A lip reader has uncovered the touching words Prince William whispered to Kate Middleton at the altar on their wedding day in 2011.
It has now been a year since the Princess of Wales made the heartbreaking announcement of her cancer diagnosis—undoubtedly one of the toughest chapters in the couple’s 14-year marriage.
Despite the hardships, they have stood strong together, and earlier this year, Kate shared the uplifting news that she is in remission.
However, during a meaningful visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, where she underwent treatment, she reflected on the ongoing challenges of her recovery. Opening up about the journey, she explained: “You think the treatment has finished and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William wed in 2011 (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
“The words totally disappear. And understanding that, as a patient, yes, there are side-effects around treatment but actually there are more long-term side-effects.”
William and Kate first crossed paths in 2001 while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland. They quickly formed a close bond and, by the following year, had moved in together along with two other friends.
Their friendship gradually blossomed into romance sometime in 2002, though the public didn’t catch wind of their relationship until 2004.
Apart from a brief break in 2007, when they were apart for two months, their relationship remained steady. Prince William eventually proposed in 2010, setting the stage for their grand wedding.
On 29 April 2011, the couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey, an event so significant it was declared a bank holiday. A staggering 17.6 million viewers tuned in to witness the occasion.
Among the memorable moments was a whispered exchange between William and Kate at the altar. Thanks to a lip reader, we now have an idea of what he may have said.
Lip reader Tina Lannin told CBS she believed William said to Kate: “You look lovely …[unclear]… You look beautiful.”
But that wasn’t the only moment she analyzed between the couple.
According to Lannin, while riding in the wedding carriage after the ceremony, William turned to Kate and said, “I hope I remember … It’s mad, it’s mad! Oh my goodness it … really loudly here.”
Later, Kate appeared to respond with, “You look happy.”
Now, the couple shares three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
Recently, a royal expert revealed that William and Kate had been deeply affected by the controversy surrounding Kate’s photoshopped Mother’s Day picture from the previous year.
Several major image agencies issued a kill notice on the photo, citing concerns over possible manipulation. Given that Kate was undergoing chemotherapy at the time, the controversy couldn’t have surfaced at a more difficult moment.
Aisla Anderson, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth, shared with People: “It was like being on a roller coaster for them… undergoing chemotherapy and trying to protect your children. It was like being in the middle of a tornado and not knowing when it was going to calm down.
“There was a real sense then that they felt bruised by it.”