Catherine the great

 Kate wows in Erdem blue lace during the royal tour of Canada

GRACEFUL Kate Middleton has charm??ed the nation with her chic and elegant sense of style. And today fashion experts crowned her Britain?s best-dressed woman of 2011.

The Duchess of Cambridge has told aides she wants to avoid being seen as a mere ?clothes horse? ? but plaudits keep coming her way.

The latest is from the UK edition of Harper?s Bazaar, the American fashion bible.

In mainly off-the-peg high-street garments, 29-year-old Kate has trumped the designer-clad cream of the catwalks and stars of stage and screen, according to the magazine?s judges.

The panel was asked to select 20 women who represent British style that is peerlessly elegant and gloriously unpredictable.

Speaking of Kate?s wedding to Prince William in April, Lucy Yeomans, editor of Harper?s Bazaar, said: ?She gave us the year?s, if not the century?s, most thrilling fashion moment.?

The judges summed up their decision and Kate?s impact on sales of clothes, saying: ?Catherine?s incredible style evolution has gripped us all.?

The Prince?s sophisticated wife heads a top 10 of best-dressed women that includes singer Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, actress Andrea Riseborough, model Kate Moss and actress Tilda Swinton.

Actress Keira Knightley, Prime Minister David Cameron?s wife Samantha and fashion designer Stella McCartney also feature in the top 20 but they could not compete with the royal family?s latest star.

The Duchess of Cambridge is known to like to fly the flag for the British fashion industry. In August a Global Language Monitor survey said that London had overtaken New York as the world?s fashion capital for 2011.

The change in status has been fuelled by media interest in Kate and the late British designer Alexander McQueen, whose protegee Sarah Burton made the royal wedding dress.

Catherine Tate 'made first move with Jason Orange' reveals John Bishop

It's the romance no-one saw coming, and now John Bishop- of all people- has revealed how it all started.
The comedian has described how Catherine Tate asked out her Take That lookalike Jason Orange.

The confident actress apparently approached Orange and said to him: 'maybe we should have a coffee, can I get your number?'- while filming a spoof of the manband for Comic Relief.
 Telling all: Comedian John Bishop, pictured with James McAvoy and Joanna Lumley on The Graham Norton Show, to be aired tonight, has revealed how Catherine Tate asked out Take That's Jason Orange
Hit it off: Catherine asked Jason out for coffee while filming a Take That skit- called Fake That- for Comic Relief
Bishop, who was starring alongside the comedienne for the skit, has told all on BBC1's Graham Norton Show.

'Yeah.' Now they are supposedly seeing each other,' he revealed.

'It must be odd fancying someone that looks like you, but I think, good luck to them. They are both lovely people.'
The singer and the comedienne - who also starred as The Doctor's sidekick Donna Noble in Doctor Who - are reported to be dating.
Caught by fans! The first picture of Catherine Tate and Take That singer Jason Orange spending time together away from work
She played Orange for the Fake That send-up earlier this year, which also featured the real members of the chart-topping act.

Bishop - who played Robbie's lookalike - said: 'I was there when Catherine Tate - who was playing Jason Orange and looked like Jason Orange - was talking to Jason Orange'

Fans were quick to spot the budding romance however- which was revealed just over a week ago.
Catherine, 43, has been pictured posing happily in a park with nine fans during a day out with Jason, 41, in a photo posted on Twitter.
No escape! Though Jason avoided being pictured with Catherine he was all smiles when three eager fans descended
Her new beau is seen in the background on a park bench, avoiding being snapped with the funny-woman.
But three of the fans then descend on the aviator-clad singer who beams at the camera.
The couple were also pictured together in David Walliams' hotel room last month as they supported the comedian during his River Thames charity swim.
According to The Mirror Jason was taken with Catherine immediately, and told friends: 'She's got great legs.'
 Time together: Jason and Catherine watched in David Walliams' hotel room during his River Thames swim for Sport Relief
A source told the paper: 'Jason seemed very taken by Catherine during filming. She was great fun and really got into the spirit of it. They obviously hit it off.'
The Sun said by the final takes, the smitten pair were hugging and larking around the stage together.