Coordinates: 51°20′10″N 0°16′03″W / 51.3361°N 0.2674°W / 51.3361; -0.2674

Epsom
High Street, Epsom
Epsom  Epsom shown within Surrey
Population	27,065
OS grid reference	TQ205605
District	Epsom and Ewell
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	EPSOM
Postcode district	KT17 KT18 KT19
Dialling code	01372
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Epsom and Ewell
List of places: UK • England • Surrey

Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Some parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located 16 miles (26 km) south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland in the valley of Epsom Downs.

History[link]

Epsom is famous for the Epsom Downs Racecourse which hosts the Epsom Derby; painting by Théodore Géricault, 1821.

St Martin of Tours, Epsom

Epsom lies within the Copthorne hundred, an administrative division devised by the Saxons. The name of Epsom derives from Ebba's ham. Ebba was a Saxon landowner. There were a string of settlements, many ending in -ham, along the northern slopes of the Downs, including Effingham, Bookham, and Cheam. The only relic from this period is a 7th century brooch found in Epsom and now in the British Museum.

The early history of the area is bound up with the Abbey of Chertsey, whose ownership of Ebbisham was confirmed by King Athelstan in 933.

Epsom appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Evesham. It was held by Chertsey Abbey. Its domesday assets were: 11 hides; 2 churches, 2 mills worth 10 shillings, 18 ploughs, 24 acres (97,000 m²) of meadow, woodland worth 20 hogs. It rendered £17.^[1] The town at the time of Domesday Book had 38 peasant households grouped near St. Martin's Church. Later, other small settlements grew up at the town pond (now the Market in the High Street), and at Epsom Court, Horton, Woodcote, and Langley Vale.

The Epsom Derby, the second leg of the English Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is run each June on nearby Epsom Downs Racecourse.

Lord Rosebery

The British Prime Minister and first chairman of the London County Council, Lord Rosebery, was sent down (expelled) from the University of Oxford in 1869 for buying a racehorse and entering it in the Derby − it finished last. Lord Rosebery remained closely associated with the town throughout his life, leaving land to the borough, commemorated in the names of Rosebery Park and Rosebery School. A house was also named after him at Epsom College, a public school located in Epsom.

Historically, Epsom was known as a spa town, although there is little to see nowadays apart from a water pump. There were entertainments at the Assembly Rooms (built c. 1690 and now a pub). A housing estate has now been built upon the wells.

Epsom salts are named after the town. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) was originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters at Epsom.

Town[link]

Town Hall, The Parade

Owing partly to its position in the London commuter belt allowing easy access to the Greater London conurbation to the north and the rolling Surrey countryside to the south, the borough of Epsom and Ewell was named in August 2005 by Channel 4's Location, Location, Location as the "Best Place to Live" in the United Kingdom, and ranked at numbers 8 and 3 in subsequent years.^[2][3]

Epsom and Ewell was ranked in the top ten of the Halifax Quality of Life Survey 2011.^[4]

The Epsom Playhouse was opened in 1984 and is run by Epsom and Ewell Borough council.^[5]

Epsom Clock Tower was built in 1847, replacing the watchhouse which stood from the 17th century, and was built to 70 feet of red and suffolk brick, with heraldic lions of Caen Stone at the four corners of the tower base. A bell was added in 1867. By 1902 the lions had been replaced by lanterns, (which were replaced by the current globe lights in 1920) and the toilet buildings added either side of the tower.^[6]

The Ashley Centre, a shopping mall, was built in the early 1980s and subsequently parts of the high street were pedestrianised as part of the construction of the town's one-way system. In the 1990s, a large multiplex Odeon cinema was built in Upper High Street.

The late 1990s saw the development of the Ebbisham Centre, a community service based development, including a doctors' surgery, Epsom Library, a cafe and a health and fitness centre. The Derby Square expanded and includes a number of franchise chain pubs/bars.

The University for the Creative Arts has one of its five campuses in Epsom. Laine Theatre Arts, an independent performing arts college, is based in the town. Students have included Victoria Beckham. Leisure facilities in and around the town include a leisure centre (the Rainbow Centre) on East Street; Epsom Downs Racecourse; the Odeon cinema; and the Horton Park Children's Farm.

Major employers in the town include Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and WS Atkins.

As part of Epsom and Ewell, the town is twinned with Chantilly in northern France.

