Kate Middleton has been the subject of social-media conspiracy theories in recent weeks due to a hiatus from public life and a photo-editing scandal.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love story appears to be the stuff of fairy tales.
Their relationship began when they were students at the University of St Andrews, culminating in a lavish royal wedding in 2011. They went on to have three children, and often present a united front — even in the face of major royal scandal.
However, in recent weeks, the princess has become embroiled in social-media conspiracy theories amid a hiatus from public life following a planned abdominal surgery and a photo-editing controversy that has rocked Kensington Palace.2001: Prince William and Kate Middleton met as students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
In their first interview together with The Telegraph after their engagement in 2010, Kate said she «went bright red» and «scuttled off, feeling very shy» when she met the young prince for the first time.
While William didn’t join in many of the university’s first-week festivities, known as Freshers’ Week, the two eventually became good friends.
«William wasn’t there for quite a bit of the time initially, he wasn’t there from Freshers’ Week, so it did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other, but we did become very close friends from quite early on,» she said.2002: They reportedly went from friends to something more after Kate caught William’s eye with a sheer outfit during a student fashion show.
As Business Insider previously reported, Kate wore the $40 sheer skirt as a dress during a fashion show in 2002, and Prince William was in the audience.
According to the documentary «The Day Will and Kate Got Married,» which aired in the UK in April 2021, it was this appearance that changed their relationship.
«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.
For his part, William has said their relationship changed after they spent more time together.
«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.»2005: The pair graduated in 2005. Kate got her degree in art history, and Prince William got his in geography.
By the time they graduated, the pair had already lived together with other friends and were publicly dating.2006: Kate made her first public appearances with the royal family, and she showed her support for her boyfriend.
In December 2006, the Middleton family attended the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, in which Prince William appeared.
She was already the subject of intense media fascination.2007: She was frequently accosted by paparazzi.
At the time, a royal family spokesperson told The Telegraph that «Prince William wants more than anything for the paparazzi to stop harassing her.»2007: Tabloid newspapers reported that the couple had split up.
Some of the reports were downright salacious.
«He broke up with Kate because he’s met someone else who’s turned his head,» an anonymous source told The Observer at the time. «She’s from a decent background but is very naughty and he finds her much more exciting.»
But at least one insider had the right idea: «I don’t think it’s really over,» an anonymous «pal» of Kate’s told People magazine. «I don’t think this is the last you’ll see of the two of them.»2007: But by summer, the couple had gotten back together.
Years later, both William and Kate acknowledged that their brief breakup was a good thing.
«We were both very young … and we were both finding ourselves,» William told The Telegraph. «It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up.»
«I, at the time, wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,» Kate added. «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.»October 2010: Prince William proposed to Kate while they vacationed in Kenya. «I just decided that it was the right time really,» he later said.
William proposed with the same sapphire ring his mother wore when she got engaged. The ring was originally given to William’s brother, Prince Harry, but he asked for it before proposing to Kate.
Giving it to her was «my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today,» William later said when they announced the engagement, according to The Guardian.
William also described the proposal in his surprisingly candid interview with The Telegraph.
«It was about three weeks ago on a holiday in Kenya. We had a little private time away together with some friends,» he said. «And I just decided that it was the right time really.»
«It was very romantic,» Kate added. November 2010: The couple announced their engagement to the public.
«The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton,» the royal family said in a statement.
It added, «Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton’s father.
«Following the marriage, the couple will live in North Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.»
They appeared at a press conference and photo call at St James’s Palace, London, after sharing the happy news.
«The timing is right now, we are both very, very happy,» William said at the time, according to The Guardian. «We both have a very good sense of humor and we take the mickey out of each other a lot.»2011: They got married on April 29 in Westminster Abbey. That’s also the day they got the official titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Here’s what royal titles like «duchess» actually mean.With a price tag of roughly $34 million and an estimated global audience of 3 billion, it was one of the most lavish weddings in history.
Here are 13 other noteworthy royal weddings. June 2011: A few months later, William and Kate embarked on their first international trip for the royal family.
They were all smiles as they traveled through Canada and later attended a red-carpet event in Los Angeles, California.July 2012: Cameras caught the couple celebrating in the stands when London hosted the Summer Olympics.
They could be seen embracing after a British cyclist won a gold medal.December 2012: The palace announced that Kate was pregnant.
Three days later, she and William were spotted leaving the hospital. According to the BBC, Kate was undergoing treatment for severe morning sickness at the time. July 23, 2013: Prince George made his very first public appearance. He was one day old.
Journalists had been camped outside the hospital for three weeks waiting for a glimpse of Will, Kate, and their firstborn.
Before he was born, the couple didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl, Kate said in a 2020 interview on the «Happy Mum, Happy Baby» podcast.
«It was a surprise,» she said. «But also seeing … you know, your husband, William … seeing the pure joy of his face, it was really special.»2013: The growing royal family posed for a portrait with their spaniel, Lupo, just after the prince’s birth.
