🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 107 (from laksa034)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa107.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back","crawl_time":1776426839,"first_indexed_time":1504749997,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,vogue!www,\/article\/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back s443","src_root_hash":"10319582172195527707","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How Prince William Met Kate Middleton: Their Royal Romance Over the Years | Vogue","meta_descriptions":["In honor of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding anniversary, we look back at the couple’s best moments."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Fourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the\nAlexander McQueen dress\n, the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony.\nBut, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife.\nDepending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was.\nBut William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,”\nWilliam recalled years later\n. “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two.\nDuring their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their\nfriend Fergus Boyd\n: “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!”\nThe next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,”\nhe said.\n“[But] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.”\nOver the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.”\nThe group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton,\ntold them.\nYet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps.\nThe Sun\nblasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,”\nread the headline.\n“Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.”\nJust like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it.\nIn June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy.\nBut college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst.\nTo the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder.\nThey called her family\n“the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum.\nBy 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break.\nYet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.”\nKate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good.\nPhoto: Getty Images\n Prince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nPrince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nPrince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. \nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nPrince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nWilliam and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nKate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nKate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019.\nPhoto: Getty Images\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the\nNo Time to Die\nLondon premiere in 2021.\nPhoto: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge\/By\nAlex Bramall\nPhoto: Getty Images\nPhoto: Will Warr \/ Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back#main-content)\n\n[Your All-Access Pass to Vogue](https:\/\/vogue.smart.link\/84hdiudhc)\n\n[DOWNLOAD NOW](https:\/\/vogue.smart.link\/84hdiudhc)\n\nMenu\n\n[FASHION](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion)\n\n[RUNWAY](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion-shows)\n\n[SHOPPING](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/shopping)\n\n[BEAUTY](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/beauty)\n\n[CULTURE](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/culture)\n\n[LIVING](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/living)\n\n[VOGUE BUSINESS](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/business)\n\n[TEEN VOGUE](https:\/\/www.teenvogue.com\/)\n\n[Met Gala](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/tag\/event\/met-gala)\n\n[FASHION](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion)\n\n[Celebrity Style](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/celebrity-style)[Street Style](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/street-style)[Models](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/models)[Designers](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/designers)[Trends](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/trends)[Sustainability](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/fashion\/sustainability)[All 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Gala](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/tag\/event\/met-gala)\n\nMORE\n\n[NEWSLETTERS](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/newsletters?sourceCode=hamburgernav)\n\n[PODCAST](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/podcast\/the-run-through)\n\n[MAGAZINE](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/magazine)\n\n[PROJECTS](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/tag\/misc\/special-projects)\n\n[VOGUE ARCHIVE](http:\/\/login.voguearchive.com\/)\n\n[TEEN VOGUE](https:\/\/www.teenvogue.com\/)\n\n[Search](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/search)\n\n[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/contact)\n\n[About Vogue](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/about-us)\n\n[Royals](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/living\/royals)\n\n# How Prince William Met Kate Middleton: Their Royal Romance Over the Years\n\nBy [Elise Taylor](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/contributor\/elise-taylor)\n\nApril 29, 2025\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Grass Plant Clothing Apparel Pants Dress Face and Female](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34537ca21e79601811c52\/master\/w_2560%2Cc_limit\/01-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nPhoto: Getty Images\n\nSave this story\n\nSave this story\n\nFourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the [Alexander McQueen dress](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/kate-middletons-wedding-dress), the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony.\n\nBut, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife.\n\nDepending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was.\n\nBut William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” [William recalled years later](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Entertainment\/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript\/story?id=12163826). “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two.\n\nDuring their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their [friend Fergus Boyd](https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/kate-middleton-saved-prince-william-23488108): “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!”\n\nThe next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,” [he said.](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Entertainment\/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript\/story?id=12163826) “\\[But\\] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.”\n\nOver the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.”\n\nThe group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, [told them.](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2011\/04\/meet-the-middletons-201104)\n\nYet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps. *The Sun* blasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,” [read the headline.](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/2004\/apr\/01\/pressandpublishing.themonarchy) “Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.”