A Year in the Life of a Duchess: Catherine, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge

Summary (from the publisher): This gorgeously illustrated book celebrates Kate Middleton's triumphal first year as the Duchess of Cambridge. It details her public appearances, her honeymoon in the Seychelles, her first official trip to North America, and much more, showing how the world has embraced her as the “people's duchess.” There's also coverage of William and Kate's first Christmas as a married couple and other important milestones, and a photographic selection of the most stunning outfits worn by Kate over the past year. 

 

Review: This picture book provides a recap of all the public appearances of Catherine Middleton during her first year of marriage. This book was an indulgence that I enjoyed mostly because of the many pictures of Kate and the sartorial commentary, but it does give a good overview and roundup of her first year in the public eye and the official appearances and royal role she now fills.

 

This book was very  much in the same vein as celebrity gossip and tabloid commentary about William and Catherine in the British press - respectful up to a point but greedily sucking every possible detail from every stray comment and appearance. For example, the book comments on William and Kate being seen buying pizza and frozen chips at a 24-hour story shortly after their marriage and also quotes a butcher's exchange with Catherine after she bought some meat to fix dinner for her new husband.

 

However, I did learn a few details about her wedding and life that I hadn't heard previously. Such as a description of their wedding cake, which was "made from 17 individual fruit cakes, 12 of which formed the base, it had eight tiers and was decorated in cream and white icing" (16). Additionally, any book about Catherine would be incomplete without some commentary about her fashion. The author rightly points out that even when not scheduled to speak, Catherine cleverly sends messages with her clothing, such as when she visited Canada wearing clothing by Canadian designers. Or when she attends weddings of friends deliberately wearing outfits she has been photographed in previously so as not to steal attention away from the bride.

 

Although many of the pictures in this book have been previously featured in the news, this is a beautiful keepsake book of Catherine's first year of royal life.

 

Stars: 3