Royal wedding anniversary: Unforgettable photos from Kate and William’s big day in 2011

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  1/22The Prince and Princess of Wales share a kiss on Buckingham Palace balcony(PA)
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  ” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/BMy7y9RAXlbunwXEdB7zcw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTc5MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/a3457f1ecc8819f336833e5a75dde84c”&gt;2/22Princes William and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey(Getty Images)
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  “>3/22Kate Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey in a car with her father, Michael Middleton.(Getty Images)
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  “>4/22The Queen and Prince Philip head to their seats as Elton John looks on(Getty Images)
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  “>5/22Kate enters Westminster Abbey wearing a bespoke dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and the Cartier Halo tiara(Getty Images)
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  “>6/22Kate walks into the Abbey, with her sister Pippa Middleton carrying her 9ft train(Getty Images)
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  “>7/22Pippa Middleton enters the Abbey with the bridesmaids and page boys(Getty Images)
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  “>8/22Kate walks down the (very long) aisle in Westminster Abbey with her father, Michael Middleton, at her side(Getty Images)
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  “>9/22Kate and William share a smile ahead of their ceremony(Getty Images)
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  “>10/22The couple during their wedding service(Getty Images)
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  “>11/22The newlyweds, followed by Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton and best man Prince Harry, exit the Abbey(Getty Images)
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  “>12/22The couple are all smiles as they exit the Abbey as husband and wife(Getty Images)
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  “>13/22Kate and William depart Westminster Abbey followed by their bridal party(Getty Images)
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  “>14/22The newlyweds make the journey by carriage to Buckingham Palace(Getty Images)
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  “>15/22The newlyweds arrive at Buckingham Palace following the wedding ceremony(Getty Images)
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  “>16/22One of the official wedding photos, taken by Hugo Bernand in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace(Getty Images)
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  “>17/22The couple kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace(Getty Images)
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  “>18/22The Royal Family watch a fly past of military planes from the balcony of Buckingham Palace(Getty Images)
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  “>19/22Kate and William wave at well wishers from the Buckingham Palace balcony(Getty Images)
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  “>20/22The newlyweds travel from Buckingham Palace in a convertible decorated by Prince Harry(Getty Images)
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  “>21/22Kate Middleton wears her second wedding dress while standing next to the now-Queen Camilla(PA)
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  “>22/22A street party hosted by then-Prime Minister David Cameron in Downing Street(Getty Images)

Yahoo Style UK team

Thu, 27 April 2023 at 2:58 pm BST

The Prince and Princess of Wales married 12 years ago, on 29 April, 2011.

Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot in Westminster Abbey in front of 26.3m viewers in the UK alone.

More than a decade later, William, 40, and Kate, 41, have three children and are an integral part of the Royal Family, carrying out countless engagements and representing hundreds of charities.

Following the Queen’s death in September last year, the pair’s titles were changed from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Prince and Princess of Wales to reflect William’s new position as the first in line to the throne.

Looking back to their wedding day, more than 5,000 street parties were held and one million people lined the route the couple took from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace.

The pair met when they were students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001 and began dating a couple of years later.

After a long courtship, which was somewhat off and on, William proposed to Kate with his mother Princess Diana’s diamond sapphire engagement ring during a trip to Kenya in 2010.

For the big day, Kate wore a satin and lace wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen. She borrowed the Cartier halo tiara from the Queen’s jewellery collection, which was made in 1936 for the Queen Mother.

The bride chose her sister Pippa Middleton as her maid of honour, who also wore a cowl-neck dress by Sarah Burton. There were four bridesmaids – Lady Louise Windsor, then seven, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, then eight, Grace van Cutsem, then three, Eliza Lopes, then three. The two page boys were William Lowther-Pinkerton, then ten, and Tom Pettifer, then eight.

William wore his red Irish Guards uniform, while best man and brother Prince Harry wore the uniform of a captain of the Blues and Royals.

William and Kate are now parents to Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, five.

Here, relive the pomp, romance and sheer glamour of the day with these glorious wedding photos.