Marie Clayton - Kate and William: Their Royal Life

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Wales and Catherine Elizabeth Middleton met for the first time after they both began a history of art degree course at the University of St Andrews in 2001. They shared an interest in sport and had both been to Chile during their respective gap years, but at first their relationship was merely platonic. Kate was dating a law student at the same university, while William had several girlfriends, none of them serious. In their second year this began to change after William moved into a flat with his good friend Fergus Boyd, along with Kate and another female friend. It was not long before the press began to take note that William and Kate seemed very close although early suggestions that they might be dating were strongly denied. However, after they both graduated and William began his army training Kate was increasingly spotted at events attended by members of the royal family, even if she was not part of the royal party. But her attendance at Williams passing out parade at Sandhurst in December 2006 was deemed significant, and soon she was publicly established as Williams girlfriend.

But away from the enclosed world of the university and in the public eye it was much harder to sustain a relationship and on top of this William was now often away due to his army career. In the press speculation had quickly turned from who William was going to marry, to when he would marry Kate and he began to feel pressured. This led to a brief split in April 2007, although William quickly realized that without Kate life wasnt nearly so much fun and they were back together within a few months. However, before he proposed he made sure that Kate knew exactly what future she would be choosing if she said yes.

When William and Kate married on 29 April 2011, there can hardly have been a couple in the world that went to the altar with so many good wishes following them. Many people not just in Britain but all around the world had watched William grow up into a charming and down-to-earth young man, and as he grew older there had been increasing interest in who he would choose as his bride. Since his wife would one day be Queen, some felt that he might eventually follow royal tradition and find a companion from among the royal houses of Europe or from one of Britains aristocratic families not least because some believed this would mean the young woman would have some experience of the stresses her position would bring. But Princess Diana had made sure that both her sons grew up grounded and with some experience of normal life, so perhaps it was no surprise that Prince William chose a girl he met at university just like many other young men.

Above: Leaving the Singapore Botanical Gardens during the Diamond Jubilee tour in September 2012. Kates bouquet includes the newly named orchid Vanda William Catherine.

Above: The Duke and Duchess arrive for a dinner hosted by The Thirty Club at Claridges in London on 8 May 2012. Kate wears a floor-length creamy white gown with a thigh-high slit by Roland Mouret and sparkling Jimmy Choo sandals.

Above: The young couple arrive at Calgary Airport on 7 July during their 2011 tour across North America.

The royal wedding was cause for national celebration in Britain. It was the first time a commoner had married a monarch-in-waiting for nearly 400 years and the wedding was marked by all the finest pomp and ceremony for which Britain has always been so famous. On their wedding day the Queen bestowed new titles on the couple: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Scottish titles of Earl and Countess of Strathearn and the Northern Irish titles of Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus. It was not long before Kate joined William in his public duties, and it was quickly apparent that William had made a very good choice. Not only beautiful, she also has intelligence, poise and grace and she quickly charmed everyone that she met.

The first major event in the royal life of the new Duchess of Cambridge was the 11-day North American tour that she and Prince William undertook in July 2011. It was the first time that Kate had experienced the level of interest that a royal tour generates heightened by the fact that everybody was keen to see the new young couple but despite this she seemed happy and relaxed. The tour was almost as much of a new experience for Prince William during the previous years a deal with the media had mostly kept him out of the spotlight and he had sought anonymity with his army career, but now he was really part of The Firm, as the royal family are reported to refer to themselves. Despite this he seemed as relaxed and happy as his bride. During the tour the couple not only carried out the obligatory official functions, but also made time to compete against each other in a dragon boat race, visit a centre for at-risk and homeless youth, play street hockey, and go canoeing. And Kate played her role perfectly, being careful neither to upstage her husband nor hide in his shadow. Prince William for his part had made sure that some visits on the tour catered for his wifes interests, and it was soon clear to everybody that here was a marriage of equal partners who were genuinely in love.

It is perhaps not surprising that because of her youth, beauty and sense of style, the new Duchess of Cambridge quickly became a fashion icon. Designers would have competed to provide her with clothes but Kate was determined to dress more like other women her age. For many public occasions she has turned her back on couture fashion, choosing instead to wear outfits from high street shops which usually sold out as soon as she was pictured in them. She also appears to have an admirable sense of thrift, not only recycling outfits on different occasions, but also reportedly buying in the sales and in one interview she revealed that she loved to go outlet shopping.

In his own way, Prince William has also chosen to follow a more normal lifestyle he signed up for a three-year tour of duty in 2010 and has built a successful career in the army as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. His current commitment runs out in 2013 and he was expected to leave the army at that point to become a full-time royal. However, in interviews early in 2012 he expressed a wish to continue serving not only because he enjoys his work but partly because he and Kate could then start a family away from the glare of the media.

Above: Kate wears a coat by Italian label M for Missoni during a visit to Fortnum & Mason in London in March 2012. With her beauty and sense of style the Duchess has quickly become a fashion icon.

The young couple have been in the spotlight in 2012; for only the second time in its history, the UK celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of a monarch when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reached the 60th aniversary of her accession to the throne. Early in the year the Queen began a Diamond Jubilee tour around the United Kingdom, with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, accompanying her on several of the trips a sure indication that Kate had achieved the royal seal of approval. On the long Jubilee weekend of June 25, thousands of well-wishers from around the world flocked to London to witness the spectacular celebrations, which included a river pageant, a star-studded free concert at Buckingham Palace, a carriage procession and a service of thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral. Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry were in attendance throughout the whole weekend, most memorably at the Buckingham Palace concert where they were pictured singing along with the crowd and waving Union Jack flags. Summer 2012 was also the year that London staged the 30th Olympiad and since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry share a keen interest in sport they were present at many of the events. In support of the British economy they also met with foreign dignitaries and international business figures to highlight British business to the world.