Kate locked out

Nov 20, 2006, 13:30 GMT

The girlfriend of Britain's Prince William was left red-faced after being locked out of her London apartment.

Kate Middleton - who has been dating the 24-year-old royal for three years - found herself stranded in the cold last week after forgetting the keys to her plush Chelsea pad.

After frantically searching her handbag, the 24-year-old rang William, who arrived with his own set of keys, but the door still refused to budge.

An onlooker told Britain's The Mail on Sunday newspaper: "Kate buzzed on some of the neighbours' doors but there was no one to let her in. William turned up with a security officer and tried to help her with his own set of keys but something must have happened to the lock. In the end they just decided to leave. William drove off in his car and Kate in hers."

Meanwhile, Kate is reportedly planning to launch a career in interior design.

Kate - who studied History of Art at St Andrews University in Scotland - apparently decided on her new career path after helping to decorate a royal estate in Hertfordshire, which she is expected to eventually move into with William.

A source said: "Looking at wallpaper and fabrics with a view of doing up a home got her thinking about design as a profession. A friend is starting a career in interior design and Kate has told her she is keen to so something in the same field."

Kate previously owned a children's clothing business, but she was forced to give this up earlier this year due to money problems.

(C) BANG Media International