\n\nJust like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it.\n\nIn June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy.\n\nBut college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst.\n\nTo the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder. [They called her family](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2011\/04\/meet-the-middletons-201104) “the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum.\n\nBy 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break.\n\nYet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.”\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Tiggy LeggeBourke Clothing Apparel and Audience](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d18c8ed124a54212bd28\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/108794225)\n\nKate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel and Outdoors](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d1be61e99c2472575f1b\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/108112363)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16 2010.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34173e5f0b1d5075f4d40\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/02-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a3417b1b85f7e654701400\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/03-holding-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Human Person Suit Coat and Overcoat](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089dfde8ed124a54212bd3d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/109421478)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Fashion Robe Gown Wedding Wedding Gown and Evening Dress](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d1d325ab454467c05c9d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/113266472)\n\nThe newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day April 29 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34187e5f0b1d5075f4d41\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/04-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Officer Military Uniform Military Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car and Animal](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e062be88a030d72dbcb6\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1295028387)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Skirt Woman and Grass](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d21f8ed124a54212bd2a\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/113285700)\n\nWilliam and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary July 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341873decdb1c740dcd9e\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/06-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e118b33b65e39413821d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/115747105)\n\nThee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games August 2 2012.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341886e8a86557688bece\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/07-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Shirt Apparel Tiggy LeggeBourke Human Person and Sleeve](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e1e0fbf69590958441f8\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/174293677)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Nature Clothing Apparel Outdoors Human Person Snow Helmet Winter and Ice](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d22ded0e2ee05d73026f\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/514133594)\n\nPrince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park April 13 2016.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341880970c6fb5f135bb5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/08-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate recreate Princess Dianas famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16 2016.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341aee2a71e71788ad491\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/09-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day February 5 2017.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34189baddd89b56b3a9e8\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/10-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5a53e90631f1a6179ec89d65\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/11-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nKate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Trooping of the color](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5a53e9068734ad0ae793ca23\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/12-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nKate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Robe Gown and Evening Dress](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5c3523ae87a1442d6442eae5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/00-story-image-birthday-kate-middleton-romance-prince-william.jpg)\n\nThe Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Hat Suit Coat Overcoat Human and Person](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d205f7220d18441d68c4\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1156812364)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Dating Person Sleeve Face Pants and Hug](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d9a9c7ea85b59f3b34c0\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/william-kate.jpeg)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton at Kensington Palace in a portrait [released for their 10th wedding anniversary](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/kate-middleton-prince-william-tenth-anniversary-new-portraits) in 2021.Photo: Chris Floyd\/Courtesy [of Kensington Royal](https:\/\/twitter.com\/KensingtonRoyal)\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Prince William Duke of Cambridge Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/61d391e017277cbbf181fd67\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge.jpeg)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the *No Time to Die* London premiere in 2021.Photo: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge\/By [Alex Bramall](https:\/\/www.alexbramall.com\/)\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge Person Adult Wedding and People](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6810efb3c01ab98468386031\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1499739080)\n\nPhoto: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Face Head Person Photography Portrait Blouse Clothing and Pants](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/66df1d6de040253ded5c70bb\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/The%2520Princess%2520of%2520Wales%2520-%2520Still%25203.jpg)\n\nPhoto: Will Warr \/ Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales\n\n[![](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/62686cf86765f11f78a66dc8\/1:1\/w_90%2Cc_limit\/DSCF7335%2520\\(1\\).jpg)](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/contributor\/elise-taylor)\n\n[Elise Taylor](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/contributor\/elise-taylor) is the senior lifestyle writer at *Vogue.