A teenager is turning heads with her uncanny likeness to the Duchess of Cambridge.

Sixteen-year-old Leona Kendrew is now being prepared for public appearances after being spotted by a show-business publicist and journalist.

The fledgling ‘royal’ is used to passers-by doing double takes because of her resemblance to Kate Middleton – and now her good looks could become her fortune.

The teenager was spotted by John Rimington when he went into WW Estates offices in Rawdon where Leona has been working as a secretary since leaving Ralph Thoresby School at Holt Park.

He said: “Leona bears a remarkable resemblance to the Duchess of Cambridge. She has the same smile, and similar hair style.”

He is currently arranging for Leona, who lives with her parents at Cookridge, to have a professional photo-shoot, lessons in speech therapy, deportment, and a course on royal etiquette and protocol.

Her portfolio will then be sent to top London lookalike agencies to consider her for public appearances, adverts, film and TV work. Leona said: “It’s amazing so many people say how much I looked like Kate Middleton before she married Prince William, and have mistaken me for her since.”

And her new employers are already getting used to the stir she creates.

Her boss Ian Waterhouse said: “Passers-by see Leona walking in to our offices and pop in to see if she really is the Duchess of Cambridge. There certainly is an uncanny likeness”.

Mr Rimington, who lives locally, is no stranger to promoting lookalikes. He represented actress Jeannette Charles – the Queen’s double – for two decades and wrote scripts for her after dinner speeches.

He booked Jeannette as “Her Majesty, The Queen” to appear at the 25th anniversary of the annual Ilkley May Ball hosted by the late TV presenter Richard Whiteley.

l Do you think Leona looks like the Duchess of Cambridge? Or do you know someone who looks like someone in the public eye? If so, email pictures and details to george.hinton @gazetteandobserver.co.uk.