Somehow it's been ten years since the nation (and households around the world) tuned in to watch Prince William marry his girlfriend of almost a decade, Kate Middleton, in a royal wedding of epic proportions. While taking note of many expected norms and tradition (the Duchess, for instance, wore a dress with long sleeves as is custom of a regal bride), they broke the mould by ignoring a fair few others.
What else did they do differently? Well, for starters, Prince William bestowed the honour of best man onto his brother, Prince Harry, when in the past no such role would have existed within a royal wedding. Ditto when the Duchess chose her sister, Pippa Middleton, to be maid of honour (usually a royal bride would have young bridesmaids, but not so much one singled out right-hand woman).
William and Kate also delighted gathered crowds and viewers around the world when they appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after their nuptials and kissed not once (like the other royal newlyweds before them), but twice. Major!
Speaking of Buckingham Palace, the Cambridges also went against the grain when they decided to spend the night after their wedding there, as opposed to jetting off into the sunset for their honeymoon right away. However, by the looks of the stunning Seychelles resort they're believed to have stayed in, we're sure it was more than worth the wait (it's also the spot that George and Amal Clooney are thought to have headed to after their own wedding).
Continuing on with the royal 'rules' they set to one side, William and Kate's union in general is also one that is rather different to that of William's royal predecessors. Kate is technically the first queen consort to marry into the Royal Family without any prior connection to British nobility.
We still find it hard to believe that the couple have now been married for ten whole years (and have been together for almost twenty, after meeting at St Andrew's University in 2001) – and what an incredible nearly two decades they've been. From welcoming three children, including future king Prince George, to travelling the world together, we're sure they're taking some time today to reflect on everything they've achieved together.
Here's wishing a very happy anniversary to you, William and Kate!
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
