When Prince William and Kate Middleton exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey 15 years ago, nearly 2 billion people tuned in to watch the 21st century’s premier royal wedding. On April 29, the Prince and Princess of Wales marked that milestone by sharing a new family photo on social media.
Followers wished them a happy anniversary in the comments section, as did the 2011 ceremony’s venue.
During their 15 years of marriage, the pair has navigated significant trials, from the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II to Kate’s cancer diagnosis, which she publicly announced in 2024. After finishing chemotherapy toward the end of that year, the princess shared in January 2025 that she was in remission, according to Today.
The royal couple met in 2001 at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Their 2011 wedding was a global spectacle featuring 1,900 guest and 1 million spectators lining the London streets, according to History.
“When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her,” Prince William told People in 2010. “I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there. But we ended up being friends for a while, and that was a good foundation.”
That foundation has supported the growth of their family, starting in 2013 with the birth of Prince George, followed by Princess Charlotte in 2015 and Prince Louis in 2018, according to Today.
To celebrate their anniversary, the couple shared on social media that they spent part of their day visiting IntoUniversity, a charity focused on educational equity. The organization’s ties to the couple extend back to the wedding, when it was the beneficiary of the Royal Wedding Gift Fund.
The day before the anniversary, William visited Wales to present the Prince of Wales Award at RAF Valley, a Royal Air Force flight training school.
Last year, the couple spent their anniversary in Scotland, where they first met, according to People.
A look back at the 21st century’s premier royal wedding
In 2011, the royal wedding drew in nearly 2 billion viewers worldwide. The event saw a peak audience of 26.3 million in the U.K. and nearly 23 million viewers in the U.S., according to the Nielsen ratings.
The ceremony hosted 1,900 guests while another 1 million spectators lined the streets, according to History.