The lovely Kate Middleton

<b>Kate Middleton</b> Although it took a few years for the world to welcome her into their hearts, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, is now adored worldwide.  On July 22, she and Prince William welcomed their first child, a son, who is third in line to the British throne (after Prince Charles and William).  Click through for a closer look at Kate through the years. (Reuters)  

<b>Introducing Their Prince</b> July 23: Prince William and his wife Catherine appear with their baby son, as they stand outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, in central London.  (Reuters)

<b>New Baby</b> July 23: Kate gave birth to the couple's first child on July 22, ending weeks of feverish anticipation about the arrival of the royal baby.  (Reuters)

<b>It's a Boy!</b> July 23: After months of speculation, Kate gives birth to an 8-pound, 6-ounce baby boy.  The proud parents appropriately wear blue as they give the world a quick glimpse of their bundle of joy.  (Reuters)

<b>A Good Laugh</b> April 26: Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince William (right), and Prince Harry (left) hold their wands on the film set used to depict Diagon Alley in the "Harry Potter" Films during the inauguration of "Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden." (AP)

<b>Growing Bump</b> April 24: Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives to attend an evening reception to celebrate the work of the charity The Art Room, of which she is a patron, at the National Portrait Gallery in London. (Reuters)

<b>Glowing Kate</b> April 23: Kate visits The Willows Primary School near Manchester, England. (Reuters)

<b>Bump Patrol</b> April 21: Kate debuts her growing belly at the National Review of Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. (Reuters)

<b>Kate and Prince William</b> March 17: Kate and her husband, Prince William, attend a St Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in southern England.  The royal couple confirmed in Dec. 2012 that they are with child, but a bump is still hardly noticeable. (Reuters)

<b>Olympic Spirit</b> Kate, Prince William and Prince Harry greet Torchbearer 170 as the Olympic Flame is passed on to Torchbearer 171 in front of Buckingham Palace on July 26. (AP) (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS2012)

<b>Kate Middleton</b> The Duchess of Cambridge (right), speaks with her sister Pippa while they take in a Roger Federer match during the men's finals at Wimbledon on July 8, 2012. (AP)

<b>The Duchess with the First Lady</b> US first lady Michelle Obama mingles with the Duchess of Cambridge during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, to welcome Heads of State and Heads of Government to the UK before they travel to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. (AP)

<b>Kate and William</b> Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge dances with Vanessa Boateng, as his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, looks on during a visit to Centrepoint's Camberwell Foyer in London on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011.  The national charity, Centrepoint, provides housing and support to improve the lives of homeless young people aged 16-25. (AP)

<b>William and Kate</b> Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge leave Centrepoint's Camberwell Foyer in London after a visit, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Centrepoint is a national charity providing housing and support to improve the lives of homeless young people aged 16-25 and Prince William is a patron of the charity. (AP)

<b>William and Kate</b> Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, center, leave Centrepoint's Camberwell Foyer in London after a visit, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Centrepoint is a national charity providing housing and support to improve the lives of homeless young people aged 16-25 and Prince William is a patron of the charity. (AP)

<b>William and Kate</b> Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, attend a 'healthy living cookery session' during a visit to Centrepoint's Camberwell Foyer in London on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. The national charity, Centrepoint, provides housing and support to improve the lives of homeless young people aged 16-25. (AP)

<b>William, Kate and Harry</b> The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive along with Prince Harry, right, at the Imperial War Museum for 'A Night of Heroes : The Sun Military Awards', in London, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. The awards, run by The Sun newspaper, celebrate the bravery of members of the British armed forces and award individuals deemed to have served their country with the highest distinction in the past year. (AP)

<b>Kate Middleton</b> Catherine continues to charm the heart of Britain's prince and the world's people. (AP) (Photo Matt Baron/BEImages)

<b>Kate and The Queen</b> July 22, 2011: Kate's infamous wedding dress and other things from her wedding to Prince William went on display in Buckingham Palace in London on July. Together with Queen Elizabeth, they stare in awe of the original multi-layered cake that was served at her wedding in April. The layer that was served to guests had to be remade for the exhibition.  (Reuters)

