﻿Once upon a time, in the hallowed halls of the University of St Andrews, a young prince and a shy
but determined young woman crossed paths. Little did they know that this chance meeting would set
in motion a remarkable love story that would capture the world's attention. Prince William
and Kate Middleton's remarkable journey is one of friendship, secrecy and heartbreak.
Yet, despite all their hardships, their unwavering bond and great love conquered all.
Prince William first met Kate Middleton back in 2001 when they were both nineteen-year-old
students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Kate admitted when she was
introduced to the Prince that she "went bright red" and "scuttled off, feeling very shy."
She also shared that Willam didn't join in on many of the University's first-week festivities,
"so it did take a bit of time" for the pair to get to know each other.
"…but we did become very close friends from quite early on." She added.
Over the next year, their friendship grew stronger. Middleton was also widely credited
with encouraging him to persevere with his studies when he was finding it hard
to settle down to university life. It wasn't until Kate walked in a
student fashion show that William "saw her in a different light." She wore a $40 sheer skirt
as she strutted down the runway and caught the young Prince's eye in the audience.
At that very moment, something changed, and William felt a spark ignite. In the documentary,
'The Day Will and Kate Got Married,' Vanity Fair's royal correspondent said, "A switch
had been flicked … and I really believe that was the turning point in their relationship."
However, during this time, Kate was reportedly seeing someone else. She and Will didn't begin
dating until she split from her previous boyfriend – a former St Andrews student.
For his part, the Prince has said their relationship changed after they spent
more time together. He explained that they had been "friends for over a year,
and it just sort of blossomed from then on." They enjoyed each other's company, and as
they got to know each other a little better, the pair realized they "shared the same interests."
At first, Kate and Will kept their budding romance on the down low.
As a member of the royal family - and an eligible bachelor at the time - the Prince's love life was
always the center of attention. He was no stranger to having his romantic interests
plastered all over the tabloids, so in order to avoid a media storm and swarming paparazzi,
they did their best to keep their relationship between them for as long as possible.
In April 2004, the first picture of the couple was published. During a ski trip in Switzerland,
it was confirmed that William was indeed enjoying his first-ever serious relationship with Kate.
She was reported to have spent several weeks at a remote cottage on the Queen's Balmoral
estate, and the pair took some painstaking steps to keep their romance under wraps.
"They're an item," confirmed a close friend. On the other hand, Clarence House stated,
"It is not our policy to discuss the nature of Prince William's relationships with his
friends. It wouldn't be fair on him or them." One year later, the pair graduated with Middleton
earning a degree in art history while the Prince got him in geography. After their graduation
ceremony, the couple, joined by their families, attended a celebratory lunch together and began
looking forward to the rest of their lives – but nothing, from here on in, would be the same.
Their time as students had given them the ability to live in virtual seclusion.
Since they were no longer studying at University and heading out into
the real world, they weren't going to be granted that same luxury.
In 2006, Kate made her first public appearance with the royal family. She showed her support for
William during the Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy. By then, Middleton was already
the subject of intense media fascination. Later that year, the future princess attended the
nuptials of the Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura Parker Bowles and her husband Harry Lopes.
It was the couple's first appearance together at a family wedding. As she arrived by William's side,
it was a clear sign that Kate was gearing up to be a permanent fixture in his life.
It didn't take long for their relationship to spark a media frenzy, followed by
engagement rumors which refused to die down. Suddenly, Kate was a target for the paparazzi,
and the young couple were followed closely as they went about their day-to-day lives.
By 2007, lawyers for the Princess-to-be announced they were considering legal action
over the photographers tracking her every move. In response to Britain's newspapers, Middleton's
lawyers banned the use of paparazzi pictures. The public couldn't help but draw comparisons between
Kate and the late Princess Diana, who was also constantly harassed by a swarm of photographers.
At the time, a royal family spokesperson told The Telegraph that "Prince William
wants more than anything for the paparazzi to stop harassing her."
When a photograph was published in the Daily Mirror of Kate on her way to work, takeaway coffee
in hand, she lodged a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. The paper issued a public
apology, and the complaint was withdrawn. But the pressure the intrusion put on their union would
eventually become too much for them to bear. Unfortunately, in April of that same year,
news broke that Kate and William had called off their romance.
While the reason for their split was never revealed, the public speculated as to whether
the media storm and invasion of paparazzi had taken a toll on their relationship.
