Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding - A fairytale fit for the future king and queen
Kate and William tied the knot at Westminster AbbeyThe wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is one that changed the royal history books. On April 29, 2011, the world saw the future king marry his future queen in a moment that gave us a glimpse of the modern monarchy.
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s marriage has lasted 14 long years and counting. Despite divorce rumours swirling around the dark corners of social media, the couple are stronger than ever.
The past 12 months has proved to be a struggle for the royal pair, following Kate’s cancer diagnosis. However, they pushed through the ‘brutal year’ and proved love conquers all during our most difficult moments.
It wasn’t just a royal wedding. It was a love story that made even the most cynical believe in fairy tales again
We take a look back at Kate Middleton and Prince William’s beautiful wedding day and how it set up their marriage for the years that followed.
The lead up to Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding
The rumours of Kate Middleton and Prince William getting engaged and having a royal wedding were swirling for years before they announced the news. By November 2010, it was official – they were getting hitched!
William had proposed to his future queen while they were on holiday in Kenya. He got down on one knee with the 18-carat white gold engagement ring featuring a large oval sapphire. The sapphire is surrounded by 14 round diamonds.
First worn by his late mother, Princess Diana, it was something William cherished after she died. However, rumours that brother Prince Harry ‘gave’ his brother the ring to propose was slammed as ‘absolutely rubbish’ by the younger duke. He clarified in his book Spare, that William asked for the piece of jewellery after her death.
The union broke tradition for The Firm as Kate was not of aristocratic or royal blood, unlike nearly every royal bride before her. The modern couple also lived together for some time before they became engaged after dating for almost a decade before getting hitched.
Prince William and his best man
Prince William’s wedding outfit followed tradition, wearing a bright scarlet tunic and cap of the Colonel of the Irish Guards.
The future king actually broke protocol and asked Harry to serve as his best man. When in royal weddings, if the groom is of royal birth, he has a ‘supporter’ and not the term ‘best man’.
However, years later, in his memoir, Harry revealed he wasn’t William’s official ‘best man’ at his brother’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
Read more: Kate Middleton broke tradition on her wedding day to Prince William with iconic look
He claimed William’s friends, James Meade and Thomas Van Straubenzee, were the best men and gave speeches at the reception. The Duke of Sussex says he was publicly named as the best man for image sake but was asked not to give a speech.
He wrote that he was forced to go along with the “bare-faced lie” he was William’s best man.
Despite of this, Harry and William travelled to Westminster Abbey in a Bentley and kept up appearances.
Kate Middleton’s wedding dress
Princess Kate travelled by car with her dad Michael Middleton on her wedding day – opting to not be taken by carriage.
They left the Goring Hotel and were driven down The Mall to Parliament Square to meet her future husband at the end of the altar.
Carrying a bouquet made up of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, ivy, sweet William, and hyacinth, it gave hidden links to her love and her groom. Sweet Williams were a tribute to the prince, while myrtle represents hope and love and the lily of the valley is said to mean purity of heart and sweetness. It was also one of the late Queen‘s favourite flowers. Following the wedding, the bouquet was placed on the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, following tradition.
Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, designed Kate Middleton’s floor-length ivory dress. The dress itself and the name of the designer was kept secret until the day of the wedding.
Combing tradition with modernity, the long-sleeved gown featured the symbolic rose of England, thistle of Scotland, daffodil of Wales and Shamrock of Ireland in the skirt tulle.
The lace-applique bodice was handmade, along with the skirt, by the Royal School of Needlework.
It followed McQueen’s signature design by having a narrow waist that was padded at the hip.
Kate Middleton also wore a Cartier halo diamond tiara. It was made in 1936 and given to Queen Elizabeth by her mother on her wedding day. The tiara was attached to a full veil, made from Chantilly lace.
Her dress featured a train that measured nine feet (2.7 metres) long.
Arriving at Westminster Abbey
The couple tied the knot at Westminster Abbey, the same place William’s grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip married in 1947. It was also the same Abbey where his mother’s funeral was held in 1997.
There were almost 1,900 guests to Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding. These included heads of state from the Commonwealth, royals from around the world, celebrities and friends and family of the bride and groom.
Kate arrived with sister Pippa Middleton – who was her maid of honour – and her four bridesmaids. Lady Louise Windsor, Honourable Margarita Amstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem and Eliza Lopes, were the bridesmaids. Sarah Burton also designed sister Pippa’s dress.
As Kate walked down the maple-tree lined aisle by her father’s side, Prince Harry snuck a glimpse of her before William turned around.
Marcia Moody, royal author, wrote in her 2013 book Kate: A biography, the Duke turned to his brother and said: “Right, she is here now”, to let him know.
He then whispered: “Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that,” with a smile.
