Today is Catherine’s 30th birthday! This milestone birthday follows what was an over-the-top year for the newlywed, with 2012 expected to be another top year. To celebrate Catherine’s big day, here are 30 fun facts about the new princess.

1. Catherine was 29 years, three months when she married Prince William, making her the oldest first-time royal bride.
2. Catherine’s middle name is Elizabeth.
3. When she was two-years-old, the now Duchess of Cambridge and her family moved to Jordan for her father’s work.
4. During her gap year, Catherine studied at the British Institute in Florence, went to Chile to participate in a Raleigh Interntaional Programm undertook a Raleigh and crewed on Round the World Challenge boats.
5. As Kate prepared to celebrate her 25th birthday just five years ago, a group of fans launched the Unofficial Kate Middleton Fan Club. Their first announced meeting was held outside one of Middleton’s favorite nightclubs, Boujis.
6. After graduating St. Andrews, Catherine worked as a part-time buyer for Jigsaw Junior.
7. As part of her work with her family’s business, Party Pieces, Catherine launched the junior brand First Birthdays in 2008.
8. Catherine wore two dresses designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen on her wedding day.
9. The Duchess carried out 34 official engagements since her wedding.
10. It is rumored that Catherine’s favorite alcoholic drink is a crack baby; made of vodka, champagne and passion fruit juice. Cheers to the birthday girl!
11. While attending Marlborough College, Catherine completed her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
12. Catherine played field hockey at St. Andrews University.
13. Catherine drove a 2001 Volkswagen Golf while at University.
14. On Jan. 5, 2012, The Duchess of Cambridge’s chosen patronages were announced – Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, National Portrait Gallery and The Art Room.
15. The Duchess has also announced she will volunteer with the Scout Association – at the age of 8, she joined the Brownies.
16. Her pet name for her husband is “Big Willie.”
17. The Duchess graduated St. Andrews with a degree in History of Art.
18. Since her marriage to Prince William, Catherine’s official titles are: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus.
19. Catherine was born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
20. Before launching Party Pieces, her father was a pilot and her mother was an airline stewardess for British Airways.
21. The sheer dress worn by Catherine that caught Prince William’s eye cost approximately $40 to make, and is valued at $160,000 now that the two are married. K
22. William and Catherine both lived in St. Salvatore’s Residence Hall their first year at St. Andrews.
23. Catherine’s engagement to Prince William was announced on November 16, 2010.
24. Catherine will be honorary colonel of Princess of Wales Royal Regiment.
25. When Catherine was 13, she scored a mere 2 out of 10 in her school’s beauty ranking – look who’s laughing now kids!
26. As stated in their engagement interview, Catherine reportedly had the Levi’s guy hanging on her wall as a young girl.
27. In the year following their engagement, William & Catherine received approximately 60,000 fan mail messages.
28. The Duchess has a scar on her head from a childhood operation; the scar was first revealed when she attended her first solo engagement in October, 2011.
29. Catherine has a passion for photography – this was evident on her tour of Canada in the summer of 2011 as she snapped photos of her husband from the sidelines.
30. More than 600,000 visitors made their way to Buckingham Palace from July – October, 2011 to view Catherine’s wedding dress – smashing the previous record of 420,000 visitors.

(Sources: PrinceofWales.gov, People.com, BBC)