13 Years of William and Kate: Future King Set to 'Spoil' His Wife for Marriage Anniversary Amid Cancer Struggle
Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, are set to have a secluded and quiet 13th-wedding anniversary on April 29, as the future queen continues her cancer treatments. But even though this will no doubt be a more somber affair compared to years past, the future king plans to maintain the romance as he "spoils" his princess.
"We've got the anniversary of William and Catherine on the 29th of April," former royal butler Grant Harrold told Spin Genie. "With everything going on with Kate, that won't be a public thing, that's going to be very private. Behind closed doors, I'm sure William will work to make sure she's spoiled."
He added: "It's possible William might cook, he's quite a good cook so it's possible he might do a little meal or something. Again, it's just going to be a private affair between the two of them. Once again, there'll still be an exchange of gifts, I have no doubt they will give each other a gift, and I've no doubt they will exchange cards."
The former palace aide then revealed the pair's possible dining plans and shared: "I've no doubt that there'll be a special meal for them, whether it's a meal where they invite friends and family, or just them. Again, well-wishers will pass on their love with cards."
Kate first met William when they were students at St Andrews University in Scotland during the fall of 2001. The two teenagers took their relationship slow, and it was nearly a full decade after they met, including a brief breakup in 2007, before the commoner officially became a princess at their lavish April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey wedding.
During a May 2023 visit to St Katherine's School in Bristol, England, the Princess of Wales was asked by a student how it is to be royal, to which she replied she is "still learning every day." Speaking to a publication, a royal source said that the future queen shared how she had to learn her role from the beginning, and much of this was likely due to William's commitment to the Armed Forces early in their marriage.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, informality was not stressed in the royal family, and working senior royals were expected to learn how to behave and display protocol as they went along. Diana, Princess of Wales once spoke about how hard it was when she joined the monarchy in 1981 since she had very little guidance on how to be a princess.
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But after nearly 13 years on the job, the current Princess of Wales is what one royal insider called "a born natural" with the monarchy.
Although there have been no official updates from Kensington Palace since her cancer reveal video went public, KP sources have told some analysts that she is "in good spirits."