Sport & Leisure[link]

Epsom has a Non-League football club Epsom & Ewell F.C. who currently groundshare with Merstham F.C., as they sold their original ground of West Street. They are still currently looking to move back into the Epsom area^[7]

Surrounding area[link]

Neighbouring areas of Surrey

	Claygate	Ewell	Sutton
	Oxshott		Banstead
		Epsom    East
	Ashtead	Headley	Kingswood

Hospitals[link]

As well as Epsom's General Hospital, the town was well known as the location of a group of five large Edwardian psychiatric hospitals, commonly known as the Epsom Cluster. Most of the hospitals closed in the 1990s and early 2000s, although psychiatric services are still offered on parts of the Horton, West Park, St. Ebba's and Manor Hospital sites.

View of Epsom, John Constable, c. 1808.

The hospitals were (in order of date of opening):

• Manor Hospital^[8] (1899)
• St Ebba's Hospital^[9] (1902)
• Horton Hospital^[10] (1903)
• Long Grove Hospital^[11] (1907, an exact duplicate of Horton Hospital to save construction time)
• West Park Hospital^[12] (construction started 1912, used as a military hospital from 1916 and officially opened in 1921)

The hospitals were built in close proximity to each other on a 1,096-acre (4.44 km²) estate close to Epsom Common, which the London County Council bought to solve the overcrowding problems experienced in its other hospitals. The hospitals shared a central 'engineering works' next to Long Grove, which supplied all five institutions with water and electricity and were served by the private Horton Light Railway. Today, of the former hospitals, three have been largely redeveloped for housing (Horton, The Manor and Long Grove Hospital) and two are in the process of being redeveloped while retaining limited NHS services including day care and a cottage hospital.^[13]

The surrounding land has now become the Horton Country Park and is also home to the Horton Park Children's Farm.^[14]

Transport[link]

Rail[link]

Epsom railway station has frequent rail services to London (running to Waterloo, Victoria and London Bridge), and also to Leatherhead, Dorking, Guildford, Horsham, West Croydon and Wimbledon where it connects with the London Underground. The town's other station, Epsom Town, was closed in 1929; and although most of the listed buildings remain they have apparenty been left to decay, and incorporated into fast food and shop storage areas on the Upper High Street. This is regrettable as the station is of historic interest being the arrival point for Queen Victoria and her entourage prior to taking a carriage up to Epsom Downs. The deriliction is even more evident from the train line from Ewell East railway station).

Two other railway lines were built to serve the Epsom Downs Racecourse, with termini at Epsom Downs and Tattenham Corner.

The Horton Light Railway was built around 1905, as a branch from the main line near Ewell West Station, to deliver building materials to the mental hospitals (see above) being built on what is now Horton Country Park.

There is a train station at tattehnam corner, which is just located of the downs.

Bus[link]

Bus services connect Epsom to Sutton, Kingston, Redhill and other neighbouring areas, and a regular service connects with the London Underground at Morden. Some bus services are commercial, some run with the support of Surrey County Council, and others under contract to London Buses (part of TfL). Coach company Epsom Coaches and their bus division Quality Line are based in the town.

Road[link]

• The A24 passes through the centre of the town.
• The M25 motorway can be joined at Junction 9 Leatherhead, via the A24 south.
• The B280 runs from Epsom (West Hill) through Malden Rushett (A243) to Oxshott.

Education[link]

Epsom College

State schools include Blenheim High School, Epsom and Ewell High School,^[15] Glyn Technology School, North East Surrey College of Technology (NESCOT) and Rosebery School for Girls and also The Beacon School Banstead.^[16] There is also a campus of the University for the Creative Arts.

Primary schools include Southfield Park Primary School, Epsom Down Primary School and Children Centre and Danetree Junior School

Independent schools include Epsom College, Kingswood House School, St. Christopher's School and Ewell Castle School.^[17]

Emergency services[link]

Epsom is served by these emergency services.

• Surrey Police
• South East Coast Ambulance Service as of 1 July 2006. The Surrey Ambulance Service, Sussex, and Kent Ambulance services have all merged, and have now ceased to exist.
• Surrey Fire & Rescue Service
• Epsom General Hospital, which has an Accident and Emergency facility.

