Kate Middleton Turns 30: Best Looks From Her First Year As Duchess [PHOTOS]

Kate Middleton leaves her 20s behinds as she celebrates her 30^th birthday Monday. This has been quite a year for the Duchess of Cambridge who wed Prince William in April of last year.

After attending a red carpet event Sunday in a lacy evening gown, the Associated Press reports that Middleton will celebrate her birthday Monday in a low-key and private affair. Although there have been press reports claiming Middleton would ring in her 30s with an '80s themed party, including cocktails and karaoke, officials deny the rumors.

Instead, Middleton has opted for a more intimate celebration, a wise choice due both to her age and status as future queen.

She's done very well, playing a very good supporting role to Prince William and complementing him as part of a team, commentator Robert Jobson told the Associated Press of Middleton's first few months as Duchess.

The past year has been a taxing one for Middleton who has traveled around the world following a fairytale wedding with Prince William. She has been crowned a fashion role model and gained rave reviews for her more common and approachable background from both the public and the media.

However, following her first few months of excitement, Middleton is now expected to settle into her royal duties. She will offer assistance to Queen Elizabeth II in celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, a major celebration of the Queen's 60 years as ruling monarch, and will also play a role in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Prince William and Middleton will support the queen by traveling to Malaysia, Singapore, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands.

Although Middleton's exact role as the Duchess of Cambridge and future queen of England have been unclear, her transition to a full royal will require her stepping out of the media limelight and into a more quiet position. Middleton and Prince William have been said to prefer a quieter life, according to the AP, and for the most part, Middleton has only been seen publicly at a number of official engagements.

Royal officials plan to make her role as a royal clearer in the upcoming weeks. Officials announced this week that Middleton will be supporting the Scouts and a group that assists drug addicts as part of a collection of charities she plans to support.

Historically, the royal family assists a number of charities through donations and attending events. Princess Diana, for example, was known to be actively involved in a number of charities, particularly in support of AIDS patients. Middleton will play a similar role depending on her own interests.

Rumors have also sparked as to whether ubiquitous couple, Will and Kate, plans to start a family. By 30, Queen Elizabeth II had already given birth to two of her four children and Princess Anne was married and had her first child by 23. Prince William's mother, Diana, had also been married with her first child by the young age of 21. Only time will tell when Middleton and her prince are ready to start a family of their own.