First Anniversary For William And Kate

William and Kate will spend their first wedding anniversary in private with friends.

St James' Palace confirmed the couple have travelled to an undisclosed location in the UK to an event which falls on the day they married one year ago.

On April 29 last year, tens of thousands flocked to London and two billion people tuned in to watch Prince William tie the knot with Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey .

No sooner had the royal couple returned from their secret honeymoon in the Seychelles, they were off on their first official overseas tour to Canada and California.

"We saw Kate walk the red carpet at the Baftas in LA and schmooze with the likes of Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez," recalls Hello! Magazine Editor Rosie Nixon.

"She was already comfortable in that role and it is a world stage she has found herself on, not just covers of magazines in the UK."

Kate's first 12 months as a member of the Royal Family has seen a number of firsts, including her first Christmas at Sandringham.

And while Prince William was serving in the Falklands as a Search and Rescue Pilot, the Duchess of Cambridge conducted her first engagements alongside the Queen.

These included a visit to Fortnum and Mason in March this year.

Everywhere Kate goes, whatever she does and whichever designer's clothes she wears, a reinvigorated Royal press pack captures her every move.

"The phenomenon that is William and Catherine has certainly changed the pace of royal photography," explained Getty Images photographer Chris Jackson.

"It was pretty pedestrian a couple of years ago, but it's picked up and there's an appetite all around the world for images of this couple."

William's time in the Falklands also provided Kate with the opportunity to walk the solo Royal beat and choose her first patronages reflecting her interest in children and arts.

"We were all very impressed with the way Catherine was immediately able to establish a rapport with the children and families here in the hospice in Milton," said Graham Butland, chief executive of East Anglia's Children's Hospices .

"Most impressive was the way she was able to understand the emotions that come with having a child with a severe illness," he added.

EACH's new 'Treehouse' hospice in Ipswich was also the location for Kate's first solo speech.

In front of the world's media and families and children at the hospice Kate said: "I'm only sorry William can't be here today. He would love it here."

In her first year as a member of the Royal Family Kate hasn't put a foot wrong.

She has shown she is as comfortable in the limelight on her own, as she is in an unbeatable double act alongside her husband.