Nineteen years ago, a young Kate Middleton made her first-ever appearance with the Royal Family when she attended Prince William's graduation at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The traditional passing-out parade was held on December 15, 2006, and Kate was joined by her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, along with Queen Elizabeth, King Charles and Queen Camilla (then Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall). What royal watchers didn't know at the time was that Kate had turned down an invitation to celebrate Christmas with the Royal Family.
The then-royal girlfriend, dressed in a bright red coat, black dress and oversized black Philip Treacy hat, had been dating Prince William since 2001. But they fiercely protected their privacy during their University of St. Andrews days, and his 2006 Sandhurst graduation became the first time she was pictured at a major event attended by the senior royals.
