These days, Prince William and Kate Middleton are all settled down with three kids and a whole lot of royal responsibilities. But back in their 20s, the couple knew how to have a good time.
Thanks to a viral TikTok, a whole new generation is learning that just because the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will one day rule England, it doesn’t mean they were always so serious. The video, which has now been viewed over 5 million times, shows a slideshow of images of the royal couple, mostly taken in the early 2000s from their college days. The pair can be seen dancing and having a night out on the town with their friends, all while appearing a little worse for wear. Commenters were shocked by how casual and relatable both looked, praising the royals for being free-spirited, fun, and living their lives like normal young people.
Kate Middleton attends a pre-Wimbledon party on June 22, 2006 London, England. Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
But while those images may have made it look like a good time, Tina Brown wrote in her recent book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor—The Truth and the Turmoil that it was actually a very stressful period for Kate as she navigated her new life in the spotlight. “Kate was relentlessly pursued in London. She was hounded when she left her Chelsea apartment in ways reminiscent of the harassment of the young Lady Di,” Brown wrote.
Prince William and Kate Middleton first met while they were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2002. They reportedly briefly broke up in 2007, and in 2010, William proposed. The following year they were married and have since welcomed three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. After their engagement, the couple sat down for an in-depth interview about their relationship that was aired on ITV. During the conversation, they revealed that he had popped the question while they were on vacation in Kenya with friends, saying, “It was a total shock when it came.… There’s a true romantic in there.” William added, “As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going. So I was planning it and then it just felt really right, out in Africa. It was beautiful.” The duke also revealed that he had proposed with a sapphire ring that belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana. “Obviously, she’s not going be around to share any of the fun and excitement, so this is my way of keeping her close to it all,” he explained.
This post was originally published on Vanity Fair.
