Prince William and Kate Middleton have been married for more than 13 years. The Prince and Princess of Wales have been through a lot together, and today, after a very tough year, it appears that Kate is on her way to fully recovering from her cancer, which she was diagnosed with in February.
Kate’s many months of recovery have been challenging for the entire family. William has had to take on much more responsibility than usual, and even though they have supported each other through thick and thin, what has happened could have taken its toll on their marriage.
As Kate Middleton made her royal comeback at Trooping the Colour, royal fans worldwide finally got to see the future queen in public again. While it might be a while until she fully recovers, her marriage with Prince William has stood strong. In fact, according to a royal expert, the fact that Kate has been sick could have made it even stronger.
Prince William and Kate Middleton studied at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland when they met for the first time. The couple are said to have met through friends, though Kate was initially timid.
“I actually went bright red when I met you and scuttled off feeling very shy about meeting you,” she recalled.
“William wasn’t there for quite a bit of the time initially, he wasn’t there from Fresher’s Week, so it did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other.”
Prince William & Kate Middleton – how they met
William, meanwhile, couldn’t recall the couple’s first meeting, saying he had to “wrack his brains” to remember it.
In the beginning, William and Kate and were nothing but excellent friends. However, as the years at university went by, things became more serious. As reported by Insider, Kate caught William’s eye with an outfit at a fashion show that only cost about $40 – and the couple began dating soon after.
According to the documentary The Day Will and Kate Got Married, which aired in April 2021, that specific outfit changed everything.
“A switch had been flicked, he suddenly saw her in a different light, and I really believe that was the turning point in their relationship,” Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent, said in the documentary.
Soon, they were deeply in love. Even though the outfit Kate wore did indeed catch his eye, William explained that things changed between the couple when they started to hang out.
“We were friends for over a year first and it just sort of blossomed from then on,” William told The Telegraph. “We just spent more time with each other and had a good giggle, and realized we shared the same interests.”
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William and Kate spent much time getting to know each other at university. In 2005 both of them graduated; Kate Middleton earned a degree in art history, and William one in geography.
How Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton
By this point, things had started to get serious. William and Kate had publicly announced that they were dating, and by the time they graduated, they had already lived together for quite some time.
A year later, in 2006, Kate made her first public appearance with the Royal Family. Later that year, with her family, she attended the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy, where William appeared. The couple broke up briefly a year later, before reuniting in 2008.
Following their breakup, things got better between Kate and William. They became a loving couple again and were much appreciated by the public. Then, in 2010, the couple took the next step.
William proposed during a holiday in Kenya. The prince had reportedly been carrying a ring in a bag for three weeks and never let it go. Kate Middleton had considered the idea that William might propose, but it came as a “total shock” even so.
“It was very romantic,” Kate said. “There’s a true romantic in there.”
The ring was exceptional and, of course, fitting for a future Queen, or Queen Consort, as it belonged to William’s mother, Princess Diana.
On April 29, 2011, William and Kate tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.
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Since then, the pair has welcomed three children; Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Kate Middleton’s royal comeback amid cancer diagnosis
When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, the couple had to step up and become even more vital for the royal family, not least because Prince William is now the next person in line to the throne — and Kate will then become queen.
This year was supposed to be the first full year for King Charles as the official monarch, meaning a new era for the royals. However, it only took days before things took a very sad turn as Kate Middleton went through abdominal surgery, with the King receiving a sudden cancer diagnosis not long after. Then, in March, Kate announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
In the months since then, Prince William has been juggling his responsibilities to the Crown with being a father and husband. He’s been praised for handling the situation, but experts have argued that he’s also been through a tough time.
Finally, two weeks ago, Kate Middleton shared the fantastic news that she would attend Trooping the Colour.
After riding in the carriage, waving and smiling to her fans, the Princess of Wales walked out on the balcony with Prince William and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
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While it has been tough, Kate has not been alone in this challenging time. Prince William has taken on the massive responsibility of George, Charlotte, and Louis while simultaneously performing his royal duties.
Royal expert shares insight into Prince William and Kate Middleton’s marriage
The pictures on the balcony spoke for themselves as William and Kate smiled at each other. According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, it painted an obvious picture. They have not only made it through a very challenging period but also have hopes for a bright future.
“The last few months have been a test of their strong partnership,” Bond told OK! Magazine. “I think this photograph tells us that they are still able to jump for joy, even in the toughest of times, and that Kate has deliberately chosen a picture that speaks of their optimism for the future.”
“She adores William – he is her rock and has supported her so selflessly through all of this and has taken flak from members of the public for not doing more and for devoting himself to her. So she adores her man. I think their marriage is stronger than ever.”
Jennie Bond continued, describing William’s commitment to Kate as a “great accolade.”
While the future king has received some criticism over how he behaved following his wife’s cancer diagnosis, Bond says it all comes down to the fact that he is one hundred percent dedicated to his wife.
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“It’s a great accolade to a person to have your partner who has such a public role but any partner just say ‘OK, I don’t care what people say, you are my priority,” she concluded. “William has made it absolutely clear that Kate and the children are his number one priority and nothing is going to move him away from that path.”
“All he wants to do is protect his wife and children”
Prince William and Kate Middleton have never experienced a challenging situation like this for their tight-knit family before. While it has been a very emotional rollercoaster, the tragic passing of his mother, Princess Diana, has somewhat helped him and his family in recent months.
A source close to Prince William told the Sunday Times in mid-March that the future king had gone into “protection mode,” trying to protect his children as their mother’s health is discussed in the media and among the public. William knows all about it as he lost his mother when he was only a teenager.
“All he wants to do is protect his wife and children. The family just want to go away for Easter, spend time together, the five of them, close off from the world and move on.”
Princess Diana never got to see her children marry or have children. But according to royal commentator Ingrid Seward, Diana would have been very proud of William’s handling everything in the past year.
“It has been one of the most difficult couple of years of Prince William’s life,” she told the Mirror.
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“William is sensitive, he likes structure and has perseverance. He does not give up easily. His relationship with brother Harry upset him more than he would care to admit. But he found it easier to cut ties rather than allow himself to be continually annoyed.”
Seward added, “His life with Kate gives him the security, love and friendship he needs. He doesn’t dwell upon the loss of his mother but knows the feeling of hurt will never go away completely.”
