of Wales in London. Clarence House later denied this.
On 17 May 2008, Middleton attended the wedding of Prince William's cousin Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly, which the prince missed attending. On 19 July 2008, Middleton attended the wedding of Lady Rose Windsor and George Gilman. Prince William was away on military operations.
On 28 February 2010, The Times reported that Middleton was pursuing an invasion of privacy suit against photographer Niraj Tanna who took pictures of her over Christmas, although they were never published in Britain. Middleton has not pursued the claim against the photographer as of September 2010.
Fashion Icon
Middleton has been featured in several best-dressed lists and was selected by The Daily Telegraph as the "Most Promising Newcomer" in its 2006 list of style winners and losers. Tatler placed her at #8 on its yearly listing of the top ten style icons in 2007. She was also featured in People Magazine's 2007 and 2010 best-dressed lists. Middleton was named as one of Richard Blackwell's ten "Fabulous Fashion Independents" of 2007. In June 2008 Style.com selected Middleton as its monthly beauty icon. In July 2008 Middleton was included in Vanity Fair's international best-dressed list.
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