Her emergence into the public eye
In March 2005 the sporty student joined Charles and his sons for a skiing holiday in Klosters 
the St Andrews student was snapped in April watching from the sidelines at a university rugby tournament
A further indication of her growing importance to the young Prince came when Kate attended the June nuptials of Hugh Van Cutsem. Although Jecca Craig, another of Wills' close chums, was also present, it was with Kate that he spent the evening in a local pub
Like her royal beau and student housemate, Kate graduated from St Andrews with a 2:1 degree - hers was in History of Art, his in Geography
The pretty brunette adopted a striking Outback cowboy look when, in August, she was on hand at another high society event - the Festival of British Eventing at Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate
While interest in her grew in the run-up to Christmas, Kate continued to show the calm, unflustered demeanour that seems to have become her hallmark
And despite her royal connections, Kate follows a low-key life in London where she has been snapped shopping for bargains in the January sales, queuing for a bus and picking up groceries in a local supermarket
An invitation to join Charles and Camilla in the royal box at Cheltenham Races in March 2006 signalled yet another important moment - one that the usually casually dressed Kate marked with a smart Russian style outfit
Tanned and relaxed after a romantic break with William in Mustique, Kate jetted back to England for the society wedding of Laura Parker Bowles and Harry Lopes on May 6. She cut a chic figure in a buttermilk dress coat and ostrich feather hat
