Official portraits of William and Kate show Duke and Duchess of Cambridge smiling on 10th wedding anniversary

New portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been released to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

The two new images – taken at Kensington Palace this week by photographer Chris Floyd – capture William and Kate smiling and in a relaxed mood.

The couple are seen cuddling each other in one shot, while William stares intently at his beaming wife in the other.

They are wearing complimentary blue outfits in the anniversary photographs.

William is in a denim shirt that is peeping up beneath a crew neck jumper and navy chinos. Kate is sporting a mid-blue dress which is crossed at the waist and has frills at the cuffs.

The traditional gift on a 10th wedding anniversary is tin, symbolising strength and durability, though it is likely the pair’s anniversary gifts will be made of much more expensive materials.

Ten years as an HRH

Kate Middleton has now spent a decade as a fully signed up member of the royal family, an HRH, a duchess and a future queen, with the pair marking their milestone as husband and wife on Thursday 29 April 2021.

Second-in-line to the throne William married his former university flatmate, who hailed from a wealthy middle class background, at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011 after an eight-year relationship.

Ten years on, the couple have three children, seven-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, five, and three-year-old Prince Louis.

During the Covid-19 crisis, the Cambridges have been supporting key workers and frontline NHS staff with video calls and face to face engagements when permitted, and promoting the vaccine drive.

They also became joint patrons of NHS Charities Together.

The 240 NHS charities in the UK provide extra funding and additional services above and beyond what the NHS core-funds, supporting hospitals, community and mental health services, and ambulance services.

Middleton has focused her charity work on early years, young people’s mental health, the visual arts, and promoting the benefits of outdoor life.

A potential peacemaker?

The Cambridges have faced personal challenges over the past year, dealing with the fallout from “Megxit” and the Sussexes’ bombshell Oprah interview, in which they accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support Meghan Markle when she was suicidal.

Middleton was publicly singled out by Markle in the primetime television show as having made her cry in the run-up to her wedding during a disagreement over flower girl dresses. Markle said the Palace failed to correct reports which said she left Middleton in tears.

But Middleton has been suggested as a potential peacemaker, who might be able to heal the ongoing rift between William and his brother the Duke of Sussex.

Harry appeared to smile briefly at his sister-in-law as the three talked together after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, with Kate then stepping back which allowed the brothers to continue walking with one another.

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