Kate Middleton Gets Back To Royal Duties After Vacation Controversy

Kate Middleton has largely been out of the public eye since the announcement of her pregnancy in December, but it seems as if she is now getting back to work.

The Daily Mail reports that the Duchess of Cambridge will attend a number of public engagements this week, starting with a visit to one of her charities, Action on Addiction, in London.

Middleton is also gearing up to announce three new charities with which she will be involved in March, according to the news source.

“The Duchess is already patron of four charities and will add a small number to that list,” Palace spokesman confirmed to the Daily Mail.

Middleton and her husband, Prince William, recently returned from what many are calling a “baby moon” vacation on the Caribbean island of Mustique, where photos were taken of the four months pregnant mom to be relaxing on the beach in a bright blue halter-neck bikini.

The photos were sold to Italian magazine, Chi, which published them in a spread called “Kate and William – honeymoon for three.” Australian magazine Woman’s Day also published the photos.

There was a backlash from the palace, with St. James' Palace calling the editorials, “a clear breach of the couple’s privacy.” However both publications insisted the photos were taken by fellow vacationers on Mustique and not paparazzi, which are notably banned from the island.

Despite being bought by several other publications, including some in the United States, France and Germany, most U.S. publications have opted not to publish the photos.

Attempting to put the incident behind her, Kate is reportedly much more interested in dressing her growing bump in the best fashions. According to the Mail, Middleton has commissioned close friends Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Lavinia Brennan to design maternity wear for her.

“She’s determined to remain fashionable between now and the birth and doesn’t want to be seen as frumpy,” a friend told the Mail.

In her first public appearance since the announcement of her pregnancy at the UK’s Sports Personality Year Awards in December 2012, Middleton wore a green Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton gown that concealed her lower stomach, and was referred to as a "maternity dress" by Grazia.