Young Kate Middleton: iconic pre-royal photos & moments
DESPITE not being born a royal, Kate Middleton has fitted into the role of being the Princess of Wales effortlessly.
Here we look at what her life was like before marrying into the most famous family in the world.
Kate Middleton‘s life changed forever when she met Prince William in 2001 when they went to university together.
The pair went on to become friends and it was more than a year before things turned romantic between them.
Kate and William eventually went on to marry in 2011, and welcomed three children.
But before taking up royal duties as the Duchess of Cambridge and then the Princess of Wales, Kate’s life was very different.
Kate Middleton at university
2001 to 2005
Kate studied at St Andrews University in Scotland where she met the love of life, Prince William.
She read art history, while he studied geography.
Starting out as “just good friends”, they shared a uni house together in their second year, in 2002.
Kate and William still weren’t in a relationship, but it wasn’t long before things changed.
The famous fashion show
2003
Kate really caught William‘s eye romantically in 2003.
This was the year that she wore the iconic mesh dress in a charity fashion show which is reportedly when the Prince started seeing her as more than just a friend.
Fellow student Charlotte Todd designed the dress and went on to tell People magazine: “Everyone says that the fashion show was when the romance started.
“So a small part of me will always be part of royal history. It’s madness!”
Kate hitting the slopes with the royals
2004
A young Kate is seen here in 2004 enjoying her first ski break with Prince William.
Also on the trip with them were his brother Prince Harry and his father King Charles.
This was the first time that they announced their romance to the world.
After keeping their relationship under wraps for a year, they were rumbled when they were seen together on the slopes at Klosters Ski Resort in Switzerland.
The resort is a favourite amongst the royals, with the Wales‘ continuing to visit the idyllic snow capped mountains.
Royal correspondent Matthew Bell on Kate attending St. Andrew university
Royal correspondent Matthew Bell said in The Spectator in 2005: “Some insiders wonder whether her university meeting with Prince William can really be ascribed to coincidence.
“Although at the time of making her application to universities it was unknown where the Prince was intending to go, it has been suggested that her mother persuaded Kate to reject her first choice on hearing the news and take up her offer at Saint Andrews instead.”
First official snap with a young Prince William
2005
Taken by the Middleton family, the young lovebirds were keen to confirm their romance to the world with this picture.
The couple were snapped on their graduation day on June 23, 2005.
Kate and William look absolutely smitten as they embrace in the grounds of St Andrews University.
Wearing matching shirts and black trousers, the pair look happy and relaxed as they get ready to start their lives together after leaving uni.
Kate and her knee-high boots
2005
Kate’s style has definitely evolved over the years, but one thing she loved to wear in her early 20s were these riding boots.
In this picture she is posing for the first time outside Blenheim Palace, after being taken there by Prince William shortly after they graduated.
Kate has gone for a full “royals in the country look”, complete with tweed and her favourite boots.
In fact, Kate loves the footwear so much, they have remained a firm fixture in her wardrobe over the years.
Designer Penelope Chilvers who created the boots, told The Today Show: “(My) footwear is designed for travel and adventure so it makes me very happy to see them being worn how they should be, as her oldest and dearest wardrobe staples.”
Running errands with dad
2005
A simple thing of running a few errands with dad would probably b seen as a luxury for Kate now,
Although she can often be seen popping to the local farm shop near her Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor, the Princess is way too famous to pop out to the shops.
But in this snap, a 23-year-old Kate looks relaxed as she muses some local shops with dad Michael Middleton.
The snap was taken in 2005 and sees the future Princess dressed casually in a white vest and low slung jeans.
The Party Princess
2007
Before things got too serious for the young royal-to-be, Kate enjoyed the London nightclub scene.
She would often be spotted hitting the town with her sister Pippa Middleton.
The two sisters would frequent celeb hangouts like Mahiki, which was a favourite amongst young royals.
In this picture from February 2007, Kate can be seen heading home after a night out in the club with Pippa.
The pair looked in good spirits as they giggled in the back of the cab.
Roller disco queen
2008
This has to be one of Kate’s most iconic looks.
In 2008, she took part in a a charity roller-disco party.
Clad in a green sequin top and tiny yellow hot pants, Kate certainly went all out to look part.
The fun-loving future Princess even took a tumble on the skating rink at one point but just laughed it off.
The Royal Wedding
2011
But Kate’s most iconic look of all time would have to be her wedding dress.
The impressive gown was designed by Sarah Burton, who was the creative director for the label and luxury fashion house of Alexander McQueen.
Kate and William were married on April 29, 2011.
This day signified a young Kate entering life as a senior member of the Royal Family.
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