Catherine, Princess of Wales, is married to William, Prince of Wales, the heir apparent to the British throne. She was educated at St Andrew's School and Marlborough College. Catherine earned a degree in art history at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where she met Prince William in 2001. She graduated in 2005. Before their engagement in November 2010, Catherine held several jobs and engaged in charity work. She became the Duchess of Cambridge by her marriage on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey. The couple has three children: George, Charlotte, and Louis.

After her marriage, Catherine undertook royal duties and commitments supporting the British monarch. She represented the royal family on official overseas tours and played a significant role in various charitable activities. Through the Royal Foundation, her charity work focuses on early childhood care, addiction, and art. Catherine patronises over 20 charitable and military organisations, including the Anna Freud Centre, Action for Children, SportsAid, and the National Portrait Gallery. She launched the mental health awareness campaign Heads Together with her husband, William, and brother-in-law, Harry, in April 2016.

Catherine's relationship with the media has been closely scrutinised. She has worked to maintain privacy amidst significant media attention. The media has referred to her impact on British and American fashion as the "Kate Middleton effect". Time listed her as one of the most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2013. On September 9, 2022, she became Princess of Wales when William was created Prince of Wales by his father, King Charles III.

Catherine was born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading into an upper-middle-class family with ties to the landed gentry. Her parents, Michael Middleton and Carole (née Goldsmith), worked for British Airways as a flight dispatcher and attendant, respectively. Catherine was baptised at St Andrew's Bradfield, a local parish church, on June 20, 1982. She has two younger siblings, Philippa ("Pippa") and James. Catherine's paternal family benefited financially from trust funds, and her great-grandparents, Noël and Olive Middleton, hosted members of the British royal family in the early 20th century. Her maternal family are descended from coal miners.

The Middleton family moved to Amman, Jordan, in May 1984, where Catherine attended an English-language nursery school. They returned to Berkshire in September 1986, and Catherine was enrolled at St Andrew's School near Pangbourne. She later attended Downe House School and Marlborough College, where she excelled in sports and was the girls' field hockey team captain. She was awarded a gold Duke of Edinburgh Award while at Marlborough. Despite being offered a place at the University of Edinburgh, Catherine took a gap year, studying at the British Institute of Florence in Italy and participating in a Raleigh International program in Chile. She was a deckhand at the Port of Southampton the summer before university. Catherine then enrolled at the University of St Andrews, initially studying psychology before focusing solely on art history. She worked part-time as a waitress during her studies and was an active member of The Lumsden Club. Catherine graduated in 2005 with an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in Art History.

Catherine met Prince William in 2001 while they were students at St Salvator's Hall at the University of St Andrews. They began dating in 2003. After her graduation, Catherine faced intense tabloid press scrutiny due to her relationship with William. She worked part-time for Jigsaw as an accessories buyer and project manager in her family's business. Catherine attended William's Passing Out Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in December 2006. The couple briefly split in 2007 but later reconciled. Catherine moved into a cottage on the Bodorgan Estate in Anglesey, Wales, with William in June 2010. Before her marriage, she lived with her sister Pippa in an apartment in Chelsea, London.

William and Catherine became engaged in October 2010 during a trip to Kenya. Clarence House announced the engagement on November 16, 2010. William gave her the engagement ring that had belonged to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Catherine was confirmed into the Church of England before her wedding on March 10, 2011. The couple married on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey. Sarah Burton designed her wedding dress at Alexander McQueen. The couple used Nottingham Cottage as their London residence and moved into Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace in 2013. They officially moved into Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in September 2022.

She has undertaken numerous official engagements and tours within and outside the United Kingdom. Catherine's charity focuses on young children, mental health, sport, addiction, and art. She has launched and supported various initiatives and campaigns in these areas, including the Early Years Intervention Support and Shaping Us campaigns. Catherine is involved in numerous charitable organisations and holds various patronages, reflecting her commitment to social causes.