| Catherine | |
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| Princess of Wales | |
03.JPG) Catherine in 2023 | |
| Born | Catherine Elizabeth Middleton 9 January 1982 Reading, Berkshire, England |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Windsor (by marriage) |
| Father | Michael Middleton |
| Mother | Carole Goldsmith |
| Alma mater | |
| Signature | |
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| Royal family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms |
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Catherine, Princess of Wales (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton;[a] 9 January 1982), is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne.
Born in Reading, Catherine grew up in Bucklebury, Berkshire. She was educated at St Andrew's School and Marlborough College before earning a degree in art history at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where she met Prince William in 2001 and graduated in 2005. She held several jobs and pursued charity work before their engagement was announced in November 2010. She became Duchess of Cambridge by her marriage on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. The couple have three children: George, Charlotte, and Louis.
Following her marriage, Catherine has undertaken royal duties and commitments in support of the British monarch. She has represented the royal family on official overseas tours and has played a significant role in various charitable activities by undertaking projects through the Royal Foundation, with her charity work primarily focusing on issues surrounding early childhood care, addiction, and art. Catherine holds patronage with over 20 charitable and military organisations including the Anna Freud Centre, Action for Children, SportsAid, and the National Portrait Gallery. To encourage people to discuss their mental health problems, she envisioned the mental health awareness campaign Heads Together, which she launched with her husband William and brother-in-law Harry in April 2016.
Catherine's relationship with the media has been closely scrutinised, particularly regarding her efforts to maintain privacy amidst significant media attention and public interest. The media have referred to her impact on British and American fashion as the "Kate Middleton effect". Time listed her as one of the most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012 and 2013. On 9 September 2022, she became Princess of Wales when William was created Prince of Wales by his father, King Charles III.
- ^ Walker, Tim; Eden, Richard (16 August 2013). "What has happened to Prince William's Kate?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ Duboff, Josh (9 September 2016). "It's been five years; why do we still call the Duchess of Cambridge "Kate Middleton"?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Kearney, Georgie (24 September 2022). "Kate or Catherine? How the name of Princess of Wales changed after the Queen's death". Seven News. Archived from the original on 24 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Hartmann, Margaret (22 March 2024). "Kate Middleton news: A complete guide for daft Americans". New York. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Royston, Jack (23 August 2023). "Why Princess Catherine is still called Kate Middleton in media". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
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