Finding Inspiration from a Future Queen

Hello gorgeous and welcome back to You Go Girl! This week we're highlighting a woman that has long been influential on my style, poise, passions, and the type of professional woman I want to be. Unlike Kate Middleton, I'm not in line to be the queen of England, but I have learned from her what it means to be a professional and poised woman. From watching the livestream of her wedding to Prince William in the 5th grade, to following the media coverage of the births of her three children, to the insane amount of pictures I have pinned of her to my Pinterest style inspiration boards, I have long been a fan of Duchess Kate.

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Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, known as Kate, was born in Reading, Berkshire, England on January 9, 1982. Kate's father came from a wealthy family with ties to British aristocracy and after he married Kate's mother, they started a business that made the family into multi-millionaires. Along with her two other siblings, Kate grew up attending exclusive private schools. Kate excelled in her studies and went on to pursue higher education at the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland where she met Prince William, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II. The pair began dating in 2003. They graduated from St. Andrews in 2005, with Kate obtaining a degree in art history.

During their dating period, Kate worked in the fashion industry as an assistant accessories buyer for the British clothing company Jigsaw. She later left to study portrait photography, a skill that she still uses today in shooting official portraits of her husband and children. She also briefly worked on starting a bakery business with her brother James.

On November 16, 2010, William and Kate publicly announced their engagement. William proposed with the engagement ring worn by his late mother, Princess Diana. The couple was wed on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Upon her marriage into the royal family, Kate took on the title of Catherine, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge. Their wedding was a prominent cultural event of the time, with 23 million viewers watching on television. Kate's wedding gown, designed by Sarah Burton, set the style for many brides to follow her.

Kate and William have three children together, Prince George, born on July 22, 2013; Princess Charlotte, born on May 2, 2015; and Prince Louis, born on April 23, 2018. Their first son, Prince George, is third in line to the British throne, behind his grandfather Prince Charles and his father Prince William. Kate gave birth to all three of their children in St. Mary's Hospital, the same place that Princess Diana gave birth to William and his brother Harry.

One of Kate's main initiatives as duchess is the Heads Together initiative, a mental health awareness campaign that she launched with Prince William and Harry. They launched a website in 2018 providing resources for educators and schools. Kate is especially concerned with the mental health of children, something that can often be seen as a nonissue. She is an advocate for early intervention and taking children's mental health just as seriously as their physical health.

I have been interested in fashion for as long as I can remember, and as I've gotten older, the need to compile a classy, professional wardrobe is essential. Kate has always been a fashion inspiration for me. She is so classy, yet practical and stylish. Anytime I need to put together an outfit for an interview or other professional occasion, I look to Kate as inspiration. I have learned that professional attire can be so fun, classy, and flattering thanks to her.

I am also inspired by Kate's kind, servant hearted spirit, and the grace with which she fulfills her role in the royal family. She goes beyond the conventional role of shaking hands and looking nice by using her position to advocate for issues such as mental health. Kate exudes confidence, poise, kindness, and joy. She is not a stuffy royal that seems detached from other citizens, but she strives to connect with others and show them how much she cares. Kate is an absolute ray of sunshine and is a beautiful addition to Britain's royal family.

No matter who you are and what your position is, you can show kindness and love to those around you everyday. Use your role in life to spread kindness, advocate for causes you care about, and go everywhere with poise and confidence. Trust me, if you're confident in who you are, others will see that and admire you all the more for it. It starts with you!

You go girl,

Maddie