* She covers interiors, travel, food, royals, and weddings. Previously, she worked at *Vanity Fair* and has contributed to *The New York Times Magazine*. In her spare time, she’s attempting the Sisyphean task of writing her first novel. ... [Read More](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/contributor\/elise-taylor)\n\nTopics[Kate Middleton](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/tag\/celebrity\/kate-middleton)[Prince William](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/tag\/celebrity\/prince-william)\n\nRead More\n\n- [![Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have a New Netflix Show in the Works](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6992dba327e344ed2fc01f57\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)TV & Movies Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have a New Netflix Show in the Works By Anna Grace Lee](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/prince-harry-meghan-markle-netflix-polo-show#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![The True Story Behind JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Connection With Princess Diana](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5956764002d55f7340c438e7\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Living The True Story Behind JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Connection With Princess Diana By Anna Grace Lee](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/jfk-jr-princess-diana-secret-meeting#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![7 Times Meghan Markle Paid Homage to Princess Diana Through Her Fashion](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69c7045981f85935930c588c\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Royals 7 Times Meghan Markle Paid Homage to Princess Diana Through Her Fashion By Anna Grace Lee](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/slideshow\/meghan-markle-princess-diana-fashion-tributes#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![This Offbeat London Wedding Featured a Pajama Party, Angel Wings, and Surprise Performers](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69cabbb592940e899a26c51f\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Weddings This Offbeat London Wedding Featured a Pajama Party, Angel Wings, and Surprise Performers By Alice Newbold](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/slideshow\/oda-jaune-robin-scott-lawson-wedding#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![Trapped on a Boat With the Ex I Still Had Feelings For](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/699774ad36824d6c41337d81\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Books Trapped on a Boat With the Ex I Still Had Feelings For By Stephanie Sy-Quia](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/trapped-on-a-boat#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![On the Podcast: Dan Levy Wants You to Dress Like His TV Show Characters for Halloween](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69c57615a84a461ede1c656a\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)TV & Movies On the Podcast: Dan Levy Wants You to Dress Like His TV Show Characters for Halloween By Alex Jhamb Burns](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article-on-the-podcast-dan-levy-big-mistakes#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![Meghan Markle Adds Some Personal Touches to Her Australia Tour Wardrobe](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69e0883d0a6ad8a0458f5f75\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Fashion Meghan Markle Adds Some Personal Touches to Her Australia Tour Wardrobe By Olivia Allen](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/slideshow\/meghan-markle-australia-tour-2026-fashion#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![From the Archives: Paradise in Provence—Inside Janet de Botton’s Legendary Garden Estate](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69cd3c177f15d8f62eea171a\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Magazine From the Archives: *Paradise in Provence*—Inside Janet de Botton’s Legendary Garden Estate By Hamish Bowles](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/from-the-archives-paradise-in-provence#intcid=_vogue-article-bottom-recirc_e39aa47b-5f73-41af-b8d2-1936c045b9d5_text2vec1)\n- [![Garden Leave: What Do Designers Do When They Leave Fashion?](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69bc459059e9539ab2317512\/1:1\/w_640%2Cc_limit\/undefined)Magazine Garden Leave: What Do Designers Do When They Leave Fashion? 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[Ad Choices](http:\/\/www.aboutads.info\/)\n\nCN Fashion & Beauty\n\n###### Select international site\nUnited States\n\n- [Adria](https:\/\/vogueadria.com\/)\n- [Arabia](https:\/\/en.vogue.me\/)\n- [Australia](https:\/\/www.vogue.com.au\/)\n- [Brasil](https:\/\/vogue.globo.com\/)\n- [Britain](https:\/\/www.vogue.co.uk\/)\n- [China](https:\/\/www.vogue.com.cn\/)\n- [Czechoslovakia](https:\/\/www.vogue.cz\/)\n- [España](https:\/\/www.vogue.es\/)\n- [France](https:\/\/www.vogue.fr\/)\n- [Germany](https:\/\/www.vogue.de\/)\n- [Greece](https:\/\/vogue.gr\/)\n- [Hong Kong](https:\/\/www.voguehk.com\/zh\/)\n- [India](https:\/\/www.vogue.in\/)\n- [Italia](https:\/\/www.vogue.it\/)\n- [Japan](https:\/\/www.vogue.co.jp\/)\n- [Korea](https:\/\/www.vogue.co.kr\/)\n- [México](https:\/\/www.vogue.mx\/)\n- [Nederland](https:\/\/www.vogue.nl\/)\n- [Philippines](https:\/\/vogue.ph\/)\n- [Polska](https:\/\/www.vogue.pl\/)\n- [Portugal](https:\/\/www.vogue.pt\/)\n- [Scandinavia](https:\/\/www.voguescandinavia.com\/)\n- [Singapore](https:\/\/vogue.sg\/)\n- [Taiwan](https:\/\/www.vogue.com.tw\/)\n- [Thailand](https:\/\/www.vogue.co.th\/)\n- [Türkiye](https:\/\/vogue.com.tr\/)\n- [Ukraine](https:\/\/vogue.ua\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Fourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the [Alexander McQueen dress](https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/kate-middletons-wedding-dress), the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony.\n\nBut, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife.\n\nDepending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was.\n\nBut William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” [William recalled years later](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Entertainment\/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript\/story?id=12163826). “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two.\n\nDuring their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their [friend Fergus Boyd](https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/kate-middleton-saved-prince-william-23488108): “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!”\n\nThe next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,” [he said.](https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Entertainment\/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript\/story?id=12163826) “\\[But\\] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.”\n\nOver the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.”\n\nThe group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, [told them.](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2011\/04\/meet-the-middletons-201104)\n\nYet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps. *The Sun* blasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,” [read the headline.](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/2004\/apr\/01\/pressandpublishing.themonarchy) “Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.”\n\nJust like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it.