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Kate Dazzles on the eve of her birthday
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, attended her first royal film premiere on the eve of her 30th birthday, when Steven Spielberg's War Horse was shown at the Odeon in Leicester Square Reuters

Kate Middleton turns 30 today and what a difference a year makes.

Within the space of just 12 months, the Duchess of Cambridge has transformed from being "normal", middle-class Kate Middleton waiting to marry her Prince Charming into a global ambassador, style icon, charity patron as well as celebrity in her own right.

Born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton to middle-class parents, this landmark birthday not only signifies her reaching a milestone age, it also represents her first birthday as a fully-fledged member of the royal family.

In addition to now being a household name and one of the most talked about women on the planet, she now graces the pages of countless fashion magazines as a result of her sophisticated style.

Over the past year, she has helped catapult the names of British high street stores such as Reiss, Hobbs, Topshop and LK Bennett into the global limelight by choosing to wear their affordable designs.

Her growing list of achievements includes her first official royal engagement, her historic wedding to William, her first royal tour, as well as her first Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham.

Palace officials said she plans to mark the occasion by doing something "low key and private".

To help celebrate the big day, we take a look at the future Queen who has cast a spell on the world while remembering her humble roots.

Kate Middleton