Kate Middleton, known more formally as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is the best dressed woman in the world, according to Vanity Fair.

Magazine editors recently compiled their annual list of male and female trendsetters, and Prince William's wife unsurprisingly made the number-one spot.

Even before she made waves in her wedding gown in the spring of 2011, she was already on many people's list of fashion mavens.

Kate makes sophistication look sexy. And she's even gotten away with wearing pantyhose (which is so '90s.)

Check out who else made the best dressed list...

Alicia Keys

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Oscar winner Colin Firth and his eco-campaigner wife Livia have lost a bid to make their London home a little greener.

The King's Speech star and his environmental activist partner wanted to install a large solar panel at their home in the posh Bedford Park suburb of the British capital, where homes sell for upwards of $6.4 million.

However, their application, filed by Livia, has been rejected by planning officials as the Firths' property is located in an architectural conservation area.

Planning inspector Roger Shrimplin insists the electricity-saving device would be "unduly large" and ...

The president of Universal Pictures has urged British director/writer Richard Curtis to come up with a follow-up to hit 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually.

The British film, which focused on several different characters trying to find love, was a big hit at the box office, and now Universal chief Eddie Cunningham is hoping to convince the film's mastermind to pen a sequel.

He tells Britain's Mail on Sunday, "I think there should be a Love Actually 2. I'd give it a green light. I think many American movies try to emulate that brilliant format where the stories interweave and no one's on sc...

Director Tomas Alfredson takes the helm for an adaptation of John Le Carre's novel "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" about an ex-British agent who emerges from retirement to expose a mole in MI6.

England, 1973: British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) head Control (John Hurt) and his top-ranking lieutenant George Smiley (Gary Oldman) are both forced into retirement after a mission involving respected secret agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) turns unexpectedly deadly. As the Cold War continues to escalate, suspicions of a Soviet double agent begin to grow within SIS.

Subsequently summoned by U...

Nicole Kidman has stepped in to replace Rachel Weisz in upcoming movie The Railway Man after the British actress dropped out.

The Mummy star was due to play Colin Firth's onscreen wife in the new drama about a prisoner of war who reunites with one of his Japanese captors 30 years later.

However, Weisz was forced to exit the project to complete extra filming on upcoming action movie The Bourne Legacy, and Kidman has stepped up to take her place, according to Variety.com.

The Railway Man will start shooting in Scotland later this year, before moving to Australia's Gold Coast. It is due ...

The King's Speech star Helena Bonham Carter met real-life royalty on Wednesday as she was honored with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal at Buckingham Palace in London.

The actress played the late Queen Elizabeth in the 2010 movie and she was the guest of honor at her daughter Queen Elizabeth II's royal residence, where she was recognized for her services to drama.

Bonham Carter, who wore a striking Vivienne Westwood tartan dress, was given the award to recognize her career achievements.

Colin Firth, her co-star in The King's Speech, received the same honor la...

The King's Speech star Colin Firth came face-to-face with a real-life prince on Thursday as he was honored with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal at Buckingham Palace in London.

The actor was the guest of honor at Queen Elizabeth II's royal residence, where he was recognized for his services to drama.

He was given the award by the monarch's son, Charles, Prince of Wales.

Firth was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife Livia, who had earlier 'tweeted' a picture of the couple in their smart clothes ahead of the prize giving.

And in a post on her blog for Vog...

Colin Firth is still desperate to know if his Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy co-star Gary Oldman is really well hung after his fellow Brit appeared to boast a large manhood in the Spandex outfit he wore for A Christmas Carol.

Oldman played Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley and Tiny Tim in the motion capture film, opposite Oscar winner Firth - who portrayed Fred, and both stars had to wear specially-made, unflattering black rubber suits so animators could transfer their facial expressions and actions onto the screen.

Nevertheless, while Firth tried to pad his "manhood-cancelling" Spandex bodysuit so...

Colin Firth's stylish wife wore the first recycled gown Giorgio Armani has ever made to the Golden Globes on Sunday.

The Oscar winner's eco-warrior wife Livia created the Green Carpet Challenge three years ago in an effort to make the world's biggest fashion houses less wasteful and she debuted her latest initiative - made out of plastic bottles - at the Globes.

She gave top designers like Armani, Tom Ford and Paul Smith the challenge to dress her for the awards season using only recycled materials and vintage couture.

Her first outfit wowed everyone at the Globes on Sunday, including h...

Oscar winner Colin Firth came face-to-face with himself during a recent TV appearance when comedienne Ellen DeGeneres had his new Madame Tussauds waxwork shipped in from London for her show.

The actor confessed he had yet to see his likeness - because he found the idea a "little creepy", prompting the chat show host to reveal she had it backstage.

Firth put his fears aside and looked himself in the eye, admitting it was a great honor to get waxed.

He says, "Madame Tussauds was one of the first tourist attractions I visited, I think, when I went to London. That was a big deal for me, eve...

