It’s been 10 years since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married at Westminster Abbey. When they left Buckingham Palace hand-in-hand the day after their wedding, the royal couple weren’t just bound for their secret honeymoon location. They were also about to embark on a life together that has seen them travel the world, work with charities and raise a family.
The Cambridges issued two new portraits to mark the occasion. They were taken by photographer Chris Floyd earlier this week and show the couple outside Kensington Palace.
The pictures were also posted on the Royal Family’s social media accounts, alongside a message reading: “Wishing The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge a very happy wedding anniversary.”
And the official Twitter account of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall posted a congratulatory message featuring a party popper emoji. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also released a video to thank supporters.
Royal duties began right away for William, then 28, and Kate, then 29. Less than three weeks after the wedding, in May 2011, they met US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace.
The couple cheered on athletes with former Prime Minister David Cameron when London hosted the Olympics the following year.
The early years of their marriage saw William and Kate represent the Queen on trips abroad. During a tour in September 2012 to mark her Diamond Jubilee, they visited Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
They became a family of three when Kate gave birth to Prince George in July 2013. The couple posed for photographs with their first child outside St Mary’s Hospital in central London.
The young Prince George accompanied them on their travels. William and Kate’s three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand in the spring of 2014 was their first official overseas trip with their son.
Princess Charlotte was welcomed to the world the following year. The duke and duchess showed her off to other family members, including the Queen, at a christening in July 2015 on the Sandringham Estate.
They continued to carry out some royal duties alone, however, including a tour of India in April 2016, when they visited the Taj Mahal.
Some of their overseas trips, including one to Pakistan in October 2019, involved a lot of physical activity.
Meanwhile, they were raising the newest addition to the Cambridge clan – Prince Louis, who was born in April 2018. The family of five was pictured standing next to other family members at the Trooping of the Colour in 2019.
And as the pandemic took hold, the duke and duchess thanked those who kept essential services running in the UK. On a three-day tour aboard the Royal train in December, they met front-line workers including transport staff at London’s Euston station.
The children got involved, too, accompanying their parents to a special pantomime performance at London’s Palladium Theatre over Christmas to thank key workers and their families.
Throughout their marriage, William and Kate have channelled their efforts into charitable causes, especially those that concern mental health. They spoke to London ambulance staff on a rainy day in March about the wellbeing support being provided for them.
And as the couple approached their tenth wedding anniversary this week, they picked up golf clubs while meeting young people supported by a charity in Durham. It was smiles all around.
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