'New royal' Kate Middleton to be assigned her own bodyguards

Until now, Kate, who celebrates her 26th birthday today, only had round-the-clock protection when she was with William.

But under special arrangements being made ready by Scotland Yard, she will be guarded 24 hours a day in her own right.

The Evening Standard reported today that the important moves are being made behind the scenes to assimilate Kate further into the royal household.

In the first significant indicator of an impending change in Kate's status, Scotland Yard is planning a new protection detail that could be implemented at short notice.

An experienced chief inspector, John Hourihan, has been found to manage a Kate and Wills "team" made up of four bodyguard officers for each of them.

The officers will be hand-picked and highly trained in marksmanship, close protection duties - including emergency first aid - and the essential diplomatic skills.

The teams would each work under an inspector with Chief Inspector Hourihan leading protection operations. He is known as an officer of immense experience and also noted for his charm and discretion.

Informed sources told the Standard that the preparations now being made for Kate mirror those laid out just before Prince Charles announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer.

Another chief inspector, Graham Smith, was immediately named as head of her bodyguard team and all the preparations had been made in secrecy several months before.

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Closer than ever: Prince William and Kate are expected to announce their engagement soon

The need for Kate to have her own protection was highlighted on her birthday last year when she walked out of her Chelsea flat and was ambushed by dozens of photographers.

There was a sense of outrage that a young woman should have to face such an ordeal on a daily basis, entirely alone. There were questions in Parliament and calls for her to have a police guard. But nothing could be done because, officially, she was simply Prince William's girlfriend.

The fact that security for her is now being actively planned points to imminent change.

Rumours of an engagement have also been fuelled by intense activity in recent weeks on the Harewood Estate near Ross-on-Wye, a property acquired by Prince Charles's Duchy of Cornwall in 2000 which, it is believed, has been earmarked as a possible home for William and his bride.

Clarence House has refused to answer questions about the house and its future role, but some have read significance into the fact that work there has gathered pace.

Meanwhile, Kate spent Christmas in the Caribbean with her parents, possibly because she knows it was the last time she will be able to spend the holiday with her own family. William was at Balmoral with the rest of the Royal Family.

The Royal Family are said to have already taken Kate to their heart. Prince Charles has sanctioned her stopovers at Clarence House and brought her into the inner workings of the family.

"She is treated by the staff with the kind of deference reserved for members of the family," an insider said. "Everyone thinks she and William are a done deal."

And it seems news of an engagement would also be welcomed by the public - a recent Discovery TV channel poll found that more than half of Britons believe Kate would be an asset to the Royal Family.

All the signs have led bookmaker William Hill to stop taking bets on whether an engagement will happen. The firm says it is a question of when, not if.