Oscar winner Colin Firth's eco-warrior wife has given the world's top designers a challenge for the awards season after asking them to create one-off gowns for her using only recycled materials and vintage couture.

Her husband's A Single Man director Tom Ford, and top designers from Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Smith and Valentino have agreed to dress Livia Firth for the red carpet in eco-friendly gowns as part of the 2012 Green Carpet Challenge.

Firth tells Vogue magazine, "Over the last three years, the Green Carpet Challenge has become an all-consuming passion of mine. This part of...

As awards season got into full swing, The King's Speech was the toast of Hollywood after scooping four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for the movie's star, Colin Firth, and Best Director for Tom Hooper, while Natalie Portman fought back tears as she walked away with the Best Actress honor for her role as a tormented ballet dancer in Black Swan. It was a different story at the Independent Spirit Awards, where Black Swan trounced its rivals, picking up four honors including Best Director for Darren Aronofsky.

In the world of music, Lady Gaga's incredible rise continued as she pick...

I’m all for films that take their time. There’s nothing quite like the bravery of a picture that dares to engage by fleshing out those quiet moments and infusing character insights that longingly linger. In his previous film "Let The Right One In," Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson wielded this delicate bravado like a master swordsman, bringing his slow and methodic style to the done-to-death tale of vampires to illicit freshness. Problem is that in his latest outing "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" the long book and material upon which the film is based and the unrushed pacing of Alfredso...

Things pick back up again this week with the release of the espionage thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the Garry Marshall ensemble piece New Year's Eve, the Charlize Theron dramedy Young Adult, the raunchy Jonah Hill comedy The Sitter, the Madonna directed romance W.E., the middle age drama I Melt With You, and the tragic tale We Need to Talk About Kevin.

MY PICK FOR THE WEEK: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

During the dark days of the Cold War, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a veteran spy, is called out of retirement to help expose a Soviet mole within MI6.

Di...

Well, we’ve made it. December is finally here and with it, as always, comes the biggest push for awards season glory. This December is packed with films that are vying for Oscar attention, some of which are the most anticipated films of the year.

December 9

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

There is so much to be excited about for “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy” that it’s hard to list everything. For starters, the cast is amazing: Gary Oldman (in the role that will most likely finally win him an Oscar), Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Toby Jones and John Hurt. Aside from a group of some of the ...

Oscar winner Colin Firth is still coming to terms with life in the spotlight because he doesn't want to appear to whine about fame.

The King's Speech star admits he's often targeted by the paparazzi and he finds it tough to handle all the attention all the time.

He tells WENN, "I've been photographed when I don't want to be. I've been listened to when I don't want to be and I've been followed. It's a perfectly banal observation to make; it just happens in my job.

"I think it's all crossing the line. I don't think any of it is legitimate. It's very unseemly for those of us in this busines...

Colin Firth is set to raise money for charity by auctioning off a night out with him at his latest movie premiere in Los Angeles.

The British actor has offered up tickets to the L.A. screening of his espionage drama "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" next month for an Oxfam America sale.

The lucky winner will meet Firth at the event and attend the film's afterparty at the glitzy Chateau Marmont hotel.

The auction takes place on eBay.com and on Wednesday, bidding had reached $2,425.

Celebrated playwright Tom Stoppard has teamed with Disney bosses to adapt his Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love script into a theatrical blockbuster.

Stoppard, who dabbled with Shakespeare in his play "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead," is to revamp his screenplay for the stage, according to Variety.

The play is expected to premiere in London, although no dates have been announced.

There are also no casting details available.

Gwyneth Paltrow won her only Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a cross-dressing noblewoman chasing Joseph Fiennes' Will Shakespeare.

Oscar-winning movie The King's Speech continued its award streak by landing a prestigious Humanitas Prize on Friday.

Screenwriter David Seidler was handed $10,000 at the 37th Annual Humanitas ceremony for the historical drama, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth in February.

Writer/director Thomas McCarthy also scooped a $10,000 prize for his sports drama Win Win, starring Paul Giamatti.

The writing team behind Modern Family and Friday Night Lights also took home honours at the bash, held at the Montage Beverly Hills hotel in California.

The Human...

Studio bosses at Working Title Films have confirmed they are working on a third movie about homely literary heroine Bridget Jones.

The first Bridget Jones's Diary film, starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, debuted a decade ago and a sequel arrived in 2004.

Firth recently let slip about the plot for the third film in an Entertainment Weekly interview, revealing, "Bridget and (his character) Mark can't have children; I think that's the way it goes on, so then she makes the huge mistake of going back to Daniel Cleaver (Grant) for long enough to get pregnant. And I think he d...

Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga have topped Vanity Fair's 2011 "International Best-Dressed List." The singers were selected as part of the magazine's annual list of the most stylish celebrities.

