Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Catherine, Princess of Wales

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Catherine, Princess of Wales made an impact.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, is a prominent member of the British royal family as the wife of William, Prince of Wales. As such, she is in line to be Queen Consort. She engages in royal duties and charitable work, and is known for her style and public appearances.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1987: Mother Founds Party Pieces

In 1987, Catherine's mother founded Party Pieces, a mail-order company.

November 2006: Joins Jigsaw as Accessories Buyer

In November 2006, Catherine began working part-time for 12 months as an accessories buyer with the clothing chain Jigsaw.

2007: Curated Photography Exhibition for UNICEF

In 2007, Catherine curated a photography exhibition to mark the launch of "Time to Reflect" by Alistair Morrison, raising funds for UNICEF.

2008: Visited Naomi House Children's Hospice and Organized Roller Disco Fundraiser

In 2008, Catherine visited Naomi House Children's Hospice. Later that year, she organized a 1980s-themed roller disco fundraiser that raised £100,000 for Oxford Children's Hospital and Place2Be.

March 2011: Established Gift Fund for Charities

In March 2011, Catherine and William established a gift fund through The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, allowing well-wishers to donate to 26 selected charities in lieu of wedding gifts.

March 2012: First Public Speech

In March 2012, Catherine gave her first public speech at the opening of a children's hospice supported by her patronage, East Anglia's Children's Hospices.

October 2012: Launched the M-PACT Programme

In October 2012, Catherine helped launch the M-PACT (Moving Parents and Children Together) program, one of the few UK initiatives addressing the impact of parental addiction on families.

2012: Launched Coach Core Programme

In 2012, Catherine, William, and Harry launched Coach Core, a program established after the 2012 Olympics to provide apprenticeships for young people aspiring to careers in sports coaching.

2013: Supported Children's Hospice Week annually

Since 2013, Catherine has supported Children's Hospice Week annually, furthering her involvement in children's palliative care.

2014: Wrote Foreword for 'Living in the Slipstream: Life as an RAF Wife'

In 2014, Catherine wrote the foreword for "Living in the Slipstream: Life as an RAF Wife", with proceeds supporting charity.

December 2015: Assumed Patronage of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets

In December 2015, Catherine assumed patronage of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, following the Duke of Edinburgh's 63-year tenure. The handover occurred during an audience at Buckingham Palace.

April 2016: Launch of Heads Together Campaign

In April 2016, Catherine helped develop the Heads Together campaign with William and Prince Harry to encourage public discussion of mental health.

2016: Marked 75th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets

In 2016, Catherine marked the 75th anniversary of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, continuing her work with the organization.

2016: Became Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Since 2016, Catherine has been patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

January 2018: Reported Hair Donation and Became Patron of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

In January 2018, locks of Catherine's hair were reportedly donated anonymously to the Little Princess Trust. The following month, she became patron of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She also launched Nursing Now, a three-year global campaign to raise the profile of nursing.

March 2018: Symposium on Children's Health and Launch of Early Years Intervention Support

In March 2018, Catherine hosted a symposium with the Royal Society of Medicine on children's health and launched the Early Years Intervention Support initiative.

2018: Became Royal Patron of Victoria and Albert Museum

In 2018, Catherine became the first royal patron of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

July 2019: Supported Backyard Nature Campaign

In July 2019, Catherine supported Backyard Nature, a campaign encouraging children, families, and communities to engage with the natural world.

2019: Became Patron of the Foundling Museum

In 2019, Catherine became the patron of the Foundling Museum, which commemorates the Foundling Hospital.

2019: Chelsea Flower Show Garden Display and Launch of Shout

In 2019, Catherine co-designed a garden display at the Chelsea Flower Show with the Royal Horticultural Society. In May 2019, Catherine, William, and other family members launched Shout, a text-messaging service for mental health support, as part of the Heads Together initiative.

2019: Designed "Back to Nature Garden"

In 2019, Catherine designed the "Back to Nature Garden" with landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White, promoting environmental sustainability.

2019: Supported Photography Workshops and Contributed to Holocaust Exhibition

In 2019, Catherine supported workshops run by the Royal Photographic Society and Action for Children. As patron of the Royal Photographic Society, she contributed to an exhibition marking 75 years since the end of the Holocaust.

January 2020: Launch of 5 Big Questions on the Under 5's

In January 2020, Catherine launched 5 Big Questions on the Under 5's, a nationwide survey on early childhood development, conducted by Ipsos MORI.

