Fifteen years of marriage is no small thing — whether you’re a regular person like me, or a future king and queen.
I always feel a type of way when I see photos from Kate Middleton and Prince William’s royal wedding, because it took place just about eight months after my own wedding when I was still awash in newlywed bliss (and still relatively young, at 33, with abundant collagen and unblemished by the world’s slings and arrows).
So when the royal couple marked their 15th wedding anniversary with a new family photo, I clocked it with interest. And the more I looked at it, the more something stood out.
At first glance, it’s a departure from the stiff, formal portraits the royal family has historically favored. They’re sprawled out in a field with their three kids, dressed casually, barefoot, smiling in a way that feels easy rather than overly choreographed.
And yes, of course — this is still a curated image. They are, after all, one of the most photographed families in the world.
But underneath that, there’s something that actually feels… familiar.
Because here’s the thing: 15 years is enough time for any marriage to go through it.
In that span, most couples will face some combination of illness, stress, big life transitions, parenting challenges, and the kind of everyday wear-and-tear that just comes with building a life together. For William and Kate, that’s included very public versions of those things — from health scares to the intense scrutiny of royal life, not to mention family estrangement playing out on a global stage. (That’s one area I’m very happy not to relate to.) There was a global pandemic in there, too.
And then there’s the quieter, more universal stuff: raising kids, figuring out how to stay connected through different seasons of life, and, yes, just… aging together.
That’s what I see in this photo.
Not just a royal family, but a couple who have been in it long enough to soften a little — to lean into something less formal, more grounded, maybe (just maybe?!) even a little more “real.”
As someone who’s also been married for 15 years, I recognize that shift. You stop performing quite as much. You settle into your life instead of trying to present a perfect version of it.
Even if, in their case, that “settled” life still happens on palace grounds (or at least very picturesque fields).
Uh, just to be clear here: Their version of “normal” will never look like mine. But the emotional arc is resonant. The idea of building something over time, weathering hard seasons, and coming out the other side a little more relaxed, a little more sure of who you are together — that part actually does feel relatable.
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