Notable people[link]

Notable people who were born in Epsom include television personalities Jeremy Vine, Mel Giedroyc and Michaela Strachan (born in Ewell) as well as artist Simon Starling, actor Warwick Davis, actress Alex Kingston, and the current Ambassador of the European Union to the United Nations, Thomas Mayr-Harting. People who have lived in Epsom at some time include writer Isabella Beeton, comedian Norman Wisdom, author and charity-founder David Charles Manners, snooker player Jimmy White and football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme. Magnum Photographer Martin Parr was born in Epsom. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame is also a famous son of Epsom and his father owned the Page Motors garage. Andy Ward, the drummer of famous band Camel was born here as well as adult film star Nici Sterling, Jody Morris - Footballer, Played for Chelsea, Leeds United, Millwall and is now the captain for St Johnstone in the Scottish Premier League. Popular singer Petula Clark was also born in Epsom.

See also[link]

• The Epsom Riot
• Epsom Downs

References[link]

External links[link]

• Epsom - 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article
• Town of Epsom
• Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
• Exploring St.Ebbas Hospital
• Exploring West Park Asylum
• Detailed History of the Spa, Salts and Springs of Epsom and Ewell

v t e Towns, villages and hamlets in the Epsom and Ewell District of Surrey, England Epsom Ewell Langley Vale Stoneleigh

Catherine
Duchess of Cambridge (more)
Catherine at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa, 2011
Spouse	Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (m. 2011)
Full name
Catherine Elizabeth[fn 1]
House	House of Windsor
Father	Michael Middleton
Mother	Carole Middleton (née Goldsmith)
Born	(1982-01-09) 9 January 1982 (age 30) Reading, Berkshire, England
Religion	Anglican (Church of England)

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Catherine Elizabeth "Kate"; née Middleton; born 9 January 1982)^[1] is the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and member of the British Royal Family. The Duke of Cambridge is second in line to the thrones of the 16 Commonwealth realms and, should he eventually become King, she would automatically become his queen consort.^[2]

Catherine grew up in Chapel Row at Bucklebury, a village near Newbury, Berkshire, England.^[3] She studied in Scotland at the University of St Andrews, where she met the then Prince William of Wales in 2001. Their engagement was announced on 16 November 2010, and Middleton attended many high-profile royal events before they married on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. Catherine has created a major impact upon British fashion which has been termed as the "Kate effect", and in 2012, she was selected as one of The 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time Magazine.^[4][5]

Biography[link]

The Royal Family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
HM The Queen HRH The Duke of Edinburgh HRH The Prince of Wales HRH The Duchess of Cornwall HRH The Duke of Cambridge HRH The Duchess of Cambridge HRH Prince Harry of Wales HRH The Duke of York HRH Princess Beatrice of York HRH Princess Eugenie of York HRH The Earl of Wessex HRH The Countess of Wessex Viscount Severn Lady Louise Windsor HRH The Princess Royal HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duchess of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Kent HRH The Duchess of Kent HRH Prince Michael of Kent HRH Princess Michael of Kent HRH Princess Alexandra Sarah, Duchess of York
v t e

Early life and family[link]

Middleton was born at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on 9 January 1982 and christened at St Andrew's Bradfield, Berkshire on 20 June 1982.^[6][7]:32 She is the eldest of three children born to Carole (née Goldsmith), a former flight attendant and now part-owner of Party Pieces, a private company with an estimated worth of £30 million,^[8] and Michael Middleton, who also worked as a flight attendant prior to becoming a flight dispatcher for British Airways, currently also an owner of Party Pieces. Her parents married on 21 June 1980, at the Parish Church of Dorney, Buckinghamshire,^[9] and in 1987, founded Party Pieces, a mail order company that sells party supplies and decorations.^[10][11] Middleton has a younger sister, Pippa^{[12][better source needed]} and a younger brother, James Middleton.^[12][13] The family has complained about press harassment of Pippa and Carole since Middleton's engagement.^[14]

Middleton's paternal ancestors were from Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire. Her paternal great-grandmother Olivia was a member of the Lupton family, who were active for generations in Leeds in commercial and municipal work.^[15] Her ancestors include the Revd Thomas Davis, a Church of England hymn-writer.^[16]

Carole Middleton's maternal family, the Harrisons, were working class labourers and miners from Sunderland and County Durham.^[17]

