Kate Middleton’s Final Public Appearance Before Birth Announced, Duchess Hailed As Reason For ‘Downton Abbey’s’ Success

Kate Middleton’s final public appearance before the birth of her second child has been confirmed, and it will take place next week.

The Duchess Of Cambridge, who is currently eight months pregnant, will make her last royal engagement next Tuesday, when she attends the yearly St Patrick’s Day service.

However, there are still hopes that she might make one final appearance after St.Patrick’s Day, with Yahoo speculating that she might decide to pose for another Mother’s Day photo like she did last year alongside Prince George, and her husband, The Duke Of Cambridge, Prince William.

Middleton has had a pretty hectic schedule during her pregnancy, which, in its early stages, was blighted by heavy morning sickness.

In fact, just this last week, Middleton has made four public appearances. On Friday, she attended a Service of Commemoration for men and women of the armed forces who are currently stationed in Afghanistan.

Middleton arrived at the service at St Paul’s Cathedral alongside Prince William and Prince Harry, while Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke Of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, were also in attendance.

RT @britishroyals Members of the Royal Family ready for the procession #AfghanService at St Paul’s Cathedal pic.twitter.com/tfbadibmUH

— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) March 13, 2015

This came a day after The Duchess Of Cambridge visited the set and met the cast and crew of Downton Abbey, the British period drama that has blossomed into one of the most popular programs in the world.

In fact, Julian Fellowes, the screenwriter who created Downton Abbey, explained the worldwide success of the show is due to Kate Middleton’s admission back in July 2011 that she was a big fan.

Middleton made her remarks while she was on a tour of Canada and California, and Fellowes believes she helped Downton Abbey break into the American market.

According to the Express, Fellowes made the following remarks in a speech during the Duchess’ visit.

“You Royal Highness has played a significant part in the Downton story already… It so happens that just as we were trying to shift Downton in America, you actually made a visit and someone said had you ever heard of a show called Downton Abbey? And you said you’d heard of it, you’d watched it, you’d enjoyed it. This went into the media like an exocet missile and soon all of America and most of the world knew it and as a result our challenge faded away.”

On Monday, Kate Middleton also attended a Commonwealth Day Observance service at Westminster Abbey. Later in the week, on Wednesday, the Duchess made her way around the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate, where she found herself confronted by the hyper-real silicone replication of a drowned body. The unusual artwork was created by Jeremy Millar, and the sculpture was entitled “Self Portrait as a Drowned Man.”

[Image by Chris Jackson and WPA Pool / Getty]