The couple celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary recently, which might seem like a small number compared to Queen Elizabeth and late Prince Philip's 73 years together.
In the grand scheme of things, 10 years together might not be much, but it's still a significant milestone. Prince William and Kate Middleton, celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary recently, which might seem like a small number compared to Queen Elizabeth and late Prince Philip's 73 years together. However, the future king and queen of England, who are in their 30s, are a busy bunch, which means that they may not have a lot of time to spend with each other.
William, 38, and Middleton, 39, are reportedly good at maintaining a "healthy and happy" marriage, a friend told Closer Weekly. "Many couples take each other for granted after 10 years," but with "communication" and "small, simple things," the royal couple keeps their marriage strong.
In the past, William said, "We both have a fun time together. We both have a very good sense of humor about things, [and] we’re down-to-earth."
The father-of-three gifted his wife a "stunning diamond necklace and ring" for their 10th anniversary, the friend revealed. They also shared a dinner cooked by their favorite chef after their kids, Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3 — went to sleep. "They are working harder on creating quality time together and switching off at the end of the day," says the pal. The couple also wants to have a weekend trip without their kids this summer. "They work hard at their marriage," the friend added.
The couple first met in college and started dating there. They had an on-again/off-again relationship for a while before getting engaged in 2011 and tying the knot the same year. One of the ways they keep their relationship fresh is by enjoying some healthy competition in sports. Middleton was a sporting star when she studied at Marlborough College, as per the Express.
She is still competitive when it comes to playing tennis with her husband, which was revealed by tennis star Rod Laver. She has been taking lessons to improve her skills in the sport and has been narrowing the odds of losing to her husband. Their competitive streak was first seen at the dragon boat race in Canada in 2011.
William had reportedly told Middleton that there is no "no chivalry in sport" and Kate told her team she "really wanted to beat" William. In 2017, Prince Harry joined the couple as they tried to race against one another at a London Marathon training session. The Cambridges lost to Harry on that occasion.
Beyond that, they have also worked on themselves to keep the relationship strong. The source told Closer Weekly that Middleton "has let go of the insecurities she had when she was younger. She’s become confident in her decision-making, and she’s learned to look at the big picture and not let little things bother her."
Meanwhile, William has also had a positive change. "He’s always been a confident man,” notes the friend. “But being a husband and father has enhanced the warmer, nurturing side of his personality," they added. This is something even the prince has noticed about himself. "I never used to get too wound up or worried about things,” he once shared. “[Now] I’m a lot more emotional than I used to be," he added.
One of the crucial reasons why their relationship changed is parenthood. "George, Charlotte, and Louis bring them so much joy. Spending time with them helps the couple switch off from their duties," added the friend. They said that the couple was raising their kids "to be grounded and to believe in themselves."
While the past year has been difficult for them, they have been working as a "team." They took things in a stride, the insider said. "They’re both intelligent, academically and emotionally. One day, William and Kate will make a superb king and queen," the source added.
References:
https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-have-a-healthy-happy-marriage/
Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by (L)Chris Jackson (R) WPA Pool