Kim Kardashian West at 40: how the queen of social media changed the world

By exchanging her privacy for eyewatering wealth, Kardashian West defines our time like no one else. Now, she has dialled back the nudity, presented a family-oriented image - and even appealed to Donald Trump's compassionate side

In the early hours of 3 October 2016, shortly before her 36th birthday, Kim Kardashian West found herself with a gun to her head, tied up in a rented apartment in Paris, begging for her life.

Over the previous few days, Kardashian West had posted 15 images on Instagram documenting her trip to Paris fashion week, including a selfie showing off a $4m diamond ring on her finger. The thieves took off with more than $9m worth of her jewellery.