Not long before his show of selflessness at Christmas, the British public (and many people worldwide) were thrilled to hear that Prince William had proposed to Kate Middleton during a holiday to Kenya – and that she had accepted!
One month later, in November 2010, Clarence House announced that the couple were to marry, and that the wedding would take place on the 29th April 2011.
One wonders whether the press easing off on reports of the couple during 2009 and 2010 helped the situation, or perhaps if William’s active duties in defending his country had given him a maturity that had not been present back in 2007. Whatever the reason, both parties seemed truly in love.
A further link with Princess Diana was made, with the engagement ring being the same 18-carat Sapphire one of William’s mother.
The Clarence House announcement was most likely the best news received by supporters of the British Royals since that regarding Charles and Diana’s engagement almost thirty years previously. Despite its brevity, the statement said everything that needed to be said – ‘The Prince of Wales [Prince Chalres] is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middeleton. The wedding will take place in the spring or summer of 2011, in London. Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton’s father.’
It was reported that The Queen was ‘absolutely delighted’ for both Prince William and Kate Middleton.
An Illustration of the Interior of Westminster Abbey
And so we are brought up to date. At the time of writing this book, preparations are being made for the Royal Wedding. One can only speculate about the lavish celebrations that are planned – although we know that the ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, the venue of The Queen Mother’s wedding and the terribly sad and moving funeral of Princess Diana.
We are told that Westminster Abbey was chosen for its ‘staggering beauty’, its 1000-year-old Royal history, and – despite its size – its feeling of intimacy. No-one does weddings like the British Royal family, and one can expect the occasion to be broadcast to hundreds of millions of people across the globe.
So what does the future hold? Considering the circumstances of his parents’ marriage – its sad demise into divorce – and tragic death of his mother, one can only wish the couple a very happy and prosperous marriage – and pray that no tragedy ever befalls them. In this new-media age, one cannot imagine that the couple will ever have more than a semblance of privacy, and yet one hopes that through the ups and downs of their relationship that they have both learned how to cope with intense media focus.
Whatever the couple experience in the future, it is sure to be an interesting ride. For ‘fans’ of the British Royal Family, for those with an interest in its thousand-plus year history, and certainly for Prince William and Kate Middleton, it is sure to be an interesting ride.