Prince William and Kate Middleton have been a couple for decades. Ever since their first date while the pair were studying at St Andrew’s University, they’ve indulged in public displays of affection, sometimes doing so in quite a non-royal way.
Kate Middleton is on her way back to public life after her fight with cancer, and needless to say, the last year has been a massive challenge for she and William. Their love certainly seems to be a fairytale affair, which will be helpful moving forward, with one expert claiming that the two are under immense pressure regarding the monarchy’s future.
So what is the foundation for William and Kate’s loving relationship, which one royal expert has described as like ‘teenage love’? Let’s take a closer look.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have been crazy in love for decades now. The couple started as friends while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland, but it wasn’t long before further feelings developed. The Prince and Princess of Wales married in 2011 in Westminster Abbey. They are now busy moulding their beloved children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, into the next generation of royals.
The last year has been genuinely challenging as Kate Middleton first went through an abdominal surgery and later received the shocking news that she had cancer. The Palace has still not confirmed what type of cancer it was, but today, gladly, Kate has recovered and is cancer-free.
The Princess of Wales made her first public appearance following the heartbreaking news of her cancer diagnosis when she, alongside her family, celebrated Trooping the Colour. A photographer captured a loving moment between Prince William and Kate MIddleton, staring into each other’s eyes with nothing but love while they stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Prince William & Kate Middleton Marriage
According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, it painted an obvious picture. They have not only made it through a very challenging period but also have hopes for a bright future.
“The last few months have been a test of their strong partnership,” Bond told OK! Magazine. “I think this photograph tells us that they are still able to jump for joy, even in the toughest of times, and that Kate has deliberately chosen a picture that speaks of their optimism for the future.”
“She adores William – he is her rock and has supported her so selflessly through all of this and has taken flak from members of the public for not doing more and for devoting himself to her. So she adores her man. I think their marriage is stronger than ever.”
Bond went on to describe William’s commitment to Kate as a “great accolade.”
“It’s a great accolade to a person to have your partner who has such a public role but any partner just say ‘OK, I don’t care what people say, you are my priority,” she concluded. “William has made it absolutely clear that Kate and the children are his number one priority and nothing is going to move him away from that path.”
Prince William speaks out on “brutal” year
In early November, William visited South Africa. During the trip, he described 2024 as a “brutal” year. In fact, the “hardest year” of his life.
“Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult,” William said. “But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been… brutal..”
The Prince of Wales continued by saying that Kate is doing “very well.”
“I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that,” he continued, “But it’s more a case of just crack on, and you’ve got to keep going,” he said. “I enjoy my work, and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family, too.”
In an interview with the BBC, royal expert and author Robert Hardman said that Prince William’s admission was part of a greater sense that the Royal Family is “resetting the dial” on how they are perceived by the public.
“It’s been a hell of a year – there he (William) is on the one hand helping his wife through a very serious illness, and he’s also expected to stand in for his father who is suffering from cancer,” Hardman said. “He’s been holding the fort throughout all this.”
Royal expert says Kate Middleton has been “vulnerable”
The turbulent year has been a challenging test for William and Kate’s relationship. At the same time, the feud with William’s brother Prince Harry can also be assumed to have taken up plenty of time around the dinner table. But no matter what has happened, it’s safe to say that William and Kate are still going strong.
Speaking with Fox News, Roya Nikkhah, royals editor for The Sunday Times and co-host of the podcast The Royals with Roya and Kate, said the couple is “still very into each other.”
“When you see them on engagements, they’re obviously still very into each other,” Nikkhah said. “One’s always looking out for the other. Recently, when they were in Southport together, you could see that… she was a bit more vulnerable. I think they’ve got each other’s backs.”
“I think when you have that weight of public scrutiny on you, it’s very hard to keep a little bit of your private life private because you are so publicly scrutinized,” the royal expert continued. “But if you look at the video they put out when [Kate] announced she’d finished chemotherapy, we never get to see them like that.”
“A lot of people were quite surprised to see how open they were in terms of letting the cameras film them as they were, as they would like us to see them, which was hugging a lot, kissing and being extremely close physically on a blanket,” she added.
Prince William & Kate Middleton have a “stable family life”
British journalist Helena Chard also spoke to Fox, claiming that William and Kate have recently enjoyed some much-needed quality time with each other and their children. She explained that they have a “happy, stable family life full of fun, love, and laughter.”
“They strive to keep the majority of their personal tactile life private,” Chard said. “During their earlier years, they enjoyed partying at certain clubs. But for many years they’ve fueled and energized each other through enjoying competitive sports and pursuing all things fun in the great outdoors.”
“The Prince and Princess of Wales are best friends, each other’s support blanket and cheerleader,” the British broadcaster continued. “Laughter and enjoying the small things in life together is their medicine. Princess Catherine’s unexpected illness and scary cancer journey have brought them closer together with the realization that life is so fragile. They love and appreciate each other more than ever.”
The Royal Family performs hundreds of engagements each year. As Kate Middleton has focused on returning to full-time royal work, she has naturally missed many events she otherwise would’ve attended. However, one she refused to miss was Remembrance Sunday, a ceremony held on the second Sunday of November in the UK to commemorate British service members who have died in wars and other military conflicts.
“She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family”
The Princess of Wales hasn’t missed a single appearance on Remembrance Sunday since marrying William in 2011, and this year was no different. Kate stepped out on the balcony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, on Sunday with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. King Charles led the ceremony.
Exactly when Kate will return full-time to her royal duties isn’t clear. However, speaking to People Magazine, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith said that the princess making an appearance sends a message.
“She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen,” Bedell Smith told People. “It was good that people saw her. You can’t say she is back … but she is coming back,”
Royal fans worldwide have shown their loving support for Kate Middleton over the last year. At the same time, her family has been more crucial than ever, with Prince William taking on more responsibilities at home and her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, taking care of their grandchildren several times.
Expert says Prince William & Kate Middleton are like “teenagers in love”
In the meantime, royal expert Hilary Fordwich has shined new light on William and Kate’s marriage. As Kate soon returns to royal duties, she explained how William will be at her side, supporting her all the way. Also, according to the expert, their love is greater than ever.
“A picture tells a thousand words and there have been several times when their affection is reminiscent of two teenagers in love, which of course they initially were, well in their early 20s,” Fordwich told Fox.
“Their displays of public affection nowadays demonstrate they have no hesitation or reservation in letting the world know exactly how they feel about one another when they deem it appropriate to do so,” Fordwich shared. “Their comfort with each other from those deep bonds formed at university has never waned, but rather have grown.”