Pregnant Kate Middleton has just completed a successful first year as a working royal, scoring a total of 111 engagements in 2012, according to estimates published by The Times. Her busy twelve months also included 36 appearances on foreign soil, which come from her tour of the South Seas with Prince William.
Kate's record was of course slowed down towards the end of the year after the Palace announced that she and William were expecting their first child and the Duchess was hospitalized with acute morning sickness related to the early stages of her pregnancy. Despite her steadily growing work record and her status as one of the country's favourite royals, it is though the Duchess of Cambridge will take things easier in 2013 as she prepares to give birth to the royal baby, expected to be due in early summer. As Kate prepares for the exciting event, her in-laws will no doubt step in to see to the business of maintaining Brand Windsor. According to the The Times' figures, her father-in-law Prince Charles was the hardest working royal in 2012, racking up 480 UK engagements and 112 overseas appearances.
The 86-year-old Queen was right behind with an impressive 425 engagements last year, all of which were carried out in her backyard. With the Diamond monarch marking 60 years on the throne, interest in the Queen and her family was at an all-time high, and the sovereign certainly didn't disappoint, traveling the length and breadth of the country to meet that demand.
After the thrilling highlights of the Diamond Jubilee, Great Britain and the wider world is now preparing for another important year in royal history as William and Kate prepare to welcome their first child – and the future monarch. The couple's firstborn, whether a boy or a girl, will become heir to the throne after 15 other Commonwealth nations recently gave their consent to change laws which initially favoured men.
The government will now press ahead with a bill ending discrimination against women in the succession to the British throne. Meanwhile, excitement is building. Already one of the most photographed women in the world, the Duchess' growing tummy will be the focus of much interest once she is back on her feet again in 2013. And her maternity fashion will no doubt be closely followed by fans of her trend-setting style.