Middleton's parents worked for British Airways in Amman, Jordan from May 1984 to September 1986. In Jordan, Middleton went to an English language nursery school^[18] before returning to their home in Berkshire.^[19] After her return from Amman, Middleton was enrolled at St Andrew's School near the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire, then briefly at Downe House.^[20] She attended Marlborough College, a co-educational independent boarding school in Wiltshire,^[21] and graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland with an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in the History of Art. While a student at St. Andrews, she met Prince William.^[22]

Career[link]

In November 2006, Middleton accepted a position as an accessory buyer with the clothing chain Jigsaw.^[23] She also worked part-time until January 2011 as a catalogue photographer, webpage designer and marketing officer for her parents' firm "Party Pieces". Despite this, at one point she was given the nickname 'Waity Katie' by the media for her apparent lack of work ethic and seeming desire not to do anything except to wait for a wedding proposal. ^[24]

In 2008, it was reported that she had quit her job at Jigsaw to become a professional photographer, intending to take private classes with photographer Mario Testino, who had taken several well-known photographs of Diana, Princess of Wales and her sons.^[25] Testino later denied that Middleton was going to be working for him.^[26]

Public image and style[link]

Catherine is admired for her fashion sense and has been placed on numerous "best dressed" lists.^[27][28] She was selected by The Daily Telegraph as the "Most Promising Newcomer" in its 2006 list of style winners and losers.^[29] Tatler placed her at number 8 on its yearly listing of the top ten style icons in 2007.^[30] She was featured in People magazine's 2007 and 2010 best-dressed lists.^[31] Middleton was named as one of Richard Blackwell's ten "Fabulous Fashion Independents" of 2007.^[32] In June 2008, Style.com selected Middleton as its monthly beauty icon.^[33] In July 2008, Middleton was included in Vanity Fair's international best-dressed list.^[34] In February 2011, she was named the Top Fashion Buzzword of the 2011 season by the Global Language Monitor.^[35]

The Duchess is known for mixing couture pieces, often by British designers, with 'High Street' retail fashion. Designers worn by the Duchess include Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, Issa, Jenny Packham, Beulah London, Alice Temperley, Erdem and Catherine Walker; high street labels worn by the Duchess include Reiss, Zara and L.K.Bennett. In January 2012, she was voted 'Headwear Person of the Year'.^[36]

Relationship with Prince William[link]

Middleton's status as the undeclared girlfriend of Prince William brought her widespread media coverage in Britain and abroad and she was often photographed on her daily outings. On 17 October 2005, she complained through her lawyer about harassment from the media, stating that she had done nothing significant to warrant such publicity.^[37] In February 2006, it was announced that Middleton would receive her own 24-hour security detail supplied by the Royalty Protection branch (SO14). This fuelled further speculation that she and Prince William would soon be engaged, since she would not otherwise be entitled to this service.

Middleton with Prince Harry, June 2008

No engagement was forthcoming and Middleton was not granted an allowance to fund this security. Media attention increased around the time of her 25th birthday in January 2007, prompting warnings from both The Prince of Wales and Prince William and from Middleton's lawyers, who threatened legal action. Two newspaper groups, News International, which publishes The Times and The Sun, and the Guardian Media Group, publishers of The Guardian, decided to refrain from publishing paparazzi photographs of her.^[38] Middleton attended at least one event as an official royal guest, Prince William's Passing Out Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 15 December 2006.^[39]

On 17 May 2008, Middleton attended the wedding of Prince William's cousin Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly, which the prince did not attend.^[40] On 19 July 2008, she was a guest at the wedding of Lady Rose Windsor and George Gilman. Prince William was away on military operations in the Caribbean, serving aboard the HMS Iron Duke.^[41] In 2010, Middleton pursued an invasion of privacy claim against two agencies and photographer Niraj Tanna, who took pictures of her over Christmas 2009.^[42] She obtained a public apology, £5,000 in damages, and legal costs.^[43]

Breakup and reconciliation[link]

On 14 April 2007, The Sun newspaper broke a "world exclusive" suggesting that Prince William and Middleton had split up.^[44] Other media outlets, such as the BBC, confirmed the story as the day progressed. The couple decided to break up during a holiday in the Swiss resort of Zermatt.^[45][46] Clarence House made only one comment about the relationship's end, according to The Times, stating, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life".^[47] Newspapers speculated about the reasons for the split, although these reports relied on anonymous sources.