The nation was shocked by the pair's breakup, and BBC Royal Correspondent Peter Hunt stated,
"It's a surprise because it had seemed very stable and very steady."
The couple reignited their romance in August 2007 with a romantic holiday in the Seychelles.
In a bid to keep their relationship low-key, Kate and Will reportedly booked the entire resort – at
the cost of £20,000 – and checked in under the names Martin and Rosemary.
It wasn't until 2008 that they officially confirmed they were back together.
Years later, they both acknowledged that their brief breakup was a good
thing. The Prince explained, "We were both very young ... and we were both
finding ourselves. It was very much trying to find our own way, and we were growing up."
On the other hand, Middleton admitted that she "wasn't very happy" about their temporary split,
but she eventually realized that it made her "a stronger person."
"You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized. I think you can
get quite consumed by a relationship when you're younger." She added.
Over the next couple of years, their relationship went from strength to strength, and many commented
on how happy and in love the couple appeared when they attended a wedding in October 2010.
What the world didn't know was that William and Kate were sharing a very special secret – the
Prince had proposed during a holiday in Kenya. The following month, the delighted couple broke
their silence and shared the joyous news of their engagement. William had presented
his future bride with his late mother Princess Diana's ring – a blue sapphire diamond sparkler.
The ring was originally given to William's brother, Prince Harry, but he asked for it before
proposing to Kate. He later shared that giving the ring to Kate was his way of making sure his mother
"didn't miss out" on such a special moment. They appeared at a press conference after sharing
the happy news. "The timing is right now; we are both very, very happy. We both have a very
good sense of humor, and we take the mickey out of each other a lot." The Prince gushed.
Will also described the proposal in a surprisingly candid interview with The Telegraph.
"We had a little private time away together with some friends. And I just decided that
it was the right time, really." He said, with Middleton adding, "It was very romantic."
In April of the following year, Kate wed her Prince Charming in a spectacular
ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Crowds lined the streets, waving Union Jack flags and cheering
and applauding with delight as the newlyweds kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
"Let's give them another one," William said to his bride as he leaned in for another sweet kiss.
In 2013, the Royal couple welcomed their first child together, Prince George.
Journalists had been camped outside the hospital for three weeks waiting
for a glimpse of Will, Kate, and their newborn. Before he was born, the couple didn't know if they
were having a boy or a girl. Kate later shared, "It was a surprise. But also seeing … you know,
your husband, William ... seeing the pure joy of his face, it was really special."
Two years later, their family of three became four when their daughter,
Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, was born. Her name was a fitting tribute to his mother
and grandmother - two incredibly important women in William's life.
After Charlotte's birth, Prince William and Kate left London to settle in a remote country village.
Their 10-bedroom country home, Anmer Hall, was a wedding gift from the Queen,
and it reportedly brought both normalcy and privacy to the family's day-to-day life.
When they weren't kept busy with royal responsibilities, Kate and William were
just like any other family behind closed doors. During a 2017 interview, the couple shared they
watch "Homeland" and "Game of Thrones" once the kids are asleep. They also order takeout
when they watch TV and enjoy a good curry. In 2018, the royal couple welcomed their third
child, Prince Louis. He was born just a few weeks before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
Harry and Meghan's union was a stark contrast to Will and Kate's nuptials. The media was in
a frenzy over the alleged feud between Middleton and Markle, which was further
feud by the former actress's statements about the days leading up to the wedding.
During Meghan and Harry's infamous 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey,
she claimed that Kate had made her cry over a disagreement about Princess Charlotte's flower
girl dress. While Markle and her husband openly discussed the royal family drama, Prince William
and Kate made no comments on the subject. That same year, the couple celebrated their tenth
wedding anniversary. However, they are by no means the longest-married royal couple. Queen Elizabeth
and Prince Philip's epic love story spanned over 70 years. So they still have a long way to go.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the ascension of King Charles
III, Prince William became heir to the throne. King Charles III announced in his first official
address to the UK as reigning monarch that his son Prince William and Kate Middleton, formerly
the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, would take on the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales.
There's no doubt that William and Kate have one of the most unique love
stories out there. Their journey from friends to lovers is so heartwarming,
and as the years have passed, they've only gone from strength to strength.
As heirs to the throne, their future together is going to be just as interesting as their past.