<b>California Visit</b> July 10, 2011: The Duchess of Cambridge laughs as her husband Prince William is introduced to speak at the Service Nation: Mission Serve Hiring Our Heroes fair in Los Angeles. (AP)    

<b>BAFTA</b> July 9, 2011: What a handsome pair! Prince William and Kate look stunning as they arrive at the BAFTA Brits to Watch 2011 event in Los Angeles. (AP)  

<b>Cowboy Kate</b> July 7, 2011: When in Rome... Err, actually Alberta, Canada... Kate dons a cowboy hat at the Calgary Stampede. (AP)  

<b>Public Displays of Affection</b> July 4, 2011: The couple, who normally does not show affection in public, shares a tender moment after a boat race on Prince Edward Island.  (AP)

<b>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge</b> June 9, 2011: Although they said that they would be living a "quiet life" after their lavish nuptials, the royal couple attended their first official function at the 10th Annual Absolute Return for Kids gala dinner in London.  (AP) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>  

<b>Kate Sparkles</b> June 9, 2011: Looking every bit like a princess, Kate Middleton dazzles in a Jenny Packham gown. (AP) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

<b>The Royals with President Obama and First Lady Michelle </b> May 24, 2011: The U.S. president and his wife meet with Prince William and Catherine at Buckingham Palace in London. (AP) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a> (AP2011)

<b>The Wedding Day</b> April 29, 2011: Kate Middleton looked flawless on her wedding day in a custom made lace gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.  For lots of pics of the special day <a target="_blank" href="http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2011/04/29/royal-wedding-day/#slide=1">click here.</a> (Reuters) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a> (Reuters)

Becoming a Princess On Nov. 16, 2010, Prince William and longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton officially announced their engagement. The proposal, which took place in October in Kenya, came with a lavish ring that belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana.  Kate, is often referred to as a "commoner" in the British press since she doesn't come from nobility. But the gorgeous 28-year-old is far from common and will soon be the princess. Let's take a look at Kate and her almost decade long courtship with the prince. For more pics of Kate, go to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.x17online.com">x17online.com.</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>   (x17)

The Royal Couple Hours after the official announcement of their impending nuptials, Prince William and Kate pose for pictures in St. James Palace.  (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Wedding Date? The couple was used to the spotlight, but the press went into overdrive when they announced their wedding. (Reuters) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Kate is All Smiles The future princess was beaming as she posed for pics with her fiance. (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

<b>The Royal Couple</b> Kate looks on lovingly at her prince. (AP) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Parents of the Bride Following the official press announcement of their daughter's engagement to Prince William, Michael and Carol Middleton give their reaction.  "I would just like to say that Carole and I are absolutely delighted by today's announcement and thrilled at the prospect of a wedding some time next year," says her dad.  (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

The Future Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William met while studying at St. Andrew's University.  (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

The Ring Kate shows off the stunning engagement ring that Prince William gave her when he proposed.  The ring belonged to his late mother Princess Diana. (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Her First Interview Immediately after posing for pictures as an engaged couple, Prince William and Kate sit down for their first media interview. The interview was Kate's first and although she was visibly uncomfortable at first, she quickly warmed up. (AP) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Dressed The Part The 28-year-old, who used to work in fashion, always looks glamorous and well-polished. (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>    

Kate Middleton Designers from all over the world were reportedly calling Kate "24/7" offering to make her wedding dress. She finally decided on Alexander McQueen. (Reuters) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

The Covers The British press, who has had a field day with Kate over the years, goes into overdrive on Nov. 17 after the engagement is announced. (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Wedding Planning The couple reportedly wanted to have full control over planning their special day. They opted to have the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. (AP) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>  

The Proposal During an interview after the engagement announcement, Kate calls the Prince's Kenyan proposal "romantic." (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank"><b>Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</b></a>  

Media Frenzy The British public, as well as the press, is enamored with Kate. (AP) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Kate Middleton April 11: The royal-to-be looks proud as she watches her prince graduate from RAF Cranwell. (Reuters) <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/@fox411">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>

Kate Middleton Kate is seen watching the first race at the Cheltenham Festival in Gloucestershire, Western England on March 14, 2007. (Reuters) <a href="http://twitter.com/@fox411" target="_blank">Follow FOX411.com on Twitter.</a>