\n\nIn June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy.\n\nBut college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst.\n\nTo the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder. [They called her family](https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2011\/04\/meet-the-middletons-201104) “the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum.\n\nBy 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break.\n\nYet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.”\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Tiggy LeggeBourke Clothing Apparel and Audience](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d18c8ed124a54212bd28\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/108794225)\n\nKate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel and Outdoors](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d1be61e99c2472575f1b\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/108112363)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16 2010.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34173e5f0b1d5075f4d40\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/02-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a3417b1b85f7e654701400\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/03-holding-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Human Person Suit Coat and Overcoat](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089dfde8ed124a54212bd3d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/109421478)\n\nPrince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Fashion Robe Gown Wedding Wedding Gown and Evening Dress](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d1d325ab454467c05c9d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/113266472)\n\nThe newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day April 29 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34187e5f0b1d5075f4d41\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/04-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Human Person Officer Military Uniform Military Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car and Animal](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e062be88a030d72dbcb6\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1295028387)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Skirt Woman and Grass](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d21f8ed124a54212bd2a\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/113285700)\n\nWilliam and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary July 2011.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341873decdb1c740dcd9e\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/06-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e118b33b65e39413821d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/115747105)\n\nThee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games August 2 2012.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341886e8a86557688bece\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/07-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Shirt Apparel Tiggy LeggeBourke Human Person and Sleeve](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089e1e0fbf69590958441f8\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/174293677)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Nature Clothing Apparel Outdoors Human Person Snow Helmet Winter and Ice](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d22ded0e2ee05d73026f\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/514133594)\n\nPrince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park April 13 2016.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341880970c6fb5f135bb5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/08-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate recreate Princess Dianas famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16 2016.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a341aee2a71e71788ad491\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/09-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day February 5 2017.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/58a34189baddd89b56b3a9e8\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/10-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nWilliam and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5a53e90631f1a6179ec89d65\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/11-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nKate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Trooping of the color](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5a53e9068734ad0ae793ca23\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/12-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg)\n\nKate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Robe Gown and Evening Dress](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/5c3523ae87a1442d6442eae5\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/00-story-image-birthday-kate-middleton-romance-prince-william.jpg)\n\nThe Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Hat Suit Coat Overcoat Human and Person](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d205f7220d18441d68c4\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1156812364)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019.Photo: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Dating Person Sleeve Face Pants and Hug](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6089d9a9c7ea85b59f3b34c0\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/william-kate.jpeg)\n\n![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Prince William Duke of Cambridge Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/61d391e017277cbbf181fd67\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge.jpeg)\n\nThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the *No Time to Die* London premiere in 2021.Photo: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge\/By [Alex Bramall](https:\/\/www.alexbramall.com\/)\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge Person Adult Wedding and People](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6810efb3c01ab98468386031\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/1499739080)\n\nPhoto: Getty Images\n\n![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Face Head Person Photography Portrait Blouse Clothing and Pants](https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/66df1d6de040253ded5c70bb\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/The%2520Princess%2520of%2520Wales%2520-%2520Still%25203.jpg)\n\nPhoto: Will Warr \/ Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back
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HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	How Prince William Met Kate Middleton: Their Royal Romance Over the Years \| Vogue
Meta Description	In honor of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding anniversary, we look back at the couple’s best moments.