When he was able to look at his bride, William told Kate: “You look lovely. You look beautiful.”
He then cracked a joke to Kate’s dad Michael Middleton to break his nerves: “We’re supposed to have just a small family affair”.
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding ceremony
The Dean of Westminster conducted the service with the Bishop of London giving an address. The Archbishop of Canterbury married Kate Middleton and Prince William during the marriage ceremony.
On the day of their wedding, the late Queen gifted the newlyweds new titles, she made Prince William and Kate Middleton the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Without the new title, Kate would have been known as Princess William.
The couple chose ‘I was Glad’, by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, for when Kate walked down the aisle. They chose three hymns for the service, Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, Love Divine All Love Excelling and Jerusalem.
Read more: William gifts Kate £9,000 pendant for their anniversary
Kate opted for a wedding band made from traditional Welsh gold, owned by the royals. However, Prince William opted out of wearing a wedding band – because he doesn’t like wearing jewellery.
In their vows, they promised to “love, comfort, honour and keep” each other in traditional vows.
As the bells of Westminster Abbey faded into memory, the world knew it had witnessed not just a wedding, but the quiet forging of a modern monarchy
Buckingham Palace kiss
Following the wedding ceremony, Prince William and Kate Middleton headed to Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn carriage.
It was reported the late Queen made a disapproving remark after seeing the carriage, and it was caught by a lip reader.
Thousands of fans lined the streets to cheer the couple and watch them wave from Buckingham Palace balcony. The duo kiss much to fans’ delight from below as they waved, held signs and cheered.
Then William leaned into Kate’s ear and uttered a whisper lip experts have been discussing ever since. They seem to agree he said something along the lines of: “Shall we do one more?” and “I love you”.
So, Prince William and Kate Middleton kissed for a second time, and it became an iconic moment of their marriage.
Wedding reception
The late Queen hosted a reception for the couple and their guests at the palace. It’s believed around 600 guests were invited, enjoying wine, champagne, and canapés.
Later, the newlyweds left for a private dinner hosted by his father, the then Prince of Wales, in the evening, for 300 guests.
Kate switched up her wedding dress for the reception with Prince William – opting for another gown designed by Sarah Burton. It was an all-white strapless satin gown with a sweetheart neckline and circle skirt. It featured diamanté embroidery around the waist, and she wore it with a white angora bolero cardigan.
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding cake was made by Fiona Cairns. It was a multi-tiered design consisting of a traditional fruit cake. It was decorated with cream and white icing in the Joseph Lambeth technique. McVitie’s Cake company also served a chocolate biscuit cookie cake at the reception.
As William’s ‘best man’, Harry cracked a few jokes at their reception. But he made the conscious decision to remove a jibe about Kate from his set.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl revealed the cheeky joke was about Kate’s ‘killer legs’. However, his girlfriend at the time, Chelsy Davy, told him to drop it as it was “too much”.
In her book, Harry: Life, Loss and Love, Katie said: “She had helped Harry edit the best man’s speech, sensitively advising him to take out a line about Kate’s ‘killer legs’ that might have embarrassed the bride.”
But he saved a heartfelt moment for his words during the reception, reflecting on their mother Princess Diana. Harry explained he said: “I closed on a serious note. Mummy: How she’d have loved to have been here. How she’d have loved Kate, and how she’d have loved seeing this love you’ve found together.”
Singer Ellie Goulding then performed Starry Eyed for the couple’s first dance.
Driving off into the sunset
Kate and William didn’t ask for gifts for their wedding. Instead, requesting gifts send donations to the Royal Wedding Charity Fund. It was part of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, which was established in 2009.
After celebrating the big day, the duo drove off in his father’s Aston Martin Volante.
The car featured silver and red heart balloons and silver ribbons. It also had two special balloons with their initials on C and W.
However, the future king suffered a royal blunder, as he forgot to take the handbrake off!
Photographer Arthur Edwards revealed on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs that King Charles revealed the epic mistake to him.
Read more: 10 rare Prince William and Kate Middleton PDA moments – Kisses; cheeky bottom tap; look of love
He said: “I was talking to Prince Charles about that. I said: ‘Did you mind him borrowing your car?’ Because he loves that car. It was a birthday present from his mother on his 21st birthday.
“He said: ‘Oh, no. He asked me if he could use it.’ ”
But when he pointed out there seemed to be a problem with the sports car, Charles apparently explained: “Yes. Because he didn’t take the handbrake off.”
After arriving for a more private celebration, the couple and guests danced the night away with a DJ. At 2.30am, they poured out into the gardens for fireworks. Then, Kate Middleton and Prince William spent their first night of their marriage in the Belgian Suite.
It was the start of the modern monarchy.
In a world changing day by day, their ceremony was a reminder that tradition does not have to grow old – it can simply evolve.
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