Today marks the 13th year anniversary of one of our favourite royal power couples – the Prince and Princess of Wales! And in true Royal form, they have shared a never-before-seen photo from their Wedding.
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The love story of Prince William and Kate Middleton, is what many of us would call a fairytale – from the storybook Wedding to the picturesque family. Sure, that may somewhat be owed to their royal status, but there is no doubt that their relationship captivated people from around the globe, from the beginning.
Here’s a look back on their journey, and their wonderful Wedding!
2001
Prince William and Kate Middleton meet while both studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Rumor has it that William was won over after seeing Kate modeling at a student fashion show for charity (a show for which he reportedly paid £200 for a front row seat!).
2002
Hello! Magazine reports that Prince William was moving from his dorm into a flat with three college friends, one of them “a pretty 20-year-old brunette” who, as you might guess, turned out to be Kate Middleton.
2004
William and Kate are photographed together for the first time during a ski trip in Klosters, causing Prince Charles to threaten to sever ties with The Sun, the outlet that published the photos. The Prince was said to have been “very disappointed” by the breach in an agreement between the press and Buckingham Palace that ensures royal princes can continue their education without having their privacy intruded upon.
2005
Both William and Kate graduate from St. Andrews. The Middletons later share a photo of them together on the day.
2006
The couple attend Camilla’s daughter’s wedding, marking one of their first big public appearances together, and sparking speculation that they were serious enough to one day walk down the aisle together themselves.
2007
William and Kate take a time-out and break up for a couple months. Kate takes a vacation to Ireland with her friends afterwards, while William awkwardly fields questions about “how things are going” with Kate.
Later in the year, rumours begin to swirl about a possible reconciliation as Kate is seen attending a Princess Diana tribute concert – though she sat two rows behind William with her sister, Pippa.
2008
The two are seen together again, back to where it all began: the ski slopes. Photos show Kate and William together in Klosters as sources tell newspapers that they were very much back together. Later in the year, William goes on to graduate from his RAF training, with Kate by his side.
2010
William proposes to Kate while on a trip to Kenya, with Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring. “We had a little private time away together with some friends, and I just decided it was the right time really. We’d been talking about marriage for a while, so it wasn’t a massively big surprise, but I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya”. William later said in their engagement interview.
April 29, 2011
Our favourite part, Fairies! Prince William and Kate Middleton get married in a fairytale ceremony at Westminster Abbey witnessed by nearly 72 million people worldwide. The bride does her own makeup, and the groom wears sweat pads so that he won’t sweat out of his uniform – see they’re just like us! (Oh and, Ellie Goulding performs at the reception!).
The Dress
Kate’s gown was created by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, and the Duchess worked closely with Burton on the design of the dress. “Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing,” the Palace revealed in a statement on Will and Kate’s wedding day. “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen’s work.”
The Second Dress
For her reception, the Duchess of Cambridge would go on to change into something a little more comfortable. Kate’s second dress was created by the same designer as the first. After all, why mess with a good thing? The satin gown was much simpler but equally gorgeous, with a sweetheart necklace and a jewelled belt. To keep warm in the 60-some-degree weather, Kate pulled on a furry shrug. On anyone else, it might have ruined the look, but the Duchess looked stunning as ever!
July 22, 2013
Kate gives birth to Prince George, and steps out for post-baby photos.
May 2, 2015
Kate gives birth to a baby girl, Princess Charlotte. She is the first to take up the title of Princess in 25 years, and is the highest ranking female in line for the throne.
April 23, 2018
Kate gives birth to Prince Louis, who is now fifth in line for the throne. Though tradition dictated that Louis, as a male, would overtake Princess Charlotte for a place on the throne, the policy was amended prior to George’s birth with the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. This made Charlotte the first female royal to trump a younger male sibling!
May 19, 2018
Kate and William attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England.
April 29, 2021
For their 10-year anniversary, Kate and William shared two new portraits by photographer Chris Floyd that showcased them cuddled up and laughing at their home of Kensington Palace.
June 23, 2022
Kate Middleton and Prince William release their first official joint portrait. The couple stopped by the University of Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum where they viewed their first official joint portrait as it was revealed to the public for the first time. It was painted by award-winning British portrait artist Jamie Coreth.
September 9, 2022
King Charles III made the official announcement during his first address to the United Kingdom after Queen Elizabeth died. Prince William and Kate Middleton are officially Prince and Princess of Wales. The Princess of Wales title was once held by Prince William’s mother, the late Princess Diana.
September 15, 2022
Prince William and Middleton visited Sandringham to view the bouquets, balloons and other tributes left by the public in Queen Elizabeth’s honor. The outing marked the pair’s first solo appearance as the Prince and Princess of Wales. The royal couple took time to speak with mourners outside the Norwich Gates of Sandringham House, including Bex Neeve from the county of Norfolk.
May 6, 2023
The Prince and Princess of Wales supported King Charles and Queen Camilla at their historic crowning ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London along with their children. The couple both wore formal robes and mantels for the occasion, with Prince William donning the ceremonial dress uniform of the Welsh Guards and Middleton wearing a dress by Alexander McQueen.
March 22, 2024
Kate Middleton reveals she has cancer and is processing the news with Prince William. After a “planned abdominal surgery” in January 2024 and an announced break from royal duties for Kate, the Princess of Wales revealed she is undergoing treatment for cancer in a personal video message. Kate also mentioned how her husband had supported her since the diagnosis.
April 29, 2024
When Prince William and Middleton celebrated 13 years of marriage, they commemorated the occasion with a post on their official Instagram account. The couple shared a previously unseen black-and-white portrait from their Wedding day, taken by Millie Pilkington.
We wish the Prince and Princess of Cambridge a wonderful 13 year anniversary!
Digital Content Coordinator: Zoe Kanlis
Featured Image: Pinterest
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