Kate Middleton and Prince William Mark 13th Anniversary with Stunning Never-Before-Seen Photo from Wedding

The Prince and Princess of Wales 13 years ago today
Kate Middleton and Prince William after their wedding on April 29, 2011. PHOTO: MILLIE PILKINGTON

Kate Middleton and Prince William are celebrating their wedding anniversary with a special look inside their big day.

On April 29, the Prince and Princess of Wales marked 13 years of marriage and released a previously unseen picture from their wedding day in honor of the occasion.

“13 years ago today!” read the caption of the snap shared across the couple’s social media channels.

The black-and-white portrait showed Prince William and Princess Kate smiling and standing together, with the royal bride holding her bouquet made mainly of lily of the valley, Queen Elizabeth‘sfavorite flower.

Kate glowed in Queen Elizabeth’s Cartier Halo Tiara and the white V-neck gown with lace overlay by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen that she wore for the church service at Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile, Prince William was sporting an outfit change from the ceremony. While the groom’s wedding ensemble was the red tunic of the Irish Guards — of which he was Colonel in Chief at the time, although Princess Kate took over the role from her husband in 2022 — he later changed into the black uniform of the Blues and Royals seen in the new photo.

The Prince and Princess of Wales
Kate Middleton and Prince William after their wedding on April 29, 2011. MILLIE PILKINGTON

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Credit for the new image was given to Millie Pilkington. The portrait photographer recently took the photo of King Charles and Queen Camilla that was released to celebrate the first anniversary of their coronation. She also got behind the camera to take birthday portraits of William and Kate’s three children — Prince GeorgePrincess Charlotte and Prince Louis — last year.

Sharing the newly released wedding image on her Instagram, Pilkington wrote, “Wishing the @princeandprincessofwales the very happiest wedding anniversary. Can’t believe it is 13 years ago almost to the hour, that I took this portrait. So excited and honored that they should wish to share it.”

Westminster Abbey also celebrated Prince William and Princess Kate’s anniversary, sharing a video on social media of the newlyweds leaving the London landmark following their wedding ceremony in 2011. The bells rang as crowds cheered for the couple just before they were whisked away for a horse-drawn carriage ride. They were followed by their adorable bridal party as well as their siblings, Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton.

Prince William, 41, and Princess Kate, 42, met as students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001 and wed on April 29, 2011. Queen Elizabeth gave them the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day, and the couple went on to welcome three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, who turned 6 last week.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smile following their marriage at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.
Prince William and Kate Middleton at their wedding on April 29, 2011. CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ anniversary falls shortly after Prince William resumed public duties for the first time since Princess Kate announced that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. The Princess of Wales announced the news in a self-written speech released via video on March 22, where she shared that post-operative tests following her abdominal surgery “found cancer had been present.”

The royal mom said she and Prince William took time to “explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I am going to be okay.”

As he did after her abdominal surgery in January, Prince William cleared his calendar to be by his wife’s side following the announcement and made his first public engagement after their children returned to school following the Easter holiday.

Shortly after Princess Kate made the public announcement about her health, a longtime family friend told PEOPLE how the Prince of Wales is a pillar of strength for her.

“He is a very reliable, strong person. She doesn’t feel isolated in this because of William, who is right beside her,” the friend says.

William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, visit Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity delivering life-changing outdoor learning and adventure activity programmes to young people on November 02, 2023 in Moray, Scotland
Prince William and Kate Middleton visit Outfit Moray on Nov. 2, 2023 in Moray, Scotland. JANE BARLOW – WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES

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The sentiment echoed Princess Kate’s mention in her video message that Prince William is “a great source of comfort and reassurance” amid her treatment.

“This is about supporting her and her feeling supported. It is a joint effort. She doesn’t feel isolated at all,” the insider says. “The nuclear family that they have created so well is an immense support not only to him but to Catherine too.”

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Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive at St Davids Cathedral to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her passing
Prince William and Kate Middleton at St Davids Cathedral in St Davids, Wales, on Sept. 8, 2023, the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death. CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES

In April 2023, the royal couple marked their 12th wedding anniversary with the release of a new photo. 

“12 years ❤️,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote below the image, which showed them riding bicycles with an arm around each other. 

The image was taken by photographer Matt Porteous in the Norfolk countryside in 2022 and was part of a series of pictures Porteous previously captured of the family there.

Prince William, Princess Kate and their kids are known to spend lots of time at their country home Anmer Hall, which is part of the royal family’s Sandringham estate, and it’s where Kate is said to feel most at home.