The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary and have marked the occasion with the release of a previously unpublished wedding photograph.

The future king and queen tied the knot in a memorable ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 2011 after meeting as students at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland.

Royal experts say the couple will celebrate “very differently” this year after Kate announced her cancer diagnosis to the public in March.

“They will undoubtedly celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary privately,” said royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams The sun.

“This year will be very different to previous years as Catherine is undergoing preventative chemotherapy following her recovery from abdominal surgery.”

The couple celebrated the occasion by sharing a never-before-seen photo from their wedding 13 years ago on social media.

As William and Kate celebrate their wedding anniversary, here’s a look at the story of their 20-year marriage:

2001

The couple met in 2001 while studying art history at Scotland’s historic St. Andrew’s University, but it would be some time before their relationship became romantic.

The prince’s arrival at the university was the subject of intense media speculation, with many hoping that he would find his future princess while living a relatively normal student life.

Looking back on their first meeting, Kate said she turned “bright red” when she first met Prince William in the hallway of a dorm.

“I blushed bright red when I met you and kind of scurried away because I was very embarrassed to meet you,” she later confessed to him after their paths crossed.

However, this embarrassment did not stop Kate from becoming friends with the prince. The two reportedly bonded over their love of cereal and fruit for breakfast.

In 2002, the two got along so well that they moved into a shared house with friends.

“It just evolved from there. We started seeing each other more and, you know, hanging out a little bit more,” William said.

2004

In 2004, the news the world had seemingly been waiting for came to light: the couple made their relationship public.

This happened during a skiing trip in Switzerland, when they were photographed together for the first time.

The tabloids were delighted with the news, with one headline reading: “Finally… Wills is having a girl.”

Beginning of 2007

After several successful years together, Kate and William separated briefly in April 2007, citing the pressures of growing up as the reason.

“We were both very young, it was at university, and we were both kind of defining ourselves as such and were different characters,” Prince William said of their separation.

“Above all, we tried to find our own way and we grew up.”

Summer 2007

The couple’s separation did not last long and they had reconciled by the summer of 2007. Kate later admitted that she was grateful for the time they spent apart because it taught her a lot about herself.

“I wasn’t very happy about it at the time, but it actually made me a stronger person,” she said.

“You learn things about yourself that you may not have been aware of. I think when you’re younger, a relationship can be really draining, and I really appreciated that time for myself.”

2010

In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate at a lodge in Kenya and the couple announced the news in a television interview in November of the same year.

This had personal significance for the family, as Queen Elizabeth II learned she was Queen in Kenya after the death of her father George VI at the age of just 25.

“So I planned it and then it just felt right in Africa. It was beautiful,” William admitted.

2011

The couple celebrated their fairytale wedding just months after announcing their engagement in November 2010. At the time, Prince William was second in line to the throne.

Kate married her current husband in a lace dress by Alexander McQueen, which remained a guarded secret until this day.

In a memorable moment of the ceremony, Prince Harry was caught on camera telling his brother: “Wait until you see her.”

The event was watched by an estimated 163 million viewers worldwide.

2013

On July 22, 2013, the couple welcomed their first child, the future King Prince George.

This led to mass celebrations throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Following the death of his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022, Prince George took his father’s place as second in line to the throne.

He is reportedly already developing into a leader and is said to be “very protective” of his younger siblings.

2015

The couple welcomed their first and only daughter, Princess Charlotte, on May 2, 2015.

Since then, she has become popular with fans of the royal family for keeping her younger sibling, Prince Louis, in check.

2018

Prince Louis was welcomed into the Welsh family on April 23, 2018.

He has become popular for his cheeky antics, which many royal commentators say are proof that the Welsh family really is like any other.

When planes flew over Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, he couldn’t help but understandably cover his ears and pretend to scream.

Most recently, he was photographed taking a hilarious deep breath while blowing out his Christmas candle.

2022

In 2022, following the Queen’s death, Kate and William were officially named Prince and Princess of Wales by King Charles.

The awarding of the title “Princess of Wales” to Kate was of particular significance as it previously belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana.

The King said: “I am sure that, with Catherine’s help, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will continue to inspire and lead our national debates. They will help bring marginalised groups into the centre where they can receive vital help.”

2024

This year, Kate and William had to overcome the “biggest challenge” of their married life so far: Kate’s cancer diagnosis.

On the occasion of the Welsh couple’s 13th wedding anniversary, royal expert Christopher Andersen acknowledged the challenges facing the family while making it clear that they are “stronger than ever”.

“This is obviously the most bittersweet anniversary William and Kate have ever experienced,” said Andersen Fox News.

“Their marriage is stronger than ever, they have three beautiful children – and now they are facing the greatest challenge of their married life.”

The royal expert added: “It is difficult to imagine a marriage stronger than theirs or built on more solid foundations.

“William and Kate are certainly better prepared emotionally and in every other way to deal with whatever life throws at them – and with Kate and the King’s dual diagnosis, life has thrown them quite a mess.”

The couple have championed many causes in their work as senior royals, including the environment, poverty alleviation and mental health.

Most recently, they have helped raise awareness of cancer, with the Princess of Wales expressing her condolences to all those affected by the disease and their families.