The Duchess of Cambridge is planning a low-key celebration for her 30th birthday today after a rather busy year.
In the past 12 months Kate Middleton has married a prince, joined him on a royal tour of Canada, met world leaders and spent Christmas at Sandringham with the Queen.
On the final day of her 20s, the Duchess attended her first film premiere as a royal - braving the rain on the red carpet for the opening of Steven Spielberg's War Horse in London.
Palace officials have said her birthday would be "low-key and private", contrary to some reports that she would mark the milestone with an 80s-themed party complete with karaoke.
The choice of a more subdued event is hardly surprising as Kate, who last week picked four good causes as her first patronages , embarks on her career as a member of the royal family.
Around two billion people tuned in to watch her fairytale wedding to Prince William last April , seeing that dress for the first time as she took her final steps as a commoner outside Westminster Abbey.
With her travels around the world and glamorous public appearances, Kate's fashion choices have come to mean big business for the industry.
Fashion commentator Karen Kay told Sky News: "Kate's impact on British fashion is phenomenal.
"I was speaking to a boutique owner only last week and she was telling me that when Kate wears something it sells out immediately, they have to replenish stock.
"They sold four times the amount they would normally sell of a £400 dress recently just because the Duchess of Cambridge had been seen in it."
Over the next twelve months the Duchess is expected to settle quietly into her royal duties.
That will include taking part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations without upstaging the Queen - as speculation about when she and Prince William will start a family inevitably takes the place of last year's royal wedding near-hysteria.


There are no comments yet