Prince William, Kate Middleton’s engagement: The oft-forgotten royal anniversary

Prince William and Kate Middleton got engaged on November 16, 2010 — 15 years ago today.

The future Prince and Princess of Wales captured the world’s imagination as one of the foremost royal couples of their day, which they arguably still are. However, back then, it was the exciting promise of a royal wedding — one of UK and the world’s favourite television pastimes — for the future king of his nation.

The then-Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana’s first-born, heir to the British throne, had finally chosen his bride-to-be in one Catherine Middleton. And their wedding proposed similar jubilation which the senior royal couple’s own once had.

The date

Though William and Kate’s wedding on April 29, 2011 is a well known and well celebrated date among royal followers, their official status as a couple was recognised when their engagement was announced with an air of media frenzy surrounding them, the date of which is seldom recognised — even by the couple themselves.

Nevertheless, royal engagements have often remained affairs as iconic as ever, and the Will-Kate union was no exception.

The unveiling

Prince William and Kate Middleton were unveiled as an engaged couple before the rabid press, who wanted nothing more than a piece of the then-latest royal fairytale, in a setting which highly recalled Charles and Diana’s engagement debut from years prior.

Perhaps deliberately curated, the royal establishment excelled in the presentation of Kate wearing the former Princess of Wales’ instantly recognisable sapphire engagement ring, dressed in blue like her late mother-in-law had in 1981.

However, luckily for the Firm, the tangible awkwardness and discomfort which permeated the unlikely merger between the current King and his young bride were nowhere to be found in their son’s engagement affair. William and Kate appeared to be ever the doting couple and neither had felt the need to remark, “Whatever love means.”

The photoshoot

For the official photoshoot to mark their engagement, William and Kate shortlisted St James’s Palace as the venue where they wanted to be captured at through the lens of Mario Testino, a renowned Peruvian photographer, whose works have graced the covers of publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and several others.

Also a good friend of Diana’s — Testino had shot the Princess for Vanity Fair’s seminal cover story in 1997, a few months before her untimely passing — the acclaimed photographer captured multiple portraits of her son and his new bride, two of which made the official press release from the Crown. A formal portrait, which showcased the couple posing with the palace’s council chamber in the background. While a second, more relaxed shot featured Will and Kate in each other’s embrace, sporting wide grins.