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Boilerpipe Text	Fourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the Alexander McQueen dress , the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony. But, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife. Depending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was. But William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” William recalled years later . “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two. During their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their friend Fergus Boyd : “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!” The next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,” he said. “[But] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.” Over the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.” The group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, told them. Yet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps. The Sun blasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,” read the headline. “Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.” Just like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it. In June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy. But college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst. To the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder. They called her family “the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum. By 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break. Yet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.” Kate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good. Photo: Getty Images Prince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip. Photo: Getty Images Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011. Photo: Getty Images Prince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus. Photo: Getty Images The newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011. Photo: Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011. Photo: Getty Images Thee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012. Photo: Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013. Photo: Getty Images Prince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016. Photo: Getty Images William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017. Photo: Getty Images Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017. Photo: Getty Images Kate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017. Photo: Getty Images The Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis. Photo: Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019. Photo: Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the No Time to Die London premiere in 2021. Photo: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/By Alex Bramall Photo: Getty Images Photo: Will Warr / Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales
Markdown	[Skip to main content](https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middleton-prince-william-romance-look-back#main-content) [Your All-Access Pass to Vogue](https://vogue.smart.link/84hdiudhc) [DOWNLOAD NOW](https://vogue.smart.link/84hdiudhc) Menu [FASHION](https://www.vogue.com/fashion) [RUNWAY](https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows) [SHOPPING](https://www.vogue.com/shopping) [BEAUTY](https://www.vogue.com/beauty) [CULTURE](https://www.vogue.com/culture) [LIVING](https://www.vogue.com/living) [VOGUE BUSINESS](https://www.vogue.com/business) [TEEN VOGUE](https://www.teenvogue.com/) [Met Gala](https://www.vogue.com/tag/event/met-gala) [FASHION](https://www.vogue.com/fashion) [Celebrity Style](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/celebrity-style)[Street Style](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/street-style)[Models](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/models)[Designers](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/designers)[Trends](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/trends)[Sustainability](https://www.vogue.com/fashion/sustainability)[All Fashion](https://www.vogue.com/fashion) [RUNWAY](https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows) [SHOPPING](https://www.vogue.com/shopping) [BEAUTY](https://www.vogue.com/beauty) [Celebrity Beauty](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/celebrity-beauty)[Hair](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/hair)[Makeup](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/makeup)[Nails](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/nails)[Wellness](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/health-and-fitness)[Skin](https://www.vogue.com/beauty/skin)[All Beauty](https://www.vogue.com/beauty) [CULTURE](https://www.vogue.com/culture) [Opinion](https://www.vogue.com/culture/opinion)[TV & Movies](https://www.vogue.com/culture/tv-and-movies)[Music](https://www.vogue.com/culture/music)[Arts](https://www.vogue.com/culture/arts)[Books](https://www.vogue.com/culture/books)[News](https://www.vogue.com/culture/news)[Sports](https://www.vogue.com/culture/sports)[All Culture](https://www.vogue.com/culture) [LIVING](https://www.vogue.com/living) [Homes](https://www.vogue.com/living/homes)[Travel](https://www.vogue.com/living/travel)[Food](https://www.vogue.com/living/food)[Parties](https://www.vogue.com/living/parties)[Royals](https://www.vogue.com/living/royals)[All Living](https://www.vogue.com/living) [WEDDINGS](https://www.vogue.com/weddings) [Wedding Inspiration](https://www.vogue.com/tag/misc/real-weddings)[Planning & Advice](https://www.vogue.com/tag/misc/wedding-planning-and-advice)[For Wedding Guests](https://www.vogue.com/tag/misc/wedding-guest)[The Bridal Shop](https://www.vogue.com/article/best-wedding-dresses)[All Weddings](https://www.vogue.com/weddings) [VOGUE BUSINESS](https://www.vogue.com/business) [Technology](https://www.vogue.com/business/technology)[Sustainability](http://www.vogue.com/business/sustainability)[Fashion](https://www.vogue.com/business/fashion)[Retail](https://www.vogue.com/business/consumers)[Companies](https://www.vogue.com/business/companies)[Beauty](https://www.vogue.com/business/beauty)[Events](https://www.vogue.com/business/events)[Member Benefits](https://www.vogue.com/business/member-benefits)[Executive Reports](https://www.vogue.com/business/executive-reports) [VIDEO](https://www.vogue.com/video) [PHOTOVOGUE](https://www.vogue.com/photovogue) [Met Gala](https://www.vogue.com/tag/event/met-gala) MORE [NEWSLETTERS](https://www.vogue.com/newsletters?sourceCode=hamburgernav) [PODCAST](https://www.vogue.com/podcast/the-run-through) [MAGAZINE](https://www.vogue.com/magazine) [PROJECTS](https://www.vogue.com/tag/misc/special-projects) [VOGUE ARCHIVE](http://login.voguearchive.com/) [TEEN VOGUE](https://www.teenvogue.com/) [Search](https://www.vogue.com/search) [Contact Us](https://www.vogue.com/contact) [About Vogue](https://www.vogue.com/about-us) [Royals](https://www.vogue.com/living/royals) # How Prince William Met Kate Middleton: Their Royal Romance Over the Years By [Elise Taylor](https://www.vogue.com/contributor/elise-taylor) April 29, 2025 ![Image may contain Human Person Grass Plant Clothing Apparel Pants Dress Face and Female](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34537ca21e79601811c52/master/w_2560%2Cc_limit/01-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Photo: Getty Images Save this story Save this story Fourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the [Alexander McQueen dress](https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middletons-wedding-dress), the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony. But, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife. Depending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was. But William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” [William recalled years later](https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript/story?id=12163826). “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two. During their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their [friend Fergus