30 Facts about the Duchess of Cambridge, Née Kate Middleton

After marrying into the Royal family eight years ago, Kate Middleton has become one of the most iconic and recognized women in the world. However, fans might be shocked to find out about the Duchess of Cambridge's past.

Being married to Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, Kate Middleton is likely to become the queen consort. They recently shared their eight year anniversary.

While Kate is known for her fashion sense, easy smile and being a doting mom. But there are still some things royal fans might not know about the mother-of-three. Here are thirty facts about Kate Middleton.

1. Shares A Name with The Queen

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton's full name is Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. Thus she shares her middle name, Elizabeth with Queen Elizabeth II.

2. Her Titles

After marrying into the royal family, Kate gained three titles. She is Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn when in Scotland, and Lady Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland.

3. Birth and Parents

Kate Middleton actually comes from a normal family. She was born in Reading, England in 1982. Her father Michael was a pilot and her mother, Carole Middleton worked as an airline stewardess.

4. Kim K Created A Shoe for Her

In 2012, reality TV star Kim Kardashian released a limited edition shoe, named "The Duchess." She claimed the shoe was designed for the Duchess' 30th birthday

"I've created a special shoe just for Kate," said Kim K.

5. Living Overseas

In the mid-1980s, Kate and her family actually lived outside of the UK. They stayed in Amman, Jordan for a few years while her father worked for British Airways.

6. Attending School With Royalty

Kate Middleton attended Marlborough College. It is the same boarding school that Princess Eugenie and many other famous faces attended.

7. She was sporty

When she was still at school the Duchess was excellent at sports, drama, and music. She played tennis, hockey, and netball.

8. First Meeting with Prince William

In the couple's official engagement interview back in 2010, Kate Middleton revealed details about their first meeting. She says that she turned "bright red" when she first met Prince William in college. They were both attending the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland when they met and she reportedly "scuttled off feeling very shy."

9. Stayed In the Same Dorm

They lived in the same dormitory at college, St. Salvator's Hall. They also shared several classes which eventually led to them becoming friends.

10. She's Older

Kate is almost six months older than Prince William. He was born in June 1982.

11. Her Shoe Size

The duchess, who's 5 feet and 9 inches tall, has the U.S. shoe size of 8.5.

12. Her Past Career

Before she became a royal, Kate worked in London. She was a part-time buyer for the clothing company Jigsaw Junior.

13. Their First Event

After she got engaged to Prince William, they attended their first official event. Together they attended the launch of the new RNLI lifeboat "Hereford Endeavour" at Trearddur Bay, Wales, on February 24, 2011.

14. Her Wedding Tiara

On her wedding day in 2011, she wore Queen Elizabeth II's tiara. The jeweled crown is called the Halo Scroll Tiara and was made by Cartier in 1936. The Queen Mother gifted it to Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday in 1944.

15. Her Wedding Dress

Her stunning wedding dress featured a 9-feet-long (2.7 meters) train. It was also hand-embroidered individual lace flowers.

16. A New Range of Memorabilia

When the Duchess married her Prince the palace launched a new range of royal memorabilia. The range included Kate and William tea bags, dolls, and pizza.

17. Unique Gift

One of the most unique gifts the royal couple received on their wedding day was a tandem bike. The bike was a gift from London Mayor Boris Johnson.

18. Kate Loves Photography

The future Queen Consort loves photography. Before she got married, she used to take pictures for her family's mail-order business.

19. Fashion Influencer

The stunning Duchess has become known for her fashion statements. In fact, during a tour to Canada and LA in July 2011, she wore more than 25 outfits.

20. They Have a Dog

In a 2014 interview with "Good Morning America," Kate's younger brother James revealed that he gave Kate and Prince William a cocker spaniel named Lupo as a wedding gift.

21. Her Favorite Shows

She might be a royal but Kate Middleton still watches TV. Her favorite shows include "Downton Abbey," "Game of Thrones," and "Homeland." In fact, she often watches them with her hubby too.

22. She Likes To Cook

The Duchess enjoys testing out Mary Berry recipes. During an event in March 2013, she told Mary Berry:

"I'm a big fan of your cook books and your cakes."

23. One of the Most Influential People

Time Magazine has selected Kate Middleton twice as one of the most influential people in the world. First in 2012 and then again in 2013.

24. Three Children

Kate Middleton and Prince William have three children together. Their first son, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born on July 22, 2013, at 4:24 p.m. local time. He is third in line to the British throne.

Two years later, on May 2, 2015, his sister Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born. The on April 23, 2018, the couple's third child, Prince Louis Arthur Charles was welcomed into the world at 11:01 a.m. local time.

25. Vogue Magazine Shoot

The first time she agreed to do a magazine shoot was in June 2016. She appeared in a 10-page spread in Vogue's centenary issue.

26. Working Class

Kate is actually from a working-class background on her mother's side. Her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Goldsmith, pushed her children to break the mold and get educated. As a result, Kate's mother became an airline hostess.

27. Her Parents Met At Work

Her mother went on to land a job with British Airways. Here she met Michael Middleton, an airline dispatcher who she later married. Middleton came from a wealthy family from Leeds and had tied to the British monarchy.

28. Her Parent's Company

In 1987, her parents decided to change their career paths and founded a mail-order party goods company. The business took off and the Middleton's became multi-millionaires.

29. Public Split

Before getting married, in April 2007, Kate and William went through a rough public split. Sources claimed that pressure from the royal family to either get engaged or break up led William to call off their five-year relationship over the phone.

30. Her Engagement Ring was Princess Diana's

Kate's engagement ring is the same ring that the late Princess Diana had chosen from a catalog in 1981 for her own engagement. It was made by Garrard & Co. who were the crown jewelers at the time and boasts a 12-carat sapphire stone surrounded by 14 diamonds set in white gold.

The ring was given to her sons after the princess passed away tragically in 1997. So when Prince William fell for Kate nearly three decades later, he used his mother's ring to propose.