Prince William and Kate Middleton's Love Through the Years
Prince William and Kate Middleton's Love Through the Years
Married nine years and now parents to three adorable kids, this royal couple just keeps getting better.
The Beginning Years: 2001 to 2005
Prince William met Kate Middleton met when they were freshmen studying art history at St. Andrew's University in Scotland — and by the spring, they were searching for an apartment to share for their second year. They officially started dating in 2003 and lived together with two other friends until graduation, as pictured here, on June 23, 2005.
New Couple: 2006
Post-college, Will joined the Royal Air Force while Kate worked in London. When he graduated from Sandhurst military academy on December 15, 2006, he cracked a smile as he was inspected along with the other cadets by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. Kate joined the royal family to watch in the stands, showing her gradual acceptance into the fold.
Taking a Break: 2007
Just days after the pair appeared distant at the annual Cheltenham hunting festival March 13, 2007, William was photographed partying with other girls. The Sun reported they split. Kate spent the summer training for a charity race, working, and going out in London with Pippa.
Looking back on that time, Will said later, "We were both very young . . . we were both finding ourselves and being different characters. It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up so it was just a bit of space and it worked out for the better."
Reunited: 2007-2008
By June 2007, they reconciled. Kate secretly attended a party at his training barracks and the rest is history. "At the time I wasn't very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person, you find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized," Kate later said of the break. "I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you're younger. I really valued that time for me as well, although I didn't think it at the time!"
The outdoorsy couple often escaped to ski in Klosters, Switzerland — Will first publicly kissed Kate on a 2006 trip there with her family — and are seen here on the slopes together on March 19, 2008.
Military Graduation: 2008
For Prince William's graduation ceremony at the Central Flying School at RAF Cranwell, Kate proudly — and publicly — joined his family to celebrate on April 11, 2008.
Enjoying Dating: 2008
For Prince William's 26th birthday, he and girlfriend Kate Middleton watched England beat New Zealand's team in a polo match at Beaufort Polo Club on June 21, 2008.
Shying from the Spotlight: 2009
Though they were back together, Kate wasn't part of most official engagements. She cheered William and Harry from the lawn at a charity polo match on June 7, 2009, in Cirencester, England — but then quietly slipped out (sans Will) afterward.
Weddings in the Air: 2010
Kate and William attended pals Harry Meade and Rosie Bradford's wedding at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on October 23, 2010, near Cheltenham, England.
Royal Engagement: 2010
On a trip to Kenya, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother's sapphire ring. The couple officially announced their engagement in St. James Palace on November 16, 2010, in London.
The Royal Wedding: 2011
In a storybook ceremony, the prince and his bride said "I do" at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Catherine, now the Duchess of Cambridge, wore a custom Alexander McQueen gown. Afterward, she and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, kissed on the balcony of the palace. Later, they honeymooned on a private island in the Seychelles.
Newlyweds on Duty: 2011
Shortly after their wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge graciously hosted President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace on May 24, 2011.
Royal Tour of North America: 2011
For a couple of weeks in 2011, the couple traveled through Canada and the United States on an official royal tour of North America. During the trip, the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proved how in sync they were by donning matching cowboy hats at the Calgary Stampede Parade on July 8, 2011.
Taking Hollywood: 2011
The glamorous duo made an impression at the black-tie BAFTA event on July 9, 2011, as they wrapped up their American tour. Kate wore an Alexander McQueen gown and earrings on loan from the Queen for the event, where they chatted with stars like Jennifer Lopez and dined with Barbara Streisand and Nicole Kidman. "They make me smile," Kidman told USA Today. "I love them."
Royal Patrons: 2011
Back in the U.K., the newlyweds kept up with a busy schedule of royal duties — like a November 10, 2011, dinner reception for the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal at St James's Palace. (As a patron, the Duke of Cambridge launched the arboretum as a way to honor servicemen and women, veterans and their families.)
Puppy Love: 2012
The newlyweds happily settled into life in Anglesey, North Wales, near William's base as an Royal Air Force air sea rescue pilot. (His fellow RAF call him Flight Lieutenant William Wales.) This is where they started to expand their family — adding a new cocker spaniel puppy, Lupo, who joined them on the beach near their rented cottage in January 2012.
Fashion Stars: 2012
In anticipation of the London Olympics later that summer, the fashionable couple attended a benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall on May 11, 2012. But it was Kate who stole the show in an emerald Jenny Packham lace gown and matching clutch paired with Jimmy Choo platform sandals.
Rooting for the Home Team: 2012
Hail, Brittania! The Duke and Duchess joined other excited fans to cheer on the track cycling team at the London Olympics on August 2, 2012. Even cuter: The couple's matching Olympics gear and joyful displays of affection after the team won the gold medal.
Royal Tour of Asia: 2012
To mark his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, the newlyweds traveled to parts of Asia for a few weeks during the fall of 2012. The couple even joined in to dance with local women at a Vaiku Falekaupule Ceremony in Funafuti, Tuvalu, on September 18, 2012.