Boyd](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-saved-prince-william-23488108): “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!” The next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,” [he said.](https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript/story?id=12163826) “\[But\] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.” Over the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.” The group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, [told them.](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/meet-the-middletons-201104) Yet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps. The Sun blasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,” [read the headline.](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/apr/01/pressandpublishing.themonarchy) “Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.” Just like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it. In June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy. But college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst. To the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder. [They called her family](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/meet-the-middletons-201104) “the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum. By 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break. Yet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.” ![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Tiggy LeggeBourke Clothing Apparel and Audience](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d18c8ed124a54212bd28/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/108794225) Kate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel and Outdoors](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d1be61e99c2472575f1b/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/108112363) Prince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip.Photo: Getty Images ![Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16 2010.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34173e5f0b1d5075f4d40/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/02-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a3417b1b85f7e654701400/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/03-holding-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Human Person Suit Coat and Overcoat](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089dfde8ed124a54212bd3d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/109421478) Prince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Fashion Robe Gown Wedding Wedding Gown and Evening Dress](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d1d325ab454467c05c9d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/113266472) The newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day April 29 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34187e5f0b1d5075f4d41/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/04-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Human Person Officer Military Uniform Military Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car and Animal](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e062be88a030d72dbcb6/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1295028387) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Skirt Woman and Grass](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d21f8ed124a54212bd2a/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/113285700) William and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary July 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341873decdb1c740dcd9e/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/06-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e118b33b65e39413821d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/115747105) Thee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games August 2 2012.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341886e8a86557688bece/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/07-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Shirt Apparel Tiggy LeggeBourke Human Person and Sleeve](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e1e0fbf69590958441f8/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/174293677) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Nature Clothing Apparel Outdoors Human Person Snow Helmet Winter and Ice](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d22ded0e2ee05d73026f/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/514133594) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park April 13 2016.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341880970c6fb5f135bb5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/08-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate recreate Princess Dianas famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16 2016.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341aee2a71e71788ad491/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/09-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day February 5 2017.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34189baddd89b56b3a9e8/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/10-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5a53e90631f1a6179ec89d65/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/11-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Trooping of the color](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5a53e9068734ad0ae793ca23/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/12-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Kate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Robe Gown and Evening Dress](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5c3523ae87a1442d6442eae5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/00-story-image-birthday-kate-middleton-romance-prince-william.jpg) The Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Hat Suit Coat Overcoat Human and Person](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d205f7220d18441d68c4/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1156812364) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Dating Person Sleeve Face Pants and Hug](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d9a9c7ea85b59f3b34c0/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/william-kate.jpeg) Prince William and Kate Middleton at Kensington Palace in a portrait [released for their 10th wedding anniversary](https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middleton-prince-william-tenth-anniversary-new-portraits) in 2021.Photo: Chris Floyd/Courtesy [of Kensington Royal](https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal) ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Prince William Duke of Cambridge Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/61d391e017277cbbf181fd67/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge.jpeg) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the No Time to Die London premiere in 2021.Photo: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/By [Alex Bramall](https://www.alexbramall.com/) ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge Person Adult Wedding and People](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6810efb3c01ab98468386031/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1499739080) Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Face Head Person Photography Portrait Blouse Clothing and Pants](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/66df1d6de040253ded5c70bb/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/The%2520Princess%2520of%2520Wales%2520-%2520Still%25203.jpg) Photo: Will Warr / Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales [![](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/62686cf86765f11f78a66dc8/1:1/w_90%2Cc_limit/DSCF7335%2520\(1\).jpg)](https://www.vogue.com/contributor/elise-taylor) [Elise Taylor](https://www.vogue.com/contributor/elise-taylor) is the senior lifestyle writer at Vogue. She covers interiors, travel, food, royals, and weddings. Previously, she worked at Vanity Fair and has contributed to The New York Times Magazine. In her spare time, she’s attempting the Sisyphean task of writing her first novel. ... 