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London (dpa) - Kate Middleton, the girlfriend of Prince William, second in line to the British throne, has been given increased police protection fuelling rumours of an imminent engagement, reports said Saturday.
The heightened security would help shield Middleton from obtrusive photographers, The Times newspaper reported.
Middleton, whose parents run a mail-order company and who turns 25 on Tuesday, has been hounded by paparazzi in recent months amid speculation that she is to become engaged to the prince this year.
Police officers have taken up watch outside her apartment in London's Chelsea district on several occasions over the past few days.
Kate and William were accompanied by almost a dozen police on leaving a nightclub in the city on Thursday night.
Only after getting engaged would she have the right to round-the- clock protection.
Copyright 2007 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