The original report in The Sun quoted a "close friend of the couple" as saying that Middleton felt Prince William had not been paying her enough attention. The paper highlighted reports that Prince William had been spending time with other young women and said the Prince, aged 24 at the time of the split, felt he was too young to marry.^[48] A report in the Daily Mail blamed a desire by royal courtiers not to "hurry along" a marriage announcement, and Prince William's desire to enjoy his bachelor status within his Army career. The Mail also suggested that a friend of Prince William encouraged the Prince to take a "careless approach" to relationships. The same article suggested that Middleton had "expected too much" in wanting Prince William to demonstrate his commitment to her.^[49]

In June 2007, Middleton and Prince William insisted they were "just good friends" following reports of a reconciliation.^[50] Middleton and her family attended the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, where she and Prince William sat two rows apart.^[51] The couple were subsequently seen together in public on a number of occasions and several news sources, including the BBC and the Daily Mail, stated that they had "rekindled their relationship".^[52] She also joined Prince William and The Prince of Wales on a deerstalking expedition at Balmoral^[53] and attended the wedding of Prince William's cousin, Peter Phillips, even though Prince William, due to a prior commitment, did not. In April 2008, Middleton accompanied Prince William when he was awarded his RAF wings at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.^[54] On 16 June 2008, she attended Prince William's investiture into the Order of the Garter, along with the Royal Family.

Engagement and wedding[link]

The newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Prince William and Catherine Middleton became engaged in October 2010 in Kenya, East Africa, during a 10-day trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate Prince William passing his RAF helicopter search and rescue course.^[55][56] Clarence House announced the engagement on 16 November 2010.^[55][57] The couple married in Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011,^[58] (St. Catherine's Day) with the day declared a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. Estimates of the global audience for the wedding ranged around 300 million or more, whilst 26 million watched the event live in the United Kingdom.^[59][60]

In October, several months after the wedding, Commonwealth leaders pledged that they would implement changes in British royal succession law to allow daughters of future monarchs to have equal rights to the throne.^[61]

Royal duties[link]

Public appearances[link]

The Duke and Duchess meet with U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace a few weeks after the wedding.

Middleton was formally introduced to public life on 24 February 2011, two months before the wedding, when she and Prince William attended a lifeboat naming ceremony in Trearddur, Anglesey, in North Wales.^[62] A day later they appeared in St Andrews and launched the university's 600th anniversary celebrations. On 16 February 2011, Clarence House announced that the Duke and Duchess's first royal tour of Canada would take place in July 2011.^[63]

In May 2011, shortly after the wedding, and while The Prince of Wales was in official visit to the United States, Clarence House announced that the Duke and Duchess would visit California after their Canadian tour. It was the Duchess of Cambridge's first visit to the United States.^[64]

In June 2011, the Duke and Duchess presented medals to members of the Irish Guards.^[65]

The Duchess visited the Canadian Museum of Civilization to attend a citizenship ceremony, on 1 July 2011 in Gatineau, Canada. The newly married Royal Couple were on the second day of their first joint overseas tour. They were joined by thousands of Canadians taking part in the Canada Day celebrations, which mark Canada’s 144th Birthday.^[66]

On 2 November, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the UNICEF Supply Division Centre for supplying food to malnourished African children in Copenhagen, Denmark.^[67][68]

On St Patrick's day, 17 March 2012, the Duchess carried out the traditional awarding of shamrocks to the Irish Guards at their base in Aldershot; this was her first solo military engagement.

The couple is due to visit Malaysia, Singapore, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands as a part of the Royal Jubilee celebrations in 2012.