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Readable Markdown	Fourteen years ago, Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey while the world watched. At the time, it felt like a fantastical moment in a real-life fairy tale: the [Alexander McQueen dress](https://www.vogue.com/article/kate-middletons-wedding-dress), the Gothic church, the horse-drawn carriages, the grand kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony. But, of course, fairy tales aren’t real—not even for the future King of England. In reality, Kate and William had a long, long journey before becoming husband and wife. Depending on the way you view the world, the beginning of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance came down to either destiny or chance, a.k.a. a first-year dorm assignment at St. Andrews University in Scotland. William’s arrival to campus was met with a frenzied fanfare: A pack of photographers climbed over each other to get pictures of him and his father walking on the grounds. Then the teenager gave a brief interview with the press, which was soon picked up by papers all over the world. Meanwhile, Middleton had already quietly moved into St. Salvator’s Hall. It’s unfathomable to think about now, but at the time the world had no idea who she was. But William soon did. He’d often run into her in the halls or on the way to class—like him, Kate was also studying art history. A friendship slowly built over that semester: They’d eat breakfast together with friends in the dining hall, bonding over how much they loved to ski. If William had to miss a lecture, Kate would share her notes. “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” [William recalled years later](https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript/story?id=12163826). “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there.” But romance wasn’t in the immediate cards for the two. During their second semester, however, sparks started to fly. Kate, a shy, girl-next-door type, became the talk of the campus after she strutted down the runway of a charity fashion show in lingerie. William, in the front row, reportedly whispered to their [friend Fergus Boyd](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-saved-prince-william-23488108): “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!” The next year, William, Kate, and two other friends moved into an off-campus apartment. At the start, they were just friends. Yet William—a man used to getting the attention he wanted—found himself trying, and failing, to impress Kate. “I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners,” [he said.](https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/prince-william-kate-middleton-interview-transcript/story?id=12163826) “\[But\] what would happen was I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire. She would be sitting in the background trying to help and basically taking control of the whole situation.” Over the next few months, a romance blossomed between the two. Eventually, they came clean to their fellow housemates. “I think at first they were a bit surprised that it had happened,” William admits. “Then they realized it was really nice.” The group living situation gave them a temporary cover. But colleges are small, and gossip spreads fast. Soon, basically everybody at St. Andrews knew about their relationship, and the rumors reached the wider world. Reporters showed up at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, England. “We are very amused at the thought of being in-laws to Prince William, but I don’t think that is going to happen,” Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, [told them.](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/meet-the-middletons-201104) Yet a year later, the whole thing blew open. In March 2004, paparazzi captured the two skiing together in the Swiss Alps. The Sun blasted the news all over their April 1 front page: “Finally...Wills gets a girl,” [read the headline.](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/apr/01/pressandpublishing.themonarchy) “Prince and Kate so close in Klosters.” Just like that, Kate Middleton was thrust into the spotlight—and never left it. In June 2005, both William and Kate graduated from St. Andrews. Kate’s father took a photograph of them together, wrapped in a tight embrace. They look young, beautiful, and happy. But college, for the couple, was a bubble. The British press had agreed to a coverage blackout while William was at university, which allowed William and Kate to date (somewhat) privately. Now it was onto the real world, where that bubble would burst. To the British tabloids, Kate’s nonaristocratic background was fair fodder. [They called her family](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/meet-the-middletons-201104) “the Middle-Class Middletons.” They dubbed Kate and her sister, Pippa, “the wisteria sisters” (because of how fast they could climb). Kate’s work ethic was also questioned—at the time, she was a buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. In 2006, when attending William’s graduation from military academy Sandhurst, Kate’s mother, Carole, was skewered for chewing gum. By 2007, the pair was on the rocks. William had joined the Household Cavalry in Windsor and had little time to visit Kate. Meanwhile, pictures of him partying hit the tabloids. Come springtime, they officially split up. “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Middleton says of the break. Yet, as long-term couples tend to do, they found their way back together. In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother’s ring at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Three weeks later, they announced the news to the world. “I’m willing to learn quickly and work hard,” Middleton told reporter Tom Bradby during their official engagement interview. William agreed: “She’ll do really well.” ![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Tiggy LeggeBourke Clothing Apparel and Audience](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d18c8ed124a54212bd28/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/108794225) Kate Middleton and Prince William a the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival on March 13, 2007. They'd soon split—although not for good.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Human Person Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel and Outdoors](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d1be61e99c2472575f1b/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/108112363) Prince William and Kate Middleton in Klosters, Switzerland, during a March 2008 ski trip.Photo: Getty Images ![Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16 2010.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34173e5f0b1d5075f4d40/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/02-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Prince William and Kate Middleton confirm their engagement on November 16, 2010.