Kate and William, who have been a couple for more than two decades, first met while studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Their relationship began as a friendship and later blossomed into romance in 2003, during the Christmas season. Kate caught William's eye when she walked down the runway in a see-through dress at a university charity fashion show.
After graduating in 2005 with a degree in art history, Kate briefly worked as an accessories buyer for British women’s fashion chain Jigsaw. Despite facing intense media scrutiny, their relationship faced a brief split in 2007 before they reconciled a few months later. The couple publicly announced their engagement in November 2010, with Kate wearing Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
The media spotlight shone on Kate's middle-class upbringing in Berkshire, southeast England, and her family, particularly her mother Carole's journey from a flight attendant to a successful entrepreneur. Their love story was often portrayed as a modern-day fairytale, with Kate becoming the first commoner in over 350 years to marry a prince in direct line to the throne.
Their grand wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, was a spectacle of royal tradition and elegance. Kate stunned in a custom-made Alexander McQueen dress, meticulously crafted with such precision that seamstresses had to change their needles every three hours. The ceremony was attended by around 1,900 guests, and the British public was granted an extra public holiday to celebrate the occasion.
The wedding was a global event, with approximately 24 million viewers in the UK tuning in to watch, which accounted for about a third of the population. In the US, an estimated 22.8 million viewers were captivated by the royal nuptials, showcasing the enduring fascination with the British monarchy.