Patronages[link]

In March 2011, William and Catherine have set up a gift fund held by The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry to allow well-wishers who want to give them a wedding gift to donate money to charities they care about instead.^[69] The gift fund supported 26 charities of the couple’s choice, incorporating the armed forces, children, the elderly, art, sport and conservation. These causes are close to their hearts and reflect the experiences, passions and values of their lives so far.^{[70][71][72][73][74]}

In January 2012, the Duchess announced the first charities which she will support.^[75][76]

These are:

• The Art Room^[77][78]
• The National Portrait Gallery, London
• East Anglia's Children's Hospice (EACH)^[79]
• Action on Addiction

She will also be a local volunteer leader with the Scout Association in Anglesey, north Wales, her marital home.^[80]

Titles, styles, honours and arms[link]

Titles and styles[link]

• 9 January 1982 – 29 April 2011: Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton
• 29 April 2011 – present: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge^[81]

Catherine's full title and style is Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge,^[81] Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus.^[82][83]

Unlike the majority of royal brides, and in contrast to most previous consorts-in-waiting for over 350 years, Catherine does not come from a royal or aristocratic background.^[84][85] On the morning of their wedding day on 29 April 2011, at 8:00 am, officials at Buckingham Palace announced that in accordance with royal tradition and on recognition of the day by the Queen, Prince William was created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.^[83][86]

Honours[link]

Royal Monogram

See also List of honours of the British Royal Family by country

Honorary military appointments[link]

Canada

• 5 July 2011 – present: Canadian Ranger^[87]

Honorific eponyms[link]

Awards

•  Ontario: Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, University of Waterloo, Waterloo^[88][89]

Arms[link]

Arms of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Notes The Duchess bears the arms of her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, impaled with her own arms. Catherine's coat of arms is based on those of her father Michael Middleton, which was granted to him by the College of Arms on 19 April 2011. Thomas Woodcock, Garter King of Arms, the senior officer of the College of Arms, helped the family with the design.[90] Adopted 19 April 2011 Coronet Coronet of a child of the Heir Apparent Escutcheon Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langed Azure (England), 2nd Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a double tressure flory counterflory of the second (Scotland), 3rd Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (Ireland), the whole differenced with a label of three points Argent with the central point charged with an escallop Gules (Prince William); Impaled with a shield per pale Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, cotised Argent, between three acorns slipped and leaved Or (Middleton).[90] Symbolism The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. The acorns (from the oak tree) are a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family have lived for 30 years. The three acorns also denote the family's three children. The gold chevron in the centre of the arms is an allusion to Carole Middleton's maiden name of Goldsmith. The two white chevronels (narrow chevrons above and below the gold chevron) symbolise peaks and mountains, and the family's love of the Lake District and skiing.[90] Previous versions Her previous coat of arms depicted a lozenge shaped shield of arms which hangs from a blue ribbon, this symbolised her unmarried state. This version of the arms is now used only by her sister Pippa as it denotes an unmarried daughter of their father Michael Middleton.[90]

Ancestry[link]

In a study of the ancestry of Catherine, William Addams Reitwiesner uncovered that she shares ancestors with her husband Prince William; the closest relationship is via Prince William's mother and Catherine's father through a common descent from Sir Thomas Fairfax and his wife Agnes (or Anne) Gascoigne^{[better source needed]}, daughter of Sir William Gascoigne and his wife, née Lady Margaret Percy.^[91] This makes the couple fifteenth cousins.^[92] Sir Thomas Fairfax and Agnes Gascoigne are through Catherine's great-grandmother Olive Lupton, daughter of a Leeds cloth merchant Francis Lupton and his wife Harriet (née Davis) – Fairfax being an ancestor of Lupton. In turn Lady Margaret Percy^{[better source needed]} is descended from Edward III.

Popular culture[link]

Following international attention regarding the wedding, Lifetime aired a TV movie entitled William & Kate on 18 April 2011, in the US.^[93] The film premiered in the UK on 24 April 2011.^[94] Middleton ^[95] was played by Camilla Luddington^[96] and Prince William by Nico Evers-Swindell.^[97] TV programmes were also shown in the UK prior to the wedding which provided deeper insights into the couple's relationship and backgrounds, including When Kate Met William^[98] and Channel 4's Meet the Middletons.^[99]

A second TV Movie is also being produced that covers much the same ground as "William & Kate". That movie titled William & Catherine: A Royal Romance stars Alice St. Clair as Kate Middleton and Dan Amboyer as Prince William.^[100] Of note in this second television movie is the appearance of Jane Alexander as the Queen and Alias alum Victor Garber as the Prince of Wales. According to The Hollywood Reporter the movie is scheduled to air 27 August 2011 in the United States on the Hallmark Channel.^[101] The movie was filmed in Bucharest.^[102]

Footnotes[link]

1. ^ As a titled royal, Catherine holds no surname, but when one is used, it is Mountbatten-Windsor.

References[link]