This was confirmation that William had finally won over his sweetheart - a fact emphasized by a tabloid headline that didn't go down well with the Palace. Up until then, Kate and William, who were both studying at the University of St Andrews, had managed to keep their love affair under wraps, despite sharing a secluded cottage.
The country was enchanted by William's refreshingly humble choice - the girl-next-door Kate. As their two-year relationship became public knowledge, people were keen to know more about the former Marlborough College student who stole the prince's heart, according to OK!.
There was excitement as both the Middleton and Goldsmith family trees were examined, highlighting Carole Middleton's past as an air hostess. But what ignited the spark for the future king with Kate?
William initially kept his distance at St Andrew's, but he soon found his social stride among Kate's circle of posh pals. Their bond shifted from mates to sweethearts while sharing a flat on 13a Hope Street.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe disclosed: "William was really very starry-eyed about Kate and they brought out the best in each other in many ways. William is quite shy and can be reserved around new people. He's very cautious, and in that way, they are quite similar characters. Their relationship blossomed on spaghetti bolognese and rain-swept beaches."
But Kate wasn't just a pretty face with a charming personality. William discovered a homely stability with the Middletons, a refreshing change from his Royal life.
Royal commentator Hugo Vickers remarked: "We've always been told that Prince William found the Middleton household very convenient, in the sense that he felt it had a sort of a normality that his own upbringing hadn't particularly had."
Elaborating further, Duncan added: "It's easy to underestimate the role the Middletons have played in William's life. Yes, he fell in love with Kate at university, but frankly he fell in love with the Middleton family as well. They were the family he has never had the mum, dad and three kids spending time together and going on family holidays. It was a new world he'd not experienced before.
"The biggest proof of the influence they've had on William is that he and Kate are following the Middleton model as they bring up their three children, sending them to the same school and keeping them all close together."
The desire for a taste of normal life was evident when Kate was spotted pushing a shopping trolley around Waitrose near their Anglesey home, just days after her 2011 wedding to William.
Their ability to keep their personal lives separate from their official duties has been a key pillar of their relationship. In their younger years, occasional photos would surface of William and Kate enjoying London's nightlife, partying and clubbing like many other twenty-somethings.
However, as they've grown older, their social activities have become more private, echoing their time at St Andrews University.
Hugo revealed: "They've always been good at keeping their private life away from the public gaze, just as they did in Anglesey. Now, of course they have help at home in Windsor but they don't have many staff. I think they've always tried to keep it informal so that they are all together as a family."
Their four-bedroom home, complete with comfy sofas and framed family pictures, was originally described as "quaintly elegant" when it was built in 1831. With its large garden, it's the ideal place for raising their three children and entertaining local friends.
Duncan described Adelaide Cottage, where the Royal couple resides, as "By royal standards, Adelaide Cottage is incredibly modest. They could be living in any number of places that would be 10 times bigger and 10 times grander, with 10 times the staff, but that just doesn't seem to be how they're wired. There is a humility to both of them."
In their free time, the couple enjoys sailing holidays, roast dinners, and long weekends at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. During school days, it's not uncommon for other parents at Lambrook, their children's school, to see either Kate or William dropping off their three kids, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, and taking part in events on the school's expansive 52-acre campus in Berkshire.
According to Duncan, the strength of their family unit is what makes them so resilient. He noted: "One thing that has struck me over the years is how much they changed after their engagement and marriage. From William's point of view as heir to the throne, things did get very serious. Now they've replaced that carefreeness they had in their youth with a family bond with their kids. They live their lives through their children when they're not on official duty. And that's probably one of the secrets of their success not trying to relive their youth. They just absolutely love being Mum and Dad to three kids."
As the summer break loomed, Prince William stepped up to manage the daily school runs as Kate recovered from her chemotherapy sessions. Upon acknowledging her cancer battle, Kate poignantly reflected on her husband's support, stating, "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance."
These words echo sentiments Kate expressed when they got engaged in 2010, revealing: "You know, over the years William has looked after me, he's treated me very well as the loving boyfriend he is, he is very supportive of me through the good times and through the bad times."
Yet it might be their shared sense of humor that has cemented their bond more than anything. The couple's playful interactions are infrequently captured in public, aside from an occasional exchange of glances, however, away from the limelight, their rapport is much more laidback.
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William himself has let slip some details about their dynamic, saying: "Obviously we both have a very fun time together, both have a very good sense of humor about things, we're down to earth, we take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she's got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about."
It seems certain he's doing everything imaginable to keep his beloved Kate smiling during these trying times.
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