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a3417b1b85f7e654701400/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/03-holding-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at the Naming Ceremony of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' on February 24, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Human Person Suit Coat and Overcoat](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089dfde8ed124a54212bd3d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/109421478) Prince William and Kate Middleton smile as they visit the University of St Andrews on February 25, 2011—several years after they first met on campus.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Fashion Robe Gown Wedding Wedding Gown and Evening Dress](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d1d325ab454467c05c9d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/113266472) The newly-christened Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England. Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day April 29 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34187e5f0b1d5075f4d41/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/04-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, April 29, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Human Person Officer Military Uniform Military Vehicle Transportation Automobile Car and Animal](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e062be88a030d72dbcb6/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1295028387) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving Prince Charles's 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons, following their wedding reception.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Skirt Woman and Grass](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d21f8ed124a54212bd2a/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/113285700) William and Kate walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding to a waiting helicopter as they leave for a secret honeymoon location on April 30, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary July 2011.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341873decdb1c740dcd9e/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/06-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at a bull riding demonstration in Calgary, July 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Tie Accessories Accessory Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e118b33b65e39413821d/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/115747105) Thee Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a London gala on June 9, 2011.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games August 2 2012.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341886e8a86557688bece/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/07-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate at the 2012 London Olympic Games, August 2, 2012.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Shirt Apparel Tiggy LeggeBourke Human Person and Sleeve](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089e1e0fbf69590958441f8/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/174293677) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose with their first child Prince George, outside the hospital on July 23, 2013.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Nature Clothing Apparel Outdoors Human Person Snow Helmet Winter and Ice](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d22ded0e2ee05d73026f/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/514133594) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge enjoy a short skiing break on March 3, 2016 in the French Alps.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park April 13 2016.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341880970c6fb5f135bb5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/08-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate enjoy a Game drive through Kaziranga National Park, April 13, 2016.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate recreate Princess Dianas famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16 2016.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a341aee2a71e71788ad491/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/09-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s famous 1992 Taj Mahal portrait on April 16, 2016.Photo: Getty Images ![William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day February 5 2017.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/58a34189baddd89b56b3a9e8/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/10-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) William and Kate race each other during a London Marathon Training Day, February 5, 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5a53e90631f1a6179ec89d65/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/11-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Kate Middleton affectionally smiles at Prince William during their royal tour of Germany in 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Trooping of the color](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5a53e9068734ad0ae793ca23/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/12-prince-william-kate-middleton-romance.jpg) Kate and William, smiling with their children, at the annual Trooping of the Color in 2017.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Person Female Robe Gown and Evening Dress](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5c3523ae87a1442d6442eae5/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/00-story-image-birthday-kate-middleton-romance-prince-william.jpg) The Cambridge family at the christening of Prince Louis.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Clothing Apparel Hat Suit Coat Overcoat Human and Person](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d205f7220d18441d68c4/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1156812364) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Ascot in 2019.Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Clothing Apparel Human Dating Person Sleeve Face Pants and Hug](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6089d9a9c7ea85b59f3b34c0/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/william-kate.jpeg) ![Image may contain Tie Accessories Accessory Prince William Duke of Cambridge Human Person Suit Coat and Clothing](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/61d391e017277cbbf181fd67/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge.jpeg) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the No Time to Die London premiere in 2021.Photo: Courtesy of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/By [Alex Bramall](https://www.alexbramall.com/) ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Prince George of Cambridge Person Adult Wedding and People](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/6810efb3c01ab98468386031/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/1499739080) Photo: Getty Images ![Image may contain Prince William Duke of Cambridge Face Head Person Photography Portrait Blouse Clothing and Pants](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/66df1d6de040253ded5c70bb/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/The%2520Princess%2520of%2520Wales%2520-%2520Still%25203.jpg) Photo: Will Warr / Courtesy of the Prince and Princess of Wales
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