Since marrying into one of the most prestigious families in the world, Kate Middleton has become a bona fide celebrity, style icon, and household name.
Yet once upon a time, the Duchess was just like any other little girl — and a sweet new photo shared by her mother Carole Middleton reminds us of exactly that.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the family’s business, Party Pieces, Carole shared a timeline of the company’s defining moments on its website, including an advertisement from 1989. Notice any familiar faces?
Yep, that's a seven-year-old Kate — she's on the far right — and her siblings Pippa (second from the right) and James (far left).
OH THE CUTENESS.
The now-35-year-old's famous Duchess blowout is nowhere to be seen; in fact, in this photo she's rocking the hairstyle many of us did in primary school. Extra points for the mother-daughter fringe matching.
As Carole explains, posing for ads wasn't the only way the Middleton children got involved in the family biz.
"It is still very much a family business today, and over the years all my children have played a huge part in it from modelling for the catalogue to developing new categories for the brand," she writes.
"James established our personalised cakes, Catherine started the 1st birthday side of the business, and Pippa developed the Party Pieces blog."
While all three children are following their own paths now, it seems their shared experience has been mutually beneficial. (Post continues after gallery.)
Kate Middleton in India
"They grew up with me working and appreciate the demands of a busy business and a working mum, and although now they are not involved day to day in the business, I still value their ideas and opinions," Carole concludes.
As we all know, that seven-year-old girl with the party horn in her hand went on to become the Duchess of Cambridge, and is now a mother of two herself.
Top Comments
This is great. A family business can be a great thing for a family if you let it - a first hand account on just how hard it is for money to be made - it does not come easy! I run a small business myself and prior to that working for other businesses I simply had no idea what it really takes to make a buck.
Good for them for being involved, they all would have learned so much.
I agree, i learned more about business and economics on our kitchen table than at uni doing my business degree.