Nov. 16, 2010— -- Sorry, ladies. Britain's Prince William is now officially off the market.
The gal who won his heart is Kate Middleton, a striking, leggy 28-year-old brunette who, although not of royal blood, is certainly up for playing the part.
Wills, as Prince William is affectionately known in the U.K., proposed to Middleton in Kenya last month, using the oval, blue 18-carat sapphire and diamond ring that had belonged to his mother, Princess Diana.
The nearly nine-year courtship, including a short break-up in 2007, is long enough to have allowed for more than a tad of royal-watchers' Kate-Middleton scrutiny.
Here're seven things you need to know about England's highly anticipated princess-to-be.
The publication noted a comment from one of Middleton's friends: "Kate knows she's going to need conservative yet attractive outfits once they are engaged and she's started collecting a very enviable wardrobe."
To this day, Long noted, "Kate remains a total sports obsessive" who works out in the gym nearly every day.
Fun Facts About Kate Middleton
The friend described Middleton as sticking to "beans, salads, salmon and barbecues," but added that a recent slimming down might be the result of stress. Now, the friend said, she's "wedding-dress skinny."
The Daily Express reported that, during their second year at St. Andrews University, in Scotland, they shared a house with two other students. At the time, Middleton was dating a fellow student. The article included a reference to royal biographer Penny Juror, who claimed the eventual relationship between William and Middleton would have benefited as a result.
"They saw each other under every possible circumstance, feeling lousy, feeling grumpy, flu-ridden," according to the report. "It's a good basis for a marriage."
It's good for walking and salmon-fishing, too.Although William has his own cottage, his father, Prince Charles, offered Birkhall to accommodate the visit from Middleton's parents. Although William and Middleton have spent regular weekends in the house, they've also been "romantically ensconced in a 120-year-old gamekeeper's cottage in the grounds."
Her other U.S. relatives "include explorer Meriwether Lewis, who teamed with William Clark for their renowned 19th-century Western expedition. He's a ninth cousin seven times removed," according to the Associated Press, and she's a "thirteenth cousin three times removed of World War II General George S. Patton."
