The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a trip to the Bahamas(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)
William and Kate are set to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary next April, a significant milestone after the trials and tribulations of recent times.
Despite the upheaval she and William have faced potentially pushing any couple to the brink, it appears to have had the exact opposite effect on them personally. “I’ve been with them on many occasions, and when the cameras drop, you’ll often see them walk away and Kate will put an arm around his waist, or he’ll place his hand in the small of her back,” reveals Katie Nicholl, author of the biography Kate: The Future Queen.
“They’ve been through so much and, of course, each year Kate clocks up will be another year of being cancer-free, which really will be worth marking.”
Prince William and Princess Kate in a candid moment
“They tend to do things in a low-key way, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them do something special to recognise 15 years of marriage next year.
“There’s a lovely closeness between them, and whereas at the start of their marriage they seemed shy about being affectionate in public, they’re so much more confident now.”
Royal author Christopher Andersen, who penned the 2022 book The King , suggests that a shared “naughty” sense of humour was “one of the most important things that drew them together”. Although he implies they have toned down the jokes for the sake of young ears in the house, Christopher adds, “They can still make each other double over laughing.”, reports the Mirror.
Kate Middleton and Prince William on the day of their graduation ceremony at St Andrew’s University in St Andrew’s on June 23, 2005 in Scotland.(Image: Clarence House via GettyImages)
William himself disclosed during their televised 2010 engagement interview, “We’re down to earth. We take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she’s got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about.”
As parents to three lively children, romantic moments may be scarcer nowadays, but the couple still endeavour to carve out private time together.
In April, following an official visit to the Isle of Mull – which happened to fall on their 14th wedding anniversary – they caught a public ferry to Iona for a brief getaway. Instead of booking into a lavish hotel, they chose self-catering accommodation in an isolated countryside retreat.
Kate and William at an engagement in 2023(Image: Getty Images)
They also posted a photograph on Instagram showing themselves with arms wrapped around each other, heads touching intimately.
It’s reported that whilst unwinding at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk residence, they frequently slip away for understated evening outings to local pubs, where residents respectfully give them space. Yet married life isn’t always smooth sailing, and like any couple, they face the odd challenging moment.
“They’ve been together for nearly a quarter of a century. Of course there are going to be hiccups,” says Katie.
Prince William and Kate on their wedding day(Image: Getty Images)
Physical attraction has consistently played a role in their relationship, too. On the night William saw his future wife sashay down the catwalk in a sheer dress at a student fashion show, he famously told friends, “Wow, Kate’s hot!”.
Over the years, body language experts have regularly commented on their chemistry – and Kate has frequently flouted Royal protocol by publicly patting William on the bottom.
Royal biographer Tom Quinn, author of Gilded Youth: An Intimate History Of Growing Up In The Royal Family, has revealed the couple have engaged in heated rows over the years, claiming they settle disputes through a rather unconventional yet successful method. “William and Kate throw cushions at each other. It’s always kept under control. It doesn’t escalate,” he disclosed.