18 Times Kate Middleton Made (Even Bigger Than Usual) Headlines in 2018

The Duchess kicked off her last few months of engagements before maternity leave in January, including a visit to The Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative at Bond Primary School, where she was more casually dressed than we usually see her! It wasn't the first time she'd worn sneakers, but her Nike trainers (and growing bump!) stood out in the middle of multiple other more traditional events that month.

As Kate continued to pack in her royal duties before leave, she and William made their final overseas tour to Norway and Sweden. The trip included regal moments, like her Disney-esque appearance at a dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo, and more down-to-earth outings, like when she learned to play Bandy hockey and stepped out in snow gear.

Kate and William were guests of honor at the BAFTA Awards in February, but it garnered more attention than usual. Of course, it was a special occasion, as the royals don't often attend red carpet events, but the big headline was about Kate's dress of choice.

While the rest of the famous female attendees wore black in support of the Time's Up movement, Kate opted for a dark green Jenny Packham gown. Many were disappointed that the Duchess chose not to make a statement with her participation, but it's likely that she opted out because members of the royal family are expected to stay away from anything political, and she was simply following protocol.

Kate slipped on skinny jeans for her final official engagement before maternity leave at the end of March. Though the outing to the Copper Box Arena in London for a SportsAid event was a casual one, she popped up again for Easter services a week later in more typical Duchess attire.

But the last real glimpse the public got of the royal before she gave birth was during a personal shopping trip! Kate was photographed loading up on groceries and looking about as "normal" as ever in early April.

Less than one month after welcoming Prince Louis, Kate made her first public appearance for the May wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. Fans who eagerly anticipated views of the bride and groom seemed equally as thrilled that they'd also see Kate once Kensington Palace confirmed her attendance in the weeks before the nuptials.

She and William looked more in love than ever, and Prince George and Princess Charlotte were unsurprisingly adorable as part of the wedding party.

Though Kate was technically still on maternity leave, she dressed up to attend the Trooping the Colour celebration for the queen's birthday in June. She delighted fans with her baby blue dress (perhaps a nod to her new baby boy) and her prominent placement toward the center of the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where she and Meghan politely curtsied to the queen in unison. It was a sign that Kate takes her royal position seriously and would not be absent at such an important event.

While unofficial, one of the most exciting appearances of the year occurred at the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy at the Beaufort Polo Club, where fans had a chance to see Kate as "just" mom to George and Charlotte. The trio mingled with friends and family and casually played in the grass — George even played with a toy gun (which, of course, caused quite a stir).

The Summer was full of fun appearances for Kate, but her visits to Wimbledon in July made their mark. She and her new sister-in-law paired up to watch the women's final between Angelique Kerber and Meghan's close friend Serena Williams. It was the first solo outing for the royal women following Meghan's marriage to Prince Harry in May, and as you can imagine, all eyes were on them, dissecting their interactions and reading into their body language.

The next day, Kate was back in the stands alongside William for their annual tennis day date — true to form, they looked smiley and sweet as they took in the Men's Singles Finals.

In October, Kate and William attended their first official joint engagement since the birth of Prince Louis. Kate was glowing in a (repeat) lavender dress and appeared relaxed and casual as she joked with William during the event, proving that the Duchess didn't miss a beat while out on leave.

Kate appeared downright regal in a blue Alexander McQueen gown and the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara and earrings (a favorite of Princess Diana) at a state banquet alongside Prince William and Queen Elizabeth II. The the fancy event and Kate's equally fancy regalia wasn't an accident but rather a moment for the palace to present Kate in a more "Queen-like" manner as she and William continue to take on more and more responsibility as senior royals.