The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry has applied to the Intellectual Property Office to trademark ‘a wide range of goods and services’, paving the way for a potential Kate-inspired fashion line.

While there are no ‘immediate plans’ to break into the industry, ‘clothing, footwear and headgear’ are all on the list of potential items that could bear the name and logo of the charitable foundation, which was founded in September 2010 and changed its name to incorporate the newly-married Kate’s title last year.

Much of the money it raises – £4.8?million in 2011 – goes to Forces-related charities and those working with disadvantaged children.

‘Since the name change of the foundation last year, we have been registering our new name and logo in different territories around the world,’ a spokesman for St James’ Palace explained to the Daily Telegraph this weekend.

‘As part of that process, we have to choose any categories under which we might conceivably operate in the future. This also protects the foundation against other people using its name illegally. We included clothing in case we choose, for example, to make T-shirts in years to come, for marathon runners, etc.’

So, while a maternity range fit for a duchess isn’t likely to hit the shops any time soon, it did, technically, just move one step closer to fruition.

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