Prince William once kept a big secret from Kate Middleton for three weeks, but can you guess what it was?
The Prince of Wales carried their engagement ring in his rucksack all those weeks before proposing in November 2010.
Royal expert Robert Hardman has described a royal engagement, “When a royal couple tells us they’re engaged, we’re fascinated by everything from the dress design to who the bridesmaids and best man will be and where we’re going to watch it. People love to make a day of it with street parties and things, so there’s huge interest from the word go,” per Mirror UK.
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The couple’s engagement story unfolded during a romantic trip to Kenya, as William revealed in an interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby. William shared, “It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died. And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee.”
“I knew if this thing disappeared, I’d be in a lot of trouble,” he quipped.
The engagement ring, a breathtaking Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, holds special significance. It originally belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana‘s collection. The couple’s official engagement photo, lensed by renowned photographer Mario Testino at St James’ Palace, beautifully captured this iconic piece of royal history.
Prince William and Kate Middleton were preparing for their future roles within the British monarchy
Palace recognizes Kate and William as a “young, glamorous, dynamic duo” with the ability to modernize and lead the monarchy into the future.
Royal author Katie Nicholl told the Mirror UK at that time, “There are two roles to a future Queen. One is to produce heirs, which she has done, and the other is to learn how to one day become Queen, and that is very much what we are seeing.”
“We are seeing a Queen-in-waiting… She’s taking on more patronages, she’s taking on patronages from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.”
“This is all very deliberate, it’s very much part of the Palace machine bringing her from the shadows of Anmer [Hall] and into the forefront, into the spotlight,” she said.
