Thirteen may be considered unlucky by some, but William and Kate are set on celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary with the same joy, happiness, and optimism for the future as they have in previous years.
As Prince William and Kate Middleton celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary today (April 29) one might expect the mood to be sombre due to Kate’s ongoing battle with cancer.
However, sources indicate that the couple plans to celebrate with as much love, happiness, and warmth as in previous years.
This anniversary is distinctly different to any before and carries special significance, resonating with both the couple and the nation, as if the public is renewing their vows of love and support along with them.
Now more than ever, the Princess of Wales embodies the grace and resilience that made Princess Diana the ‘People’s Princess’.
Amid her health struggles, Kate has rightfully earned this title, demonstrating exceptional strength and openness during her recent health challenges
‘William and Kate will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary like any other year, with each other’, a source said.
‘There is still a great deal of love between them and happy occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases and Easter will not be marred by the C-word.’
The Prince and Princess typically celebrate their anniversary privately, focusing on family and their shared life away from the public eye.
Last year, they retreated to Anmer Hall in Norfolk and sources state that the couple will celebrate the milestone privately in a very similar fashion this year.
To mark the milestone in 2023, the couple shared a photograph of themselves on their joint Instagram page.
In the photo, which was taken by photographer Matt Porteous, William and Kate can be seen riding bikes in the Norfolk countryside with their arms around each other.
This year, however, the occasion is markedly different; it’s not only a celebration of their marriage but also a testament to their close-knit partnership during these challenging times.
It is likely William will be doing the school run to Lambrook as normal today. Sources say the couple insist their children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 6 – come first.
A new photograph of Prince Louis taken by the Princess of Wales was released to celebrate his sixth birthday last week, showing him smiling from a picnic blanket.
And it is said that her love for photography has helped the princess through these difficult times.
‘Kate has really embraced photography. It’s her outlet,’ the source said. ‘While she’s recovering, she’s spending a lot of time in the grounds of Anmer Hall whenever the family is in Norfolk or at Windsor when the children are at school.’
England’s love affair with Kate Middleton began at precisely 11 am on April 29, 2011, when she walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey.
The ceremony, conducted by Dr. Rowan Williams, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, was attended by 1,900 guests and captivated a global television audience of over 60 million.
They watched as the couple pledged to support each other through sickness and health—a vow significantly tested today.
However, the nation’s mood shifted from joy to concern when, on March 22, a visibly unwell Kate appeared in a starkly different type of video announcing her cancer diagnosis.
Aged 42, the Princess of Wales disclosed that she was undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy in a deeply personal message filmed at Windsor.
Revealing the diagnosis as a ‘huge shock’, she shared how she and William have been managing the crisis privately for their young family’s sake.
In the video released shortly after being seen with Prince William at their favourite farm shop near their Adelaide Cottage home, Kate expressed how her husband had been a profound source of comfort and reassurance during her cancer fight.
Kate’s announcement sent shockwaves around the world and followed weeks of speculation and wild conspiracy theories about her health online.
In a move to scupper social media chatter on the likes of Twitter and TikTok following photoshop-gate, when the Princess of Wales admitted to tweaking the family’s official Mother’s Day image, Kate made the bold decision to silence them all with her cancer news.
Discovered only after major abdominal surgery at The London Clinic in January, the details of the exact type and stage of Kate’s cancer remain confidential at the request of Kensington Palace.
‘It’s very much a case of life must go on,’ the source said. ‘William is trying everything he can to shield the children from what’s going on at an adult level while making sure that Kate gets everything she needs at the same time.
‘His family is very much his priority right now and understandably so.’
During his first public appearance since Kate’s announcement, at the Surplus to Supper food charity event in Surrey earlier this month, William visibly struggled with emotion as he accepted well-wishes for his wife and father, King Charles, from the public.
This moment underscored the profound personal difficulties William is experiencing as two of the most important people in his life are grappling with cancer, emphasising the intense personal challenges he faces while trying to undertake his official duties as the Prince of Wales.
‘It’s knocked him [William] for six, there’s no doubt about that,’ the source said. ‘He is trying to stick to the usual family routine for the children’s sake and will slowly take on duties as and when he can.
‘There’s no pressure being put on him by either the Palace or his father because everyone understands what a tough time the entire family is going through. In situations like these, a sense of duty goes out the window and focus are placed upon health and well-being.’
In happier times, on their wedding day in 2011, Kate, then 29, wore a stunning £250,000 Alexander McQueen dress, which included a lace bodice hand-stitched by seamstresses from the renowned Royal School of Needlework.
The most iconic moment of the day came as the couple stepped on to the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the all-important kiss.
As she stepped out to face the public, Kate gasped ‘Oh my’ as she caught sight of the thousands of people cheering outside the Palace underlining the enduring connection she’s had with the British people since she became a part of the royal family.
Other highlights of the day included Kate’s sister Pippa stealing the show with her entrance to Westminster Abbey, which later saw her dubbed ‘Her Royal Hotness’ due to her derriere taking pride of place at the end of a magnificent two-metre-long train.
Prince Harry also made an appearance as best man, or so we were led to believe at the time. Harry later wrote in his memoir Spare that he wasn’t actually his brother’s best man.
Instead, James Meade and Thomas van Straubenzee—two of William’s closest friends—were the real best men.
‘The Harry fallout has really taken its toll on both William and Kate’, the source said.
‘Kate was particularly close to Harry, more so than William in some senses. So, when aim was taken at Kate it really hurt, especially when it was done so personally by Harry and Meghan [Markle] on American television.
‘Although Harry has reached out following Kate’s announcement, the relationship will never be the same again which is extremely sad because they were once so close.’
Kate’s cancer diagnosis has stirred a nationwide outpouring of support, mirroring the collective empathy and mourning that followed Princess Diana’s death.
Like Diana, Kate has touched the lives of so many through her charity work and relatable nature.
Her courage in facing cancer has drawn her closer to the British public, reinforcing her role as a modern ‘People’s Princess’, adored not only for her royal status but also for her human qualities.
The nation’s response to her illness shows a heart-warming collective investment in her well-being, highlighting her importance as a beloved national figure.
It is understood that William and Kate deeply appreciate the privacy they have been granted since Kate’s cancer announcement, as they continue to face this difficult period with support from across the nation, further cementing Kate’s beloved role as the ‘People’s Princess’ and the future ‘Queen of our Hearts’.
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