It is nine years ago since Prince William and Catherine Middleton married in a lavish wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011.
Today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have three children, George, aged 6, Charlotte, nearly five and Louis, aged 2, and mostly spend their time at Kensington Palace and their country home Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate.
The Duke and Duchess will celebrate their wedding anniversary in private whilst under lockdown at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
St Andrew’s University
Prince William met Kate whilst studying at St Andrew’s University in 2001, but they didn’t start going out until two years later.
They announced their engagement on 16 November 2010, with Kate wearing the same engagement ring Prince Charles had given to his fiance, Lady Diana Spencer, in 1981.
Queen Elizabeth II was said to be ‘absolutely delighted’ after giving her formal consent as required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772.
Wedding Day and A Public Holiday
Queen Elizabeth declared the wedding date as a public holiday in the United Kingdom with some Commonwealth countries, such as Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar and Falkland Islands doing the same.
The Queen also granted Prince William the titles of Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.
Most of the guests were family (including European royal relatives), friends, reigning monarchs, a significant number of Commonwealth leaders, including Australian Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her New Zealand counterpart, John Key.
Prince Harry was the Best Man whilst Kate’s sister Pippa was the Maid of Honour, with Lady Louise Windsor, The Hon Margareta Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, Eliza Lopes (granddaughter of the Duchess of Cornwall) as bridesmaids and William Lowther-Pinkerton and Thomas Pettifer as page boys.
Kate wore a satin wedding gown designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, with the Cartier Halo Scroll Tiara holding her veil in place, whilst Prince William wore his Irish Guard’s mounted officer’s uniform.
Meanwhile, millions around the world, including Australia, watched the Royal Wedding broadcasted live on television.
Receptions
Queen Elizabeth hosted a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace for the bridal couple, with guests from the Abbey congregation representing both their personal and official lives.
The newlyweds appeared on the palace balcony to share a kiss during the reception after the Royal Family watched a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight using an Avro Lancaster bomber, accompanied by a Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane.
Prince Charles hosted a smaller reception for family and friends at Buckingham Palace that evening, with a spectacular eight-tiered cake created by Fiona Cairns.
Wedding Bouquet
Following royal tradition, the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding bouquet later was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.
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