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Culture April 29, 2024

Prince William, Kate Middleton mark 13th anniversary with never-before-seen wedding photo

WATCH: Happy anniversary Kate Middleton and Prince William!

Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, are celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary.

The couple, who wed on April 29, 2011, marked the occasion publicly by sharing on social media a never-before-seen portrait of themselves taken on their wedding day inside Buckingham Palace.

The photographer who took the photo, Millie Pilkington, shared the photo on her own social media, writing on Instagram, "Wishing the @princeandprincessofwales the very happiest wedding anniversary."

"Can’t believe it is 13 years ago almost to the hour, that I took this portrait," she captioned the photo, which shows a smiling William with his hands resting on the waist of Kate, who is also smiling and holding her wedding bouquet. "So excited and honoured that they should wish to share it."

13 years ago today!

📸 Millie Pilkington pic.twitter.com/lzK6GRT7Ak

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 29, 2024

William and Kate were married in Westminster Abbey, which on Monday shared a video on X of the couple leaving the church on their special day.

PHOTO: Prince William and Catherine Middleton leave Westminster Abbey following their Royal Wedding in London, England, April 29, 2011.
Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
Prince William and Catherine Middleton leave Westminster Abbey following their Royal Wedding in London, England, April 29, 2011.

The Waleses were married in front of nearly 2,000 people inside Westminster Abbey, and in front of a global TV audience of millions that also watched them say their vows.

PHOTO: Prince William and Catherine Middleton are seen at the altar with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Prince Harry, and father of the bride Michael Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, England, April 29, 2011.
Clara Molden/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince William and Catherine Middleton are seen at the altar with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Prince Harry, and father of the bride Michael Middleton during their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, England, April 29, 2011.
PHOTO: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, his new bride Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton (L) take part in the service in London, England, April 29, 2011.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, his new bride Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton (L) take part in the service in London, England, April 29, 2011.

After the wedding, William and Kate traveled by carriage to Buckingham Palace, where they kissed on the balcony.

PHOTO: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge travel down The Mall, on route to Buckingham Palace, following their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, England, April 29, 2011.
Max Mumby/indigo/Getty Images
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge travel down The Mall, on route to Buckingham Palace, following their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, England, April 29, 2011.
PHOTO: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, England, April 29, 2011.
James Devaney/Getty Images
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, England, April 29, 2011.
PHOTO: Their Royal Highnesses Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wave on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Royal Wedding in London, England, April 29, 2011.
John Stillwell/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Their Royal Highnesses Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wave on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Royal Wedding in London, England, April 29, 2011.

Over one decade later, William and Kate are now the Prince and Princess of Wales, titles they were given after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and the parents of three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.

The couple celebrated Louis's sixth birthday on April 23, and will celebrate Charlotte's ninth birthday later this week, on May 2.

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George, their eldest child, will turn 11 on July 22.

PHOTO: Kate, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, William, the Prince of Wales, Prince Louis and Mia Tindall arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Dec. 25, 2023.
Joe Giddens/PA via AP
Kate, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, William, the Prince of Wales, Prince Louis and Mia Tindall arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Dec. 25, 2023.

The celebrations of birthdays and William and Kate's wedding anniversary comes amid a difficult year for both the Wales family and their extended royal family.

Kate announced in late March that she was diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.

MORE: Prince William, Kate Middleton share new photo of Prince Louis for his 6th birthday

The type of cancer has not been disclosed. According to Kensington Palace, Kate started a course of preventative chemotherapy in late February.

PHOTO: Catherine, Princess of Wales' released an official statement on her health on March 22, 2024.
BBC Studios
Catherine, Princess of Wales' released an official statement on her health on March 22, 2024.

Kate is continuing to take time off public duties, while William returned to work in mid-April for the first time since Kate's diagnosis.

Just a few weeks before Kate announced her cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace revealed her father-in-law, King Charles III, was diagnosed with cancer.

MORE: Prince William and Kate's 3 kids: What to know about George, Charlotte and Louis

The palace has not specified the type of cancer Charles was diagnosed with, the stage of cancer or the type of treatment he is undergoing.

Charles, who celebrated his 19th wedding anniversary with his wife, Queen Camilla, on April 9, is expected to resume a modified schedule of public duties this week, beginning with a visit to a cancer treatment center on Tuesday.