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KATE'S ELEGANT LOOK FOR THE WARM WEATHER

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8 JUNE 2006

With the British summer finally in full swing, Kate Middleton decided to make the most of the sunshine with a stroll in West London. Wearing a pretty floral dress and trendy flats, with an oversize bag jauntily slung over her shoulder, Prince William's girlfriend was set to hit the shops.



The St Andrews graduate is now an increasingly regular presence in royal circles. Just last weekend Kate watched her sweetheart playing polo. The previous evening she'd caused a sensation at the Boodles Boxing Ball with her appearance in a sexy yet regal silk turquoise gown.

Kate accompanied William and his brother Harry to the black-tie charity event, which included a boxing tournament. Among those taking part were the Princes' friend Hugh van Cutsem, but it was the royal girlfriend who garnered all the headlines.

The 24-year-old brunette is fast developing a self-assured and elegant style. There has been speculation that the transformation is the result of grooming by experts at Clarence House, although no one has come forward officially to add weight to that theory.

One person who will take credit for Kate's look is Katherine Hooker, a Fulham-based designer who sells bespoke jackets and coats retailing from £425. Describing Kate as "very down-to-earth and normal", the boutique-owner added: "She's been in and out of my shop since Christmas - sometimes with her mother and sometimes on her own."