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On 29 April 2011, Prince William married Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The couple had been in a relationship since 2003. The wedding ceremony was presided over by John Hall, Dean of Westminster, and conducted by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. William's brother, Prince Harry, served as the best man, while Catherine's sister, Pippa, was the maid of honour. Following the wedding, the couple made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they shared a kiss. The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was a significant event that attracted worldwide attention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Location | Westminster Abbey, London, England |
| Bride | Catherine Middleton |
| Groom | Prince William |
| Bride's Title After Marriage | Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge |
| Groom's Title After Marriage | Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus |
| Bride's Dress | Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen |
| Bride's Bouquet | Myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet william, and hyacinth |
| Groom's Best Man | Prince Harry |
| Bride's Maid of Honour | Pippa Middleton |
| Notable Guests | The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Mr and Mrs Middleton |
| Wedding Cake | Fruit cake |
| Wedding Reception | Buckingham Palace |
| Wedding Anniversary Celebrations | Isle of Mull, Scotland |
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What You'll Learn
Kate's wedding dress
Kate Middleton's wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen, was an ivory gown made of lace. The dress was paired with the Cartier Scroll tiara, lent to her by Queen Elizabeth. The bouquet she carried was made of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, and hyacinth.
The dress was first revealed when Middleton stepped out of her car at Westminster Abbey on her wedding day, 29 April 2011. The wedding ceremony was watched by an estimated billion people around the world.
The now-iconic dress was designed by Sarah Burton, who also designed the dresses for the bridesmaids. The bridesmaids wore maid-of-honour dresses in an ivory satin and organza fabric, with a floral motif and a sash tied in a bow at the back. The page boys wore uniforms with red stripes.
The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in 2021 with the release of two new portraits, taken at Kensington Palace.
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The ceremony
The Dean of Westminster, John Hall, presided over the service, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, conducted the marriage. The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, preached the sermon, and a reading was given by James, Kate's brother. William's best man was his brother, Prince Harry, and Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, was the maid of honour. The ceremony was attended by the bride's and groom's families, members of foreign royal families, diplomats, and the couple's chosen personal guests.
After the ceremony, the newly married couple travelled to Buckingham Palace in the 1902 State Landau, followed by Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, and the bridesmaids and page boys, who travelled in two of the Ascot Landaus. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last members of the Royal Family to leave Buckingham Palace, as is tradition, and they travelled in the Scottish State Coach. The married couple made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they shared a kiss. The Duchess of Cambridge also returned her bouquet to the Abbey to rest on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, continuing a tradition begun by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923.
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The procession
The wedding procession of Prince William and Kate Middleton took place on 29 April 2011, with the ceremony commencing at 11 am. The couple announced their engagement seven months prior to the wedding.
The bridal party spent the night before the wedding at the Goring Hotel and left for Westminster Abbey at 10:52 am. Kate Middleton arrived at the abbey by car, eschewing the traditional carriage transport for royal brides. The car route was along The Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, and down Whitehall to the abbey.
The wedding ceremony was attended by the bride's and groom's families, members of foreign royal families, diplomats, and the couple's chosen personal guests. Prince Harry served as William's best man, and Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, was the maid of honour.
After the ceremony, the newly married couple travelled to Buckingham Palace in the 1902 State Landau. They were followed by Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, and the bridesmaids and page boys, who travelled in two of the Ascot Landaus. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last members of the Royal Family to leave the abbey, as is tradition, and arrived at Buckingham Palace by carriage.
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The reception
The wedding ceremony of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was held at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. The reception that followed was hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The newlyweds travelled to the palace in a 1902 State Landau carriage, arriving after the Queen.
The couple made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they waved, smiled, and shared a kiss or two, watched by a large crowd. They were followed by Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, and the bridesmaids and page boys, who travelled in two of the Ascot Landaus. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last to arrive at the abbey, as is tradition, and they were greeted by the Dean at the Great West Door.
The London Chamber Orchestra played William Walton's Crown Imperial as the newlyweds departed the shrine and processed with their families to the West Door. The Abbey bells rang out, and full peals are usually only rung for significant occasions. The Duchess of Cambridge followed a poignant tradition by laying her bouquet on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.
After the wedding, the couple attended a private evening reception, for which Kate changed her outfit.
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The couple's first appearance as newlyweds
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The couple's first appearance as newlyweds was at the traditional balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they waved, smiled, and shared a kiss or two. They were followed by Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, and the bridesmaids and page boys, who travelled in two of the Ascot Landaus. The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Mr and Mrs Middleton travelled in the Australian State Coach, and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled in the Scottish State Coach. At 1.25 pm, the couple appeared on the balcony to watch a flypast of an Avro Lancaster bomber, a Supermarine Spitfire fighter, and a Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, followed by two Typhoons from RAF Coningsby and two Tornado GR4s from RAF Leuchars in a flat diamond formation.
The newlyweds then departed to cheers from the crowd and the sound of the Abbey bells. They travelled to Buckingham Palace in the 1902 State Landau, followed by Prince Harry, Pippa Middleton, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Mr and Mrs Middleton, the Queen, and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Duchess of Cambridge returned her bouquet to the Abbey, placing it on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, continuing a tradition begun by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923.
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Frequently asked questions
They got married on 29 April 2011.
The wedding ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey, London.
Kate wore an ivory and lace wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen. She also wore the Cartier Scroll tiara, lent to her by Queen Elizabeth.
Following the wedding, William was created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus. Catherine became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
