These twin sisters would have to be the most famous twins in the western world. Mary-Kate and Ashley have built an empire and are worth an estimated $125 million. In 2007, Forbes ranked them collectively, as the 11th-richest women in entertainment.

They were born on 13th June 1986 in Sherman Oaks, California and Ashley is the elder sister by 2 minutes. The sisters are reportedly fraternal twins even though they look amazingly alike. They have an older brother Trent and a younger sister Elizabeth. In 1995 their parents divorced, their father remarried and he has had another 2 children who are the sisters’ half siblings, Taylor (b. 1996), and Jake (b. 1997).

The sisters first appeared on our TV screen when they were aged 9 months old in the role of Michelle Tanner in the popular sit com Full House. The series ran from 1987 -1995. After the end of Full House, the girls began to sell their own branded merchandise through the company Dualstar which was set up in 1993.

They made a video series called ‘The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley’ and ‘You're Invited To Mary-Kate and Ashley's’. The girls also appeared on sitcoms ‘Two of a Kind’ and ‘So Little Time’. The sisters became the youngest self-made millionaires in American history before they were 10 years old.

The girls went on to develop their own fashion style and their own fashion labels. In 2004 the sisters went to college, and it was during that year Mary-Kate was admitted to a rehab centre for the treatment of the eating disorder anorexia. She was in treatment for 6 weeks.

They both studied at New York University at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. In 2005 Mary-Kate headed back to the West coast after the break up with her boyfriend Stavros Niarchos III; who then went on to date Paris Hilton the hotel heiress and socialite.

The sisters turned 21 in June 2007 an celebrated the milestone with a quiet family dinner. Mary- Kate is now dating a rock Musician called Max Snow and from all accounts Ashley is at the moment single after breaking up with boyfriend of 18 months Greg Chait in early 2007. Her past relationships include a brief fling with Jared Leto in 2005 and had a three year relationship with Matt Kaplan.