Princess Kate’s younger sister Pippa Middleton has been by her side throughout the last difficult year and today celebrates her 41st birthday.
Princess Kate has had a tough year, making few public appearances, including the Wimbledon tennis final, which she attended with Princess Charlotte and her rock, sister Pippa Middleton.
Princess Kate, Pippa and Charlotte were all smiles at the famous Centre Court in July and happily chatted, with the Princess of Wales being greeted warmly by the crowd.
Pippa, who celebrates her 41st birthday today, has been by Kate’s side through thick and thin, especially since the Princess is going through preventative cancer treatment.
The pair also share many similarities, becoming style icons and having items they’ve worn sell out immediately, or seen copies of their wardrobe items fly off the shelves.
For instance, when Kate wed William back in 2011, Pippa was the maid of honour and replicas of her Alexandra McQueen bridesmaid dress were soon available on the High Street and were in high demand.
As Pippa’s fashion looks have caused a frenzy among royals fans, the trend has been dubbed “the Pippa Middleton effect”.
Speaking about the trend some years later, Pippa said: “I was surprised and still don’t understand it.
“I have had a few years of being in the public eye and I have developed something of a thick skin.
“But managing it all on my own has been quite hard. I have quite a lot thrown at me, such as being followed by people hiding behind cars and jumping out with cameras. It can be unnerving.”
Some say Pippa may take up a royal role in the future
With the younger sister, who has three children with husband James Mathews, sharing such a close bond with Kate, some have suspected that the sibling could take up a royal role in future.
When Prince William becomes King and Princess Kate the Queen, there may be a position for Pippa as her lady in waiting, helping Kate serve professionally.
But royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MainOnline he “cannot see Pippa wanting an official role such as a lady in waiting and there is no sign whatsoever that this is in the pipeline’.
“It would also lead to enormous pressure and she has her own family with three children. At the moment the quiet but unstinting support that she and her parents undoubtedly offer is what Catherine both wants and needs.”
Pippa also has her own charitable efforts she is busied with, as the ambassador for The British Heart Foundation, Disability Snowsport UK and The Mary Hare school for Deaf children.