Prince William has finally proposed to Kate Middleton. The couple met in 2001 at Saint Andrews University in Scotland. They have had a long relationship. And now the royal family of England has made an official announcement about the upcoming nuptials. The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton will take place in 2011, reports the Daily Mail.
Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring
Prince William proposed to Kate while they were on holiday in Kenya. The engagement ring is the same ring given to Princess Diana when she was engaged to Prince Charles. The ring features a large blue sapphire encircled by diamonds.
It is sentimental that William is using his mother’s engagement ring. It may also feel a bit creepy to Kate. After all, Diana’s marriage failed and she died at an early age. The ring is beautiful but also carries with it a dark history.
The Telegraph reports that William said using this ring was “My way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement.” William is honoring his mother’s memory and that is lovely.
Prince William & Kate Middleton: To Wed in London
The announcement stated that the wedding will be held in London. The media is speculating that Westminster Abbey will be the place where William and Kate wed. This is the place where the funeral of Diana, William’s mother, was held. Diana and Charles held their marriage ceremony at Saint Paul’s church.
Kate’s parents seem delighted to hear the news of the engagement. Her father told the Daily Mail ” We all think he is wonderful and we are extremely fond of him. They make a lovely couple.. We wish them every happiness for the future.”
Eventually William and Kate will likely serve as the King and Queen of England. Could Kate ever have imagined this life? Or does every girl in England some day dream of being Queen?
Prime Minister Cameron told the Daily Mail that when the Cabinet heard the news of Prince William’s engagement “there was a great cheer that went up and a banging on the table.”
There is much speculation about how this wedding will impact the public and the royal family. Will the marriage last? Will there be a prenuptial agreement before the wedding? How much will the wedding cost the country? And of course everyone wants to know what took William so long to get engaged?
This couple seems down to earth and really in love. This is a stark contrast to the awkwardness that always surrounded Prince Charles and Diana. She seemed overwhelmed by the spectacle of her marriage to Charles. Kate seems to have had a chance to acclimate to the public eye and is significantly older than the age at which Diana wed.
Who knows what the future holds. How could the world ever have imagined while watching the fairy tale wedding of Princess Diana that her marriage would be unhappy and that her life would end much too young? Prince William lost his mother when he was quite young. He will be wary of the paparazzi who will be tailing he and Kate now and forevermore.
Best wishes to Prince William and Kate Middleton as they prepare for the marriage. Perhaps he will ascend to the throne some day. That possibility ensures that his wedding will be full of royal pomp and will get worldwide attention.
Photos of Prince William & Kate Middleton
To see pictures of Kate & William together and of the engagement ring go HERE.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330151/Prince-William-Kate-Middleton-engaged-marry-2011.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8137967/Royal-wedding-Prince-William-and-Kate-Middleton-say-time-is-right-for-marriage.html
