Negotiating the cameras when you're pregnant with the 21st century's most highly anticipated baby is pretty daunting. Unless, perhaps, you're Kate Middleton. The wife of Prince William has handled the attention with the grace and good humour that the public has come to expect from her.

Kate Middleton is pregnant: Latest News

Back in 2000, as a pupil of Marlborough College, she can scarcely have imagined the implications her choice of university would have.

Reviewing the reading material that would make up her course work, she can have had little idea that a brush with one particular fellow student would mean all her decisions from fashion choices to the name of a new puppy would come under intense scrutiny. 

Signing up for a degree in History of Art at St Andrews brought her into the orbit of William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor, second in line to the throne and the future King.

As housemates sharing a cottage in the Scottish town, Kate and the Prince fell for each other, and embarked on a romance that became a source of media interest across the world.

At St Andrews the two were protected from tabloid scrutiny by a gentleman's agreement between newspaper editors and the royal household. The slender brunette, who did well in both her school and university exams, would have been all too aware that the bubble of privacy would burst as soon as they graduated, however.

University over, the two moved to London where they found themselves facing new challenges. Kate set up home in the capital and accepted a position as a junior buyer with High Street fashion chain Jigsaw. Her royal beau, meanwhile, threw himself into the rigours of military training.

While her sudden celebrity can't have been easy for the young graduate, she handled herself with poise and dignity. She was born – the eldest of three children – on January 9, 1982, to Carol, a former air stewardess, and businessman Michael, growing up in a modest middle class home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, where her family run a party supplies business.

As a child she demonstrated the calm competence and strength of character which would serve her so well in the future, with friends describing her as a kind-hearted and sensible soul who rarely caused upset among her peers.

The romance between the middle-class lass and her blue-blooded beau went from strength to strength, with Kate joining William, along with his father and brother, on several skiing holidays. She was also presented to the Queen, who was said to be taken with her grandson's choice of partner.

By early spring 2006, speculation was rife that an engagement announcement was imminent, with one High Street store even going so far as to commission commemorative memorabilia. It came as a shock to royal watchers, therefore, to discover on April 14 that the pair had called time on the romance and were to go their own ways.

The separation didn't last long, however. By June there was speculation they'd rekindled their romance. And this seemed to be confirmed when in July Kate, accompanied by her mum, attended the Concert For Diana at Wembley Stadium – although the couple sat two rows apart and insisted they were "just good friends".

With reports they'd decided to give their romance a second chance filling the papers, the couple were careful to conduct their relationship out of the limelight, and were rarely seen out clubbing together at their old haunts.

In late 2007, Kate resigned from her job at Jigsaw and later went on to take up a production post with her parents' firm. Working for mum and dad meant she was able to take time out to join the Prince on foreign holidays, support him on the sidelines at polo matches and attend family events as their relationship once again grew in strength.

In November 2010, Clarence House confirmed that Prince William had proposed to Kate a month earlier, and that the couple were engaged and set to marry.

On April 29 2011, Kate officially stepped into the royal circle and left her previous life as a commoner behind.

At the wedding of the century, the bride was radiant in an Alexander McQueen ivory lace and silk dress which had been intricately fashioned by Sarah Burton.  

In a foliage-filled Westminster Abbey, Kate glided down the aisle towards her Prince who was visibly moved as he set eyes on her and mouthed: "You look beautiful".

She walked out Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge; from now on her every move would be headline news around the globe.

Fashionistas approved of her 'high-low' style, which married designer labels with High Street brands such as Topshop, Reiss and Zara.

The Duchess also won plaudits for her charity work with organisations such as Action on Addiction, East Anglia's Children's Hospice, The Scout Association and The National Portrait Gallery benefitting from her support.

There have been tricky moments along way such as when she and her husband were photographed in intimate circumstances on a holiday in France.

Aides issued a strongly worded statement on their behalf saying: "The incident is reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to The Duke and Duchess for being so."

French courts granted the Cambridges an injunction against publishers of the images.

Their unity and natural rapport has delivered other notable successes including their tour of Canada and the United States shortly after their wedding, their support for Team GB at the Olympics and the triumph of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

When it was announced that Kate was expecting a baby due in early July 2013, the reaction was universal delight.