Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, will mark their thirteenth wedding anniversary next month, but in light of Kate’s recent announcement of her cancer diagnosis, archival clips of their comments about one another have resurfaced. One such sweet excerpt is from an address William made to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2021, in which he invoked both his wife and the memory of his deceased mother, Princess Diana.
“Scotland is the source of some of my happiest memories, but also my saddest. I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died,” William said. He recalled processing the news at a local church.
“Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning. And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”
“And yet alongside this painful memory is one of great joy,” he continued. “Because it was here in Scotland—20 years ago this year—that I first met Catherine. Needless to say, the town where you meet your future wife holds a very special place in your heart.”
The two met in 2001 as students at St. Andrews University. They became engaged in October 2010, and married the next April. They share three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
In an emotional video sharing her cancer diagnosis, released last Friday, Kate sat alone on a bench, but her husband wasn’t far from her thoughts.
“Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too,” she said. “As is the love, support, and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.”
Last weekend, Kensington Palace released the first public joint statement from William and Kate since her health bombshell.
“The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the U.K., across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness’ message,” the statement read.
“They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time.”
Vanity Fair has confirmed that William, Kate, and their children do not plan to attend Easter church services this Sunday. They are understood to be spending time together in Sandringham while the children are on a break from school.
