Kate Middleton news: Duchess makes a nod to Scouts as she steps out in rural £600 outfit

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, arrived at Gilwell Park in Essex today for her outing to the headquarters of the Scouts movement. It saw the 37-year-old learn about how the group plans to welcome children as young as four into its meetings. The youngest age children can currently move is six, with youngsters aged between six to eight able to join Beaver Scouts. A mother-of-three herself, Kate arrived at the home of Scouting and met children taking part in a pilot scheme, joining them in activities such as boat building and balloon rocket assembling.

Considered a style icon by many, plenty of the royal’s fans were likely to be very interested to see what the Duchess wore.

Today, she made a nod at the scouting movement by wearing a rural-themed look.

She sported black trousers and her J Crew mockneck sweater, which costs $79.50 (around £60), as well as a brown raincoat.

The garment was the Barbour Ladies Waxed ‘Defence’ Jacket. Ahead of it selling out, the item cost £199.

Kate teamed the look with brown combat-style ankle boots by Chloe, which sell for $445 (£339).

The royal had tied a red, white, blue and black striped necker around her.

She wore her hair in loose curls around her shoulder, and finished the look with gold hoop earrings – which are thought to be new.

The pilot scheme for the younger Scout section was announced last year, with 20 locations from across England taking part initially.

In the UK, the movement currently reaches 473,000 young people between the ages of six and 25.

Scouting was founded in 1907 by Rober Baden-Powell, and today, Kate planted an oak sapling, marking the 100th anniversary of the site.

Kate herself has had plenty of experience with the great outdoors.

That’s because, as well as being a Scout as a youngster, the royal also completed her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award in the past.

In order to complete this level of the challenge, those on the DofE must head out on a four-day and three night expedition, as well as a five-day and four-night residential stay.

This is on top of carrying out activities which cover volunteering, physical activity, and a skill.

Those who have completed the Gold level of the award are invited to either London’s St James’s Palace, Scotland’s Palace of Holyrood House, or Northern Ireland’s Hillsborough Castle.

At the event, those who have achieved the award get to meet a member of the Royal Family – meaning Kate actually met her in-laws long before striking up a romance with Prince William.

But, the question is, will Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince Louis, 11 months, also complete the award, which was founded in 1956 by their great grandfather?

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How did Kate Middleton become a royal?

Early life

Kate Middleton, or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was born on 9 January 1982 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, England.

She was born to Michael and Carole Middleton, a former flight dispatcher and air hostess. The couple founded a party supplies company, Party Pieces, in 1987 – now estimated to be worth £30 million.

Kate has a younger sister Pippa Matthews, 34, and a younger brother James Middleton, 31.

Education

Kate and her family moved to Amman, Jordan, in 1984, where the future Duchess was educated at an English-speaking nursery school.

After moving back to Berkshire the family sent Kate to private school, St Andrews School. She went on to briefly study at Downe House before moving onto Marlborough College where she boarded.

For university the young Kate attended the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. Here she was awarded an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in history of art.

Relationship with Prince William

Kate met Prince William when they were both studying at St Andrews, and both living in St Salvator’s Hall. Famously, William reportedly took a fancy to Kate after she wore a see-through dress during a fashion show.

In 2003 the couple began dating and lived together during their second year of university.

The couple split in April 2007, however, in October they were back together.

Wedding

Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother Princess Diana’s engagement ring in October 2010. The couple were holidaying in Kenya at the time.

On 29 April 2011 they married at Westminster Abbey with a whopping 26 million watching the event live.

Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress worth a reported £250,000 on the big day.

Kate assumed the title “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge” and also become the Duchess of Cambridge on the day.