Kate Middleton Is The Charity Queen! Princes William and Harry Change Name of Royal Foundation In Honour

Yep, it seems the Kate Effect hasn't just benefitted the fortunes of her favourite high-street stores. New figures reveal Kate Middleton has helped add a cool £4 million to Princes William and Harry's charity. Wowsers.

The Duchess has had an almighty impact on fundraising since becoming a proper royal, with donations shooting up almost ten-fold. The foundation raised £4.8 million in 2011, compared with just £629,000 in 2010, aka: pre-Kate Hysteria. As for the Royal wedding in April, the public donated a total sum of £1 million in place of wedding gifts. MUCH more useful than another butter dish, right?

In tribute, the charity has been renamed The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Hmm, catchy. Formerly the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, it was first established in September 2010 to focus on three areas: the armed forces, young people and conservation.

'For reasons that never cease to amaze us, we do seem to be able to bring a spotlight to bear on wonderful initiatives created by other people to help those in need,' the Duke and Duchess said in a statement on The Royal Foundation's website. The young royals reveal they will be focussing on 'some key challenges facing society today at home and abroad,' and aim to 'lend whatever support we can to those individuals and organisations leading the fight to confront and overcome these challenges.'

And let's not forget that tour of Canada and the US last year when Kate and Wills helped to raise more than £1million in just SIX hours during the Santa Barbara Polo Club in California. Good work, Cambridges! You'll remember the swanky event, for which Kate wore that floaty Jenny Packham frock, was attended by celeb types including Billy Zane and Jennifer Love Hewitt who paid thousands for a ticket.

So forget Princess of Recycling Chic and give a cheer for the new Charity Queen *curtsies*