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The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating 13 years of marriage! A never-before-seen portrait of the royal couple was released on Monday, April 29, to commemorate their thirteenth wedding anniversary. The black-and-white image was taken by Millie Pilkington on the Waleses’ wedding day.
Catherine, dressed in her stunning gown designed by Sarah Burton, smiled for the portrait, holding her bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, ivy, myrtle and hyacinth, while her Prince stood behind her with a hand on her waist. “13 years ago today!” the message alongside the previously unseen photo reads.
The Prince and Princess, who met as students at St. Andrews University, were married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Following the ceremony, the newlyweds traveled in a horse-drawn carriage to Buckingham Palace, where they shared not one, but two kisses on the balcony.
William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth hosted a reception for the couple and their guests at Buckingham Palace. Later in the evening, the Prince’s father, now-King Charles, hosted a private dinner. In a speech at their evening reception, William reportedly called his bride “my rock.”
The couple’s thirteenth anniversary comes over a month after Catherine revealed that tests after her abdominal surgery this year found that cancer had been present and that she had started a course of preventative chemotherapy. In her personal message, which was released on March 22, the Princess said that “having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance.”
When the Prince of Wales returned to public duties this month, following the Easter holidays, he promised to look after his wife. Kensington Palace has previously said that Her Royal Highness will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team.
