Royal Watch News
Kate to go it alone in rag trade
Apr 4, 2006, 18:02 GMT
The girlfriend of Britain's Prince William has been taking basic accountancy lessons to help launch her own clothing business.
Kate Middleton is being coached by a family friend ahead of her first venture into marketing children's clothes.
The pretty brunette has the backing of her father, Michael, who owns a party paraphernalia mail order company with his wife Carole. Kate has previously completed work experience for friend Dylan Williams, who runs a sportswear company in Berkshire, and Alistair Parker-Swift, who founded a chain of successful clothes shops from a hut in Devon. And the 23-year-old - who met Prince William whilst studying at St Andrews University in Scotland - has now decided to branch out on her own. The prince, meanwhile, is training to be an army officer at Sandhurst Military Academy. A friend of Kate is quoted in Adam Helliker's Sunday Express column as saying: 'People seem to have the wrong idea that she's some sort of drippy thing waiting around for William to make a decision about whether they'll get married. 'In fact, she's a confident, intelligent and independent young woman who intends to make her own way in the world regardless of who she happens to be going out with. 'She's not the sort to mope about while William is away.' However, rumours of a royal engagement between the prince and Kate have intensified after it was revealed they are planning a romantic break to the Caribbean. One friend is quoted in Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper as saying: 'This will be the first occasion for a while they have spent time together alone and Kate really thinks a proposal could happen. 'She has definitely spoken about marriage with her girlfriends. She and William have been going out for more than three years and she is thinking about the future, like any girl her age would do.'Copyright 2006 BANG Media International
