Beaming from ear to ear hours after saying “I do” in the royal wedding of the decade, the then new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the picture of newlywed bliss in a previously unseen portrait.
The couple released the black-and-white photograph on their social media accounts to mark their 13th wedding anniversary on 29 April – a welcome surprise to the public, who have been sharing their best wishes for the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative treatment for cancer. “13 years ago today!” read the caption.
It shows the Prince, who had changed out of his red Irish Guards tunic worn for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and into his dapper Blues and Royals frockcoat, wrapping a tender arm around his new wife’s waist. She radiates happiness, smiling directly at the camera in her bespoke Alexander McQueen wedding dress.
Kate worked closely with the label’s creative director Sarah Burton on the ivory satin and lace gown. Every detail was considered, from the lace appliqué on the bodice featuring the national flowers of the UK – roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks – to the pleats on the skirt that echoed the opening of a flower.
Crowning her look is the Cartier Halo tiara, borrowed from Elizabeth II and previously belonging to the Queen Mother, with earrings from Robinson Pelham, a gift from her parents Carole and Michael Middleton and inspired by the family’s new coat of arms.
WEDDING WHOOPS
The portrait was taken by Millie Pilkington, who has gone on to take pictures of their children
