Royal watchers were all a-twitter — literally! — with a rare sighting of Prince William and his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, out and about in London this weekend, likely celebrating William’s recent success on crucial exams in his quest to become a search-and-rescue pilot.

Users on Twitter first alerted the public that Kate and William were in the West End taking in a performance of the acclaimed production War Horse, which William’s grandparents, The Queen and Prince Philip, saw in October.  William Rycroft tweeted, “The royal visits continue: Prince William and Kate Middleton watching War Horse tonight.”

And according to Mandrake at the Telegraph, William and Kate expected no special treatment at the venue: “Over the weekend Prince William took his girlfriend Kate Middleton to see [War Horse], too, and loved every minute of it, so I am told. The Prince, like his grandparents, was happy to be seated in the stalls along with hoi polloi.”

War Horse, which was first put on at the National Theatre in 2007, is based on a book by Michael Morpurgo.  The show’s official website explains that the story is a “tale of bravery, loyalty, and the extraordinary bond between a young recruit and his horse” set during the First World War.  The actors use life-sized puppets as a part of the production.

According to Richard Kay at the Daily Mail, the couple continued their weekend at the Nam Long bar in South Kensington, where, despite spending “four hours downing a mixture of champagne, beer and mojitos, finishing off with one of the establishment’s signature tipples, a Flaming Ferrari,” they were apparently still “very well-behaved.”

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Clive Goodman at the Daily Star writes this weekend that Prince William has a warm and cuddly Christmas present picked out for girlfriend Kate Middleton: a new puppy.

And what’s more, Goodman says, like William, the dog has its own pedigreed background: “Prince William has asked gamekeepers at Sandringham to find a chocolate labrador from the royal estate’s bloodline as a Christmas present for Kate Middleton.”  Goodman interprets this present of a royal puppy as another sign that Kate has been welcomed into the royal fold.

Kate has been photographed out shooting and stalking with various members of the royal family, including William, Harry, and Charles, on the Sandringham and Balmoral estates in the past.  (News of the World reporter Robert Jobson even writes that Kate and William were at Sandringham recently as a part of a shooting party: “William took Kate Middleton to the Queen’s country house this weekend – with Her Majesty’s royal seal of approval.”)

However, Goodman also repeats the rumors that Kate is once again off to America to learn about photography, so I’d suggest that we all take this puppy news with a large grain of salt — or, maybe, we should all sit and stay until we see Kate romping around with the new family member? :)

Read more from the Daily Star.

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Kate at Garter Day in June 2008Daily Mail columnist Richard Kay reports that Kate Middleton is on famous photographer Mario Testino’s dream subject list.

Kay writes that “there are two figures who have proved elusive for fashion photographer Mario Testino – the Queen and royal girlfriend Kate Middleton.”

Testino, who took several famous pictures of Diana, Princess of Wales, explains, “I’d also love to photograph Kate Middleton. But with some people it’s hard to find a time when you are both free to organise it. I haven’t managed to pin her down yet.”

Kate is reportedly a keen photographer herself.  In the past, it was rumored that Kate was going to work as an apprentice to Testino, but those suggestions were debunked.

Read more from Kay at the Mail Online.

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William's car in front of Kate's home on her 27th birthday (Photo Credit: Mail Online)

The always unintentionally-humorous Katie Nicholl wrote in this week’s Mail on Sunday that Kate Middleton can be sure that her royal beau, Prince William, will be around to help celebrate her 28th birthday in January.

Nicholl writes, “Prince William has made sure his first official overseas visit is carefully scheduled so he doesn’t miss girlfriend Kate Middleton’s birthday.  He has put his foot down over the January tour of New Zealand after missing her last two birthdays.  The Prince has insisted he will not set off until after Kate’s big day on January 9, when she turns 28.”

Only a couple of problems there, really.  One is that the logistics of major royal events don’t tend to be planned around the birthday of a girlfriend.  The other one is that William didn’t miss Kate’s last birthday — in fact, it was Katie Nicholl herself who reported that William spent Kate’s birthday at the Middleton family home in Berkshire last year!  (You can read my blog on the story from last January here.)  Sounds like someone needs to consult with her own archives more often!

Read more from Nicholl at the Mail Online.

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Photo Credit: celebrity-gossip.netKate Middleton made an appearance in London on Thursday, attending the premiere of Tenacity on the Tasman at The Odeon in Leicester Square.  The film is a documentary about Olly Hicks’s attempt to row solo around the world.  Olly is a friend of Prince William, and his rowing sojourn was sponsored by Sir Richard Branson, whose daughter, Holly Branson, is also a friend of Kate and William.

To the premiere, Kate wore a blue dress that was last seen in public on an evening out last December with Prince William.  She paired the dress with black tights and boots and a black jacket and pashmina.  She carried a black handbag and accessorized with a pair of gold chandelier-style earrings.

Kate attended the event, which helped to raise money for the charity Hopes and Homes for Children, with Holly and friend Trini Lough.

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