As newlyweds, Prince William and Princess Kate waved on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, their happiness was tangible.
Princess Kate was radiant in a lace satin dress, Prince William was dressed in a bright red military uniform, and the crowd cheered, they kissed each other, and then kissed each other.
The second spontaneous kiss is a clear sign of modern royal romance: the couple seems to be freed from the dull etiquette of the past, invigorating.
It's not just a kiss in front of the camera, it's true love, and everyone who watches it, including the around 2 billion people around the world who stand in front of the TV, knows it. Everyone present could feel that something special was beginning.
There are other reasons why the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge broke the norm when they married in April 2011, such as Kate Middleton, who came from a middle-class family and was the first so-called "commoner" in 350 years to marry a future king.
But their marriage was far from a storm, and they were divided and reunited for 7 years, until William proposed in November 2010.
In the engagement interview, when asked why she waited so long, William shyly said: "I want to give her a chance to quit before things get too serious if she needs to." I'm trying to learn from past experiences, and I just want to give her the best chance to adapt and see what happens on the other side. ”
The two first met in 2001, when they were studying art history at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Before going to college, William had dated some girls who were in a relationship. In the summer of 2001, he had a relationship with Arabella Masgrave, the two met at a party at a friend's house, but the relationship was also short-lived.
When he entered the University of St Andrews, he and Kate soon became staunch friends. If William missed a class, she would share her notes, and then, when he felt uneasy in the first semester, she encouraged him to transfer to a geography degree.
But in the first year, both were socializing with others; Kate's boyfriend is a Finch law student, while William is dating Marcy Birch, a British student.
Kate's natural apathy and charisma attracted William and won his heart during his first term. He pursued her and she became his first official girlfriend.
In October 2001, william was very upset when he broke up with him at the end of the first semester. After he and Kate broke up, everything was normal, which increased William's insecurity. He was becoming increasingly unhappy, and there was a lot of uncertainty about things that he hadn't anticipated.
William also had relationships with tv host Ben Fogel's sister-in-law Olivia and Karthorpe, but both ended in failure.
While he and Kate remain good friends, Kate's famous appearance at the charity fashion show is credited with changing all that. At the event, she showed off a revealing sheer dress, and Prince William, who was obsessed with her, said to a friend, "Wow, Kate is so sexy!"
The transparent miniskirt cost £30 to make, but was auctioned for £78,000 by its designer Charlotte Todd in March 2011.
William and Kate shared a room with two friends in their sophomore year of college, and their relationship grew closer.
Prince William said in the engagement interview that we had a lot of laughs, we had common interests and had a great time. She has a very naughty sense of humor.
After a difficult childhood and adolescence, Kate's stable upbringing contrasted with him. Her parents, Michael 72 and Carol, 67, met while working at British Airways and as a couple showed a strong family unit.
Although Carroll grew up in a government apartment in Southhall, the couple's online business is booming and is now said to be worth at least £20 million. Kate's home is a manor house in Berkshire, and she and her 38-year-old sister Pippa and her 34-year-old brother James are both privately educated at Moreborough College in Wiltshire.
William has always loved his in-laws, and as royal writer Claudia Joseph tells us, Kate and her family had a huge influence on William. He made no secret of the fact that he was close to them.
Although they lived in the same student dormitory, William and Kate went out of their way to avoid any hints that they were together.
They never hold hands in public and try to avoid photographers. However, in April 2004, they were photographed skiing together for the first time in Klosters. The next day, a newspaper headlined that middle-class girls share William's life.
Since then, their relationship has continued to develop and people believe that a shared sports hobby is part of what attracts them.
Kate has watched rugby games in England since she was a child with her family, and they always arrange weekends during international matches. Kate's new role in a training session in February was that of a patron of rugby league, and she laughed when asked about her rivalry with William, who is a patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.
The fact that Kate says we're actually supporting two different teams now will make things interesting.
In June 2005, the two graduated from college, and before joining her parents' company, Kate worked as a jewelry buyer in a fashion store for a while.
William had attended Sandhurst, an elite military school in Berkshire, where he caused a media storm in December 2006, when Kate attended with her parents, suggesting a new seriousness between them.
Despite speculation that the two were about to get engaged, the two unexpectedly broke up in April 2007. William broke up with her out of concern for Kate's safety. It was reportedly a phone breakup.
Kate agreed, saying, "I wasn't happy about it at the time, but it actually made me stronger."
Witnessing the chaos of his parents' divorce was the main reason William was reluctant to settle down. His experiences as a child apparently influenced the timing of his proposal to Kate.
During their breakup, Kate had a scandal with shipping heir Henry Lopner, which undoubtedly sounded a wake-up call for William.
In the summer of 2007, he begged Kate to give him another chance. She agreed, on the condition that it be kept forever. However, William remains hesitant about proposing, which leads to Kate being called "the waiting Katie".
But during this time, she at least won the support of royal traditionalists, and her fashion tastes became very low-key.
After another three years, they finally announced their engagement in November 2010.
Romantically, William waited until they were on holiday at Lake Rudundu in Kenya, where he gave Kate a £300,000 sapphire diamond ring from Diana, Princess of Wales.
William said we've been talking about marriage for a while, so it wasn't a big surprise. I took her to a nice place in Kenya to propose.
Speaking about the reasons for choosing this destination, he added that the African continent occupies a very special place in my heart. That's where my father took me and my brother after my mother's death. When deciding on the best place to propose, I can't think of a more suitable place than kneeling on one knee in Kenya.
Five months later, on April 29, 2011, William and Kate were married at Westminster Abbey. The event was covered by 2,000 guests, 9,000 journalists, and billions of people around the world watched.
On the day of the wedding, the Queen crowned William Duke, and the couple later became known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince William wore the red tunic of the Irish Guard, while Princess Kate's dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. It's made of ivory satin, with a V-shaped lace coat and sleeves, and a 9-foot-long trailing tail.
Her veil was secured by the Cartier tiara that the Queen had lent her, and the bride opted for her own makeup — black eyeliner, mascara, blush and Barbie brown pink lipstick.
She holds a bouquet of lily, sweet William, ivy, myrtle, and hyacinth. Following royal tradition, her wedding ring was made from a welsh nugget of gold. Prince Harry is the best man, Princess Kate's sister Pippa is the bridesmaid, and there are four bridesmaids and two petty ministers.
After the ceremony, Buckingham Palace hosted a lavish luncheon for 650 people, and another 300 people hosted a dinner at Buckingham Palace. Kate changed into a white dress, also designed by Sarah Burton, and Ellie Goulding was involved in the party, where a spectacular fireworks display at 3 a.m. painted a perfect picture of the festivities.
The couple's married life began in Anglesey, Wales, where William worked as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. In December 2012, the news of Kate's first pregnancy was announced, and their lives took another happy turn.
The Duchess had severe morning sickness, and there were rumors that she was pregnant with twins, but Prince George arrived alone on 22 July 2013. In 2015, Princess Charlotte followed, and in 2018, Prince Louis followed. Living with three children seemed to make them more intimate.
Although William and Kate are dutiful and hands-on parents, they also find time to fulfill their royal duties.
The couple played an important unifying role during the pandemic, and during the lockdown they quickly found new ways to connect with the public through social media and Zoom virtual events.
Thanks to their modern lifestyle, the couple's popularity has soared, and when they traveled to the Caribbean in March, they once again proved how successful their partnership was.
Behind every great man is a great woman, and this maxim is most true to William and Kate. William's marriage to Kate put him back. They are equals, friends, lovers and parents.