2011 ended with lots of positive energy and fulfilled expectations. Catherine was taking up the role of a Royal in her stride, showing the fashion world how to dress up regally without putting a dent into the budget and easily adapting the public role with dignity. She was loving being a housewife at Anglesey where William was posted at that time. 2012 was expected to be a more busy year for the new Duchess who was celebrating her 30th birthday that was her first birthday celebration as a royal.
Clarence House announced that The Duchess will be visiting her patronages publicly and privately to learn more about them. She became the patron of Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, the Art Room, and the National Portrait Gallery in January 2012. St James’s Palace said the choices reflected her interests in the arts, promotion of outdoor activity, and supporting people in need of all ages. She also became a volunteer in the Scout Association, mostly working near her North Wales home.
Catherine started the year 2012 with a low-key birthday celebration and annual vacation in Mustique with her family, where Prince William joined her later on. The Duchess started the official year with War Horse Premiere on January 08, 2012. She attended the gala dinner wearing a stunning Temperley London Amoret Black Lace Maxi Dress and Mascaro clutch.
Her first solo visit of the year was to the National Portrait Gallery. She wore a coat dress by Jesire with Asprey London button earrings, Jimmy Choo Pumps. At that time it was speculated that the coat dress was born by a Palace staff from a second-hand store for Catherine.
On February 29, 2012, Duchess made a very special visit. She visited the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace to meet the faces behind the intricate needlework on her iconic wedding dress. Her gown was stitched using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique. Flowers were hand-cut from lace onto ivory silk tulle to create the design which incorporated shamrock, daffodil, thistle and rose. It was reported that embroiderers had to wash their hands every thirty minutes to keep the threads pristine. The team working on her wedding dress did not know at the time of work, they were told it is for a historical drama.
March 01 2012, Catherine undertook her first engagement with both Her Majesty and Duchess of Cornwall. The Royal women visited luxury store Fortnum and Mason to mark rejuvenation efforts in the area. Duchess wore blue Missoni coat with Zara dress and paired the outfit with Rupert Sanderson Malone Pumps and Links of London Hope Egg earrings.
The Duchess of Cambridge joined Prince Charles for the first time for engagement on March 15, 2012, with The Duchess of Cornwall at Dulwich Picture Gallery. She was wearing an Orla Kiely grey dress with black suede Episode pumps and Links of London Hope Egg earrings.
In March Catherine also joined Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh together for the first time. They visited Leicester as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour of the UK. Once again championing the British fashion Catherine chose L.K. Bennett Davina teal Dress with label’s teal Jude Jacket. She paired the outfit with James Lock’s fairy tale hat, black Episode shoes and Kiki Mcdonough earrings.
Catherine undertook her first solo military engagement on March 17, 2012, when she presented the shamrocks to the Irish Guards at their base in Aldershot. Going with the theme of the day, Catherine was in Emilia Wickstead coat dress, Lock & Co Betty Boop hat, Kiki Mcdonough earrings, and Brown Suede Pumps. The Duchess’ first public speech was on March 19, 2012, at the opening of the Treehouse, a new children’s hospice opened by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. She was wearing Reiss Electric blue dress with Episode Angel shoes with Tiffany diamonds by the yard bracelet and Diana’s oval sapphire earrings and carried her Stuart Weitzman suede clutch.
Catherine spent her first Easter with the royal family after her wedding in April 2012. She was at Scotland with Prince William, Prince Charles, and Duchess of Cornwall. This year also William and Catherine spent 6 weeks apart from each other when William was posted at Falklands. In April he took his wife to Trois Vallees ski resort with Middleton Family.
In April Madame Tussauds unveiled six waxworks of The Duke and Duchess in London, New York, and Amsterdam. Each piece cost £150,000.
Catherine was announced the ambassador of the London Summer Olympics along with Prince William and Prince Harry. She attended many sporting events throughout the Olympics.
Her first appearance as London Olympics ambassador was at the fundraising gala ‘Our Greatest Team Rises’ on May 11, 2011. She wore stunning teal Jenny Packham Aspen gown with Jimmy Choo Vamp Sandals, Queen’s dazzling Chandelier earrings, and carried a bespoke Jenny Packham clutch.
On 18 May 2012, Catherine joined members of the royal family for Queen’s Sovereigns’ Luncheon at Windsor Castle. It was her first Queen’s Sovereigns’ Luncheon. She wore an Alice coat dress by Emilia Wickstead with UFO Diamond Earrings, UFO Gold brooch, and Prada Rose Satin Pumps. She carried a Prada satin box clutch.
