As Kate turns 39 today, and the Cambridges prepare to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary this April, the Duchess of Cambridge has become a formidable royal force to be reckoned with.
Far from the shy girl from Bucklebury, introduced to the public the best part of 20 years ago, Kate has become one of the most pivotal players in the House of Windsor. The mother-of-three has quietly gone about fulfilling her duties without her ever-increasing status going to her head - a characteristic that has only further endeared her to the public.
Chris Jackson/AP
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, turns 39-years-old.
Indeed, it is telling that despite almost two decades on the royal scene, she has only recently reached the pinnacle of her potential powers by delivering a career-defining speech before Christmas.