March 2020: Support for Mental-Health Initiative

In March 2020, Catherine and William supported a new mental-health initiative by Public Health England during the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2020: Announcement of Our Frontline

In April 2020, Catherine and William announced Our Frontline, which provides mental-health support for emergency and frontline workers.

May 2020: Launched "Hold Still" Photography Project

In May 2020, Catherine launched "Hold Still", a project documenting life during the COVID-19 lockdown, which received 31,000 submissions.

July 2020: Support for BBC's Tiny Happy People initiative

In July 2020, Catherine supported the development of the BBC's Tiny Happy People initiative, which provides free digital resources for parents with young children.

August 2020: Donation Drive to Support Baby Banks

In August 2020, Catherine led a donation drive to support baby banks nationwide, generating more than 10,000 donations.

September 2020: Appointed Co-President of The Scout Association

In September 2020, Catherine was appointed co-president of The Scout Association alongside the Duke of Kent.

November 2020: Release of 5 Big Questions Results

In November 2020, the results of Catherine's 5 Big Questions on the Under 5's survey were released, outlining five key themes in early childhood.

May 2021: Publication of "Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020"

On May 7, 2021, the book "Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020" was published, featuring images from the Hold Still project and a foreword written by Catherine.

June 2021: Became Patron of The Forward Trust

In June 2021, Catherine became patron of The Forward Trust following its merger with Action on Addiction, and subsequently launched the "Taking Action on Addiction" campaign.

June 2021: Launch of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood

In June 2021, Catherine launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to coordinate research, campaigns, and partnerships on early-years issues.

2021: Playground inspired by the garden opened on the Sandringham Estate

In 2021, A playground inspired by the "Back to Nature Garden" opened on the Sandringham Estate, providing a space for children to connect with nature.

February 2022: Became Patron of Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League

In February 2022, Catherine became patron of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League, roles previously held by Harry.

February 2022: Visit to Denmark on Behalf of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood

In February 2022, Catherine visited Denmark on behalf of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

March 2022: Donation to Support Refugees During the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

In March 2022, Catherine and William donated to support refugees during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

October 2022: Became Patron of Preet Chandi

In October 2022, Catherine became patron of Preet Chandi, a British Army medical officer undertaking a 1,000‑mile solo expedition to the South Pole after completing a 700‑mile journey earlier that year.

January 2023: Launch of the Shaping Us Initiative

In January 2023, Catherine launched the Shaping Us initiative through the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, a long-term campaign aimed at raising awareness of early-childhood development and its importance.

February 2023: Donation to Disasters Emergency Committee Following Turkey-Syria Earthquake

In February 2023, Catherine and William donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) following the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.

May 2023: Hosted Children's Picnic at Chelsea Flower Show

In May 2023, Catherine hosted the first children's picnic at the Chelsea Flower Show for pupils from ten primary schools participating in the Royal Horticultural Society's Campaign for School Gardening.

July 2024: Donated to support communities affected by Hurricane Beryl.

In July 2024, Catherine and William donated to support communities affected by Hurricane Beryl, showing their commitment to global relief efforts.

December 2024: Joint Funding for Pilot Scheme

In December 2024, Catherine and William announced joint funding for a pilot scheme with Norfolk and Waveney Mind to support rural and farming communities on the Sandringham estate.

January 2025: Announced as Joint Royal Patron of the Royal Marsden Hospital and became patron of Tŷ Hafan

In January 2025, Catherine was announced as joint royal patron of the Royal Marsden Hospital alongside William. Later that month, she became patron of Tŷ Hafan, a children's hospice in Wales.

May 2025: Launch of Mother Nature Video Series

In May 2025, Catherine launched the Mother Nature video series to highlight nature's role in mental wellbeing.

October 2025: Co-authored essay on limiting children's screen time

In October 2025, Catherine co-authored an essay with Professor Robert J. Waldinger of Harvard Medical School, encouraging parents to limit children's screen time to support early-childhood relationships.

2025: Curated display for the Victoria and Albert Museum

In July 2025, Catherine curated a small display for the Victoria and Albert Museum, highlighting her continued involvement in the arts.

January 2026: Conclusion of Mother Nature Video Series

In January 2026, Catherine concluded the Mother Nature video series, which was described by The Daily Telegraph as "one of her most personally creative projects to date".