We're Having a Baby: 2012
After the Duchess of Cambridge was rushed to London's King Edward VII hospital for a bad bout of morning sickness, the couple decided to publicly announce their first pregnancy on December 6, 2012.
Magical Pregnancy: 2013
Once Kate started feeling better in her pregnancy, the royal couple started attending public events again. Here, they're celebrating the opening of the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in a recreated Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter films on April 26, 2013.
Prince George Arrives: 2013
Kate gave birth to Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge on July 23, 2013, at St. Mary's Hospital in London. (He weighed a healthy 8lb 6oz!) The next day, a radiant Kate and very proud William greeted fans and introduced the new heir to the world.
Family Photo: 2013
The couple had Kate's father, Michael, take their first official family portrait in the Middletons' garden at their Bucklebury, Berkshire, estate in August 2013. Prince George was the star, of course, but he shared the spotlight with the family's adorable cocker spaniel, Lupo.
Prince George's Christening: 2013
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition and held a small ceremony to christen 3-month-old George on October 23, 2020. Instead of a public ceremony at Westminster Abbey, they invited only close friends and family for the event at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace.
Royals Down Under: 2014
During a three-week royal tour through Australia and New Zealand — their first official one as a family of three — William and Catherine took George to meet a Bilby, a desert-dwelling marsupial, named after him at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney on April 20, 2014.
Prince George Turns 1: 2014
To celebrate Prince George's first birthday, the couple released this photo of the family spending time at London's Natural History Museum on July 2, 2014.
Big Apple Babe: 2014
Just a couple of months after the palace announced the couple was expecting their second child, the royal couple made their first-ever official trip to New York City. Along with visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Harlem's Northside Center for Child Development, Will and Kate (and her barely-there bump!) attended their alma mater's 600th Anniversary Dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 9, 2014.
Bump in Waiting: 2015
To prepare for their second baby's arrival, William and Kate made their final official appearance on March 27, 2015, to tour the Stephen Lawrence Centre, which helps under-privileged youth in London. The Duchess, who was due in late April, sent out pastries and tea to fans camped outside St. James Hospital — wrapped in pink ribbon hinting at the baby's gender.
Meet Princess Charlotte!: 2015
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed off newborn Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana outside the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London on May 2, 2015. Just 10 hours earlier at 8:34 a.m., Kate gave birth to their daughter, who weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. and is fourth in line to the throne.
Family Time: 2015
Kate stepped out publicly for the second time since Charlotte's birth to attend William and Harry's charity polo match on June 14, 2015. During the match, George played on the grass and then afterward, was the center of attention for his parents and grandfather, Prince Charles.
Princess Charlotte's Christening: 2015
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge christened daughter Princess Charlotte at the family's Sandringham Estate on July 5, 2015. They talked with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and Duchess Camilla outside the Church of St Mary Magdalene beforehand. And per usual, Prince George stole the show.
First Official Portrait as a Family of Four: 2015
After Charlotte's July 5 christening at Sandringham, famed photographer Mario Testino captured a few sweet moments with the royal couples' newly expanded family.
Date Without the Kids: 2015
On July 8, 2015, William and Catherine attended day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London — one of their annual traditions. The prince kept making his wife laugh during their countryman Andy Murray's men's singles match against Vasek Pospisil.
Supporting the Sailors: 2015
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the headquarters of Britain's team of sailors during the America's Cup World Series event on July 26, 2015, in Portsmouth, England.
Rooting for Rugby: 2015
After infrequent public appearances following Princess Charlotte's birth, Kate Middleton and Prince William (sporting glasses) attended the Rugby World Cup match between England and Fiji at London's Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015.
Back to Work: 2015
With their parental leave over, Prince William and Duchess Catherine marked World Mental Health Day with an awareness event at London's Harrow College on October 10, 2015. After speaking with students about removing stigma, Kate cracked up while Will looked on adoringly.
Will's Bond Girl: 2015
The glamorous duo toasted the Royal Film Performance of the James Bond film, Spectre, at Royal Albert Hall on October 26, 2015, in London. (Kate turned heads in a stunning, open-backed custom Jenny Packham gown!)
Our Perfectly Imperfect Family: 2015
For their 2015 Christmas card, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released this adorable photo (complete with Charlotte's missing shoe!), taken in late October at Kensington Palace. On Instagram, they posted: "The Duke and Duchess are hugely appreciative of all the warm messages they have received about their family this year and are very much looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of four."
Merry Christmas: 2015
After what we assume was a lively Christmas Eve opening presents with their toddler and 7-month-old, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a traditional, adults-only Christmas Day church service at St. Magdalene Chapel — where Charlotte was christened — at Sandringham. (The Duchess wore a deep green $1,895 coat by Sportmax and her Aquaitalia boots.) After church, Kate's family was expected to join the royal family at their 10-bedroom country home of Anmer Hall for holiday lunch.
This royal couple just keeps getting better.