On May 29, 2012, Catherine joined Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles & Duchess Camilla for her first Garden Party as a member of the royal family. She wore an Alice coat dress by Emilia Wickstead with Jane Corbett hat, L.K. Bennett Sledge2 Pumps, Natalie Clutch, and A B Davis 9ct Gold Freshwater Pearl Double Drop Earrings.
In June 2012, The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry has renamed The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, to reflect The Duchess’s contribution to the charity.
On June 03, 2012, Catherine joined the Royal Family for the Thames Pageant as part of the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Catherine was looking regal inAlexander McQueen Red Peplum Pleated Dress paired with Lock & Co Red Hat, LK Bennett Sledge Pumps, Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop Earrings. Catherine was seen carrying an Alexander McQueen bow clutch and Strathearn tartan scarf.
Catherine attended the final event of Jubilee celebrations, a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 05 2011. She was wearing a beautiful bespoke Alexander McQueen Champagne Lace Dress accessorized with a nude ribbon belt. She paired the outfit with Jane Taylor Champagne Hat, LK Bennett Sledge pumps, Prada Satin Clutch, and Heavenly Necklaces Diamond and Pearl Earrings.
The Duchess of Cambridge joined the Royal Family for another Royal event on June 16 – The Trooping the Colour Parade. She wore Erdem Ice Blue Dress with Alexander McQueen Stone Suede Clutch, Jane Corbett Hat, and Link of London Effervescence Bubble Sterling Silver Drop Earrings.
In September 2012 Duchess undertook her first South-East Asia tour with Prince William. They visited Singapore, Malaysia, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
During this overseas visit, she made her first official speech abroad, while visiting a hospice in Malaysia, drawing on her experience as the patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. You can watch Duchess’s speech here on ITV.
During the tour, Duchess made her first visit to a place of Islamic worship at the Asskyakrin Mosque in Kuala Lumpur wearing a flowing white Beulah London Sabitri dress with a matching headscarf.
A look at The Duchess’ chic wardrobe during the tour.
On November 28 2012, Duke and Duchess made their first visit to Cambridge where William was presented with a babygro by a member of the public having the picture of a helicopter and the caption ‘Daddy’s little co-pilot’. The public didn’t know how close they were to get their wish. The couple went for a walkabout to greet the public and later appeared on the balcony. Duchess wore Max Mara Studio ‘Belli’ Beige Funnel Neck Coat with a Printed UFO dress, Aquatalia Rouge Boots, Stuart Weitzman ‘Muse’ Clutch and Kiki McDonough White Topaz and Diamond Grace Stud Earrings.
Catherine visited her old school St. Andrew’s on November 30, 2012, to mark St Andrew’s Day and met with staff and students. She wore a green and forest Alexander McQueen Tartan Coat with Acquatalia Rhumba boots, Mulberry Bayswater Clutch, and her diamond and sapphire earrings.
On December 03, 2012, St. James Palace (the then office of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) announced the first pregnancy of Catherine. The announcement read,
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby. The duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII hospital in central London with hyperemesis gravidarum. As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, her royal highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
The couple was forced to share the news of pregnancy earlier than they wanted due to Catherine’s severe acute morning sickness. She was staying with her parents at Bucklebury, Berkshire when Prince William drove her to the hospital by private car. Catherine was suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes severe vomiting and dehydration and is most common in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. She was released from the hospital on December 06 2012. The couple came out of the hospital together with a smile, greeted the media on the hospital steps before leaving. The Duchess was wearing DVF Simyonette Coat from label’s 2010 Autumn Winter Collection with Russell and Bromley Charge boots and purple scarf.
A St James’s Palace spokesman said: ‘The Duchess of Cambridge has been discharged from the King Edward VII Hospital and will now head to Kensington Palace for a period of rest.
‘Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the care and treatment the Duchess has received.’
On December 16, 2012, despite her fragile health due to her first pregnancy, Catherine presented BBC Sports Personality Awards as Olympic Ambassador. She was wearing Alexander McQueen Bell-Sleeve Floor Length Green with Kiki McDonough blue topaz earrings and Asprey Diamond Button Pendant and Jimmy Choo Cosmic Pumps.
In 2012, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made another first. They spend the Christmas with Middleton Family in Berkshire. they joined the royal family for per-Christmas Lunch and spent only Boxing Day in Sandringham.
Chapter Three: Duchess Catherine – A Royal Journey towards Motherhood →
