As Kate Middleton and William celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary, a look back at their relationship

It is hard to believe that Kate Middleton and Prince William have only been married for 12 years as they first met in 2001 when they were students at the University of St Andrews. The interest in their relationship has not abated and TikTok has recently been filled with scenes from season six of The Crown with actors Ed McVey (Prince William) and Meg Bellamy (Kate Middleton). 

According to Harper’s Bazaar, it was in 2002 and thanks to a charity runway show that Prince William saw Kate Middleton ‘differently’, “During a charity runway show, William was seated in the front row when Kate strutted down the catwalk clad in lingerie. The young prince was taken and reportedly remarked to his friend Fergus Boyd: ‘Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot.”

The couple are believed to have got romantically involved with one another the following academic year. However, it was not until 2004 when they were skiing together in Switzerland that their ‘private’ relationship became more public. 

When Prince William and Kate Middleton graduated in 2005, not only was Kate thrust into the spotlight, but so were her entire family. In 2007, the couple took a ‘break’ but only months after ‘separating,’ the pair decided to give their relationship another go. In 2010, Kate revealed that in hindsight, she thought it was a good idea that the couple had a break. “I think 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 realised,” she said.

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s relationship took on a more ‘serious’ note when Prince William proposed to Kate (with his late mother Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring) whilst they were on a trip to Kenya. The couple married on April 29, 2011 and their big day was witnessed by nearly 72 million people worldwide. 

On July 22 2013, Kate Middleton gave birth to their first child Prince George and on May 2, 2015, Kate had their second child, Princess Charlotte. Prince Louis was born on April 23 2018 and recently celebrated his fifth birthday.

During this time, Kate and William's 'Inner circle’ initially became bigger when Prince Harry started dating Meghan Markle and the couple wed on May 19, 2008. To begin with, everything seemed to be incredibly positive between the two royal couples, with them being touted as ‘The Fab Four.’ However, when things soon became apparent that things were far from perfect between them, Kate and William seemed to grow even closer together. 

Unlike Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Prince William and Kate Middleton have never been seen as an overly ‘tactile’ couple. However, in recent years there seems to be more displays of public affection for one another. 

Whilst at the 76th annual British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), Kate Middleton appeared to gently pat her husband on the bottom as they made the way along the red carpet. Kate was also seen giving Prince William another ‘pat’ whilst they were on their tour of the Caribbean in 2022.

At the Earthshot Prize Awards in 2022, when Kate Middleton dazzled in a green Solace London dress she rented from HURR, Prince William was seen placing his hand on her back. A rare PDA that was captured by the cameras.

On a recent joint visit to Birmingham, a fan shared a Twitter video where Prince William is seen responding to a comment about his wife’s outfit. When a fan told him “What an amazing outfit Kate has got on! It’s beautiful,’ Prince William responded by saying, “Oh she always looks stunning.”

As the couple prepare for King Charles’s coronation on May 6, they are likely to want to spend their wedding anniversary privately away from the prying eyes of the world’s press.