To mark 13th years of marriage, William and Kate have shared a previously unseen photograph from their wedding day on social media:
The picture, snapped by Millie Pilkington on the couple’s wedding day on the 29th of April 2011, shows Prince William with his hand on his new wife’s waist.
In the snap, Kate is elegantly dressed in her white lace wedding gown, with her veil neatly pulled back to showcase the Cartier Halo Tiara she chose for the occasion.
Prince William has changed from his ceremonial red Irish Guards tunic into the black uniform of the Blues and Royals, the regiment he served with.
According to the media reports, William wanted to wear the Blues and Royals uniform for the wedding ceremony but compromised after the late Queen Elizabeth did not approve his request. William had been appointed Colonel of the Irish Guards two months before the wedding and his grandparents felt he should wear the regiment’s red tunic for the nuptials.
The couple shared the previously unseen wedding snap to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram this afternoon with the caption “13 years ago today!”.
Beneath the photo, Pilkington commented: “Can’t believe it’s been 13 years almost to the day since I took this portrait. Wishing you the very happiest of anniversaries and a speedy recovery for the Princess of Wales. ❤️” Her message acknowledges the Princess’s ongoing treatment for cancer.
Pilkington was one of two photographers commissioned to take portraits of William and Kate on their big day. I believe this is the second of her snaps we’ve seen—I think she also took the photograph on the couple’s 2011 Christmas card:
The black-and-white snap shows the pair smiling and holding hands as they sit alongside one another at Buckingham Palace following the wedding ceremony. Kate’s long sweeping train is set to the side.
Neither Pilkington nor the Waleses released this photo to the public. A seller specialising in royal memorabilia uploaded the Christmas card to eBay in 2022, where an eagle-eyed royal fan spotted it and circulated the image on social media. According to newspaper reports, the seller listed the card at £2,999 before it was removed from sale.
In an interview with SheerLuxe’s Gold Edition in 2023, Pilkington said capturing William and Kate’s private wedding photographs was “definitely a turning point in [her] career.”
Sheerluxe: What can you tell us about that experience?
Pilkington: If I had to describe it in three words, that day was surreal, magical and terrifying! And the most incredible honour – I still struggle to believe I was there. I started at The Goring hotel at 8am and, with the exception of Westminster Abbey, which I didn’t cover photographically, I was taking photographs throughout the day and night, finishing at the after party back at The Goring in the early hours. It was a long day that went by in flash – but the memories will last forever.
Hugo Burnand took the three official portraits of the couple released to the media following the 2011 wedding, including the snap below:
The newly released wedding photograph is lovely. I feel like William’s hand on Catherine reflects on their current situation and shows love and protection.
Thank you. Love the photos..love the article.
So happy to see your blog again. Missing and praying for Kate and family. Thank you for sharing!