Also among this year's winners are Johnny Depp, English actress Carey Mulligan, "The King's Speech" star Colin Firth, Oscar winner Tilda Swinton and "The Social Network's" Armie Hammer.

Hollywood celebrities weren't the only ones to receive recognition - a number of other public figures made the cut, including Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has high hopes for Madonna's directorial debut after announcing plans to release the drama in time for the awards season.

The pop superstar's new movie W.E. partly chronicles King Edward VIII's romance with American divorcee Wallis Simpson, which forced him to abdicate the British throne to his brother.

And Weinstein is so impressed by the project, which stars James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough, he is planning to release the film in America in December - when studios traditionally offer up their best efforts for Academy Awards.

He says, "Madonna beautiful...

Cameron Diaz is anything but a predictable actor. This Friday, “Bad Teacher” opens and will showcase Diaz’s R-rated comedy skills opposite Justin Timerlake and Jason Segel, an alumnus of the Judd Apatow school of raunchy humor. Directed by Jake Kasdan (“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”), Diaz stars as the world’s worst teacher who would rather get high in her car than teach her kids anything. While most moviegoers see her as just a pretty face who pops up in mediocre films, Diaz has had an incredibly unique and varied career in Hollywood over the last two decades.

Her breakthrough role ca...

Colin Firth is urging movie bosses to cast him in a villainous role as he is bored of playing nice guys onscreen.

The British actor has enjoyed a number of high-profile roles in recent years, with parts in Bridget Jones's Diary, Mamma Mia! and his Oscar-winning turn in The King's Speech, but he has yet to show off his "dark side" in his work.

Firth is now hoping movie bosses will start considering him for more than just the heroic roles as he is determined to play a nasty character.

He tells Britain's Evening Standard, "I'd love to play a villain - my dark side is as healthy as anyone...

Sean Penn's Oscar-winning movie Milk has been voted the best gay film of the last decade.

Penn won an Academy Award in 2008 for his role as gay activist and politician Harvey Milk in the biopic, which topped the poll of the most important movies depicting gay people in the last 10 years.

Officials at U.K. charity Stonewall, who conducted the survey, commended director Gus Van Sant's drama for its realistic portrayal of the homosexual community.

Milk's gay activist friend Cleve Jones, portrayed in the movie by Emile Hirsch, says, "This is a fantastic achievement for Milk. As someone wh...

You've seen the portraits in museums: Most royalty, while wielding the most power, were not the best-looking bunch (unless they just had really bitter and vindictive portrait artists).

But while it's easy to glamorize someone's life when their entire existence is predicated on living in opulent mansions and having every wish attended to, we've noticed that Hollywood and their European equivalents tend to take certain liberties with its treatment of royalty, sexing them up exponentially.

With the release of the Oscar favorite "The King's Speech," in which Colin Firth's King George VI tries...

A DVD, Blu-ray, gold-sealed invitation, printed cup, saucer and assorted teas – Anchor Bay and the Weinstein Company know how to release an Oscar winner. Arriving in an inconspicuous brown box, the collectible goodies accompanied both the DVD and Blu-ray release of the 2011 Academy Award winning Best Picture "The King’s Speech" (hitting shelves April 19!), making it a classy affair all the way. Marking the Weinstein Bros. return to gold statue form, the film captured the hearts of the Academy and is now heading for home release. We’re gonna take a gander at the flick (both Blu-ray and DV...

Emmy Award-winning director Tom Hooper ("John Adams") teams with screenwriter David Seidler to tell the story of King George VI in "The King's Speech."

When his older brother abdicates the throne, nervous-mannered successor George "Bertie" VI (Colin Firth) reluctantly dons the crown. Though his stutter soon raises concerns about his leadership skills, King George VI eventually comes into his own with the help of unconventional speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).

Before long the king and Lionel have forged an unlikely bond, a bond that proves to have real strength when the Unite...

British actor Colin Firth is set to sink his teeth into a vampire role in his first film since winning an Oscar last month.

The star has signed on to play a bloodsucker in the movie Stoker, alongside Nicole Kidman and Alice in Wonderland actress Mia Wasikowska, according to Britain's The Daily Mail.

The new role is remarkably different from the actor's most recent performance in The King's Speech, in which he played stuttering royal King George VI.

Screenwriter Wentworth Miller reveals the title of the movie is a nod to Bram Stoker's film Dracula.

He says, "It's got a lot of element...

Colin Firth has been tipped for a knighthood in his native Britain after receiving a nomination for Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honors list, according to a U.K. report.

The actor has flown the flag for Britain with his portrayal the Queen's father, King George VI, in acclaimed movie The King's Speech.

He cemented his success by taking home the Best Actor Academy Award on Sunday - and now he's been linked to a new royal accolade.

Britain's Daily Mail claims Firth is a favorite to be knighted when the Queen's Birthday Honors list is officially revealed in June.

A source tells the p...