Kate Middleton and Prince William will be celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary on April 29. Even if you are familiar with Kate’s breathtaking Alexander McQueen gown, the couple’s balcony kisses, and their heartwarming wedding vows, there are probably still a few tidbits you may not know about their big day. Read on to find out what they are.
- Their wedding date was considered a national holiday. Will and Kate tied the knot at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. The date was declared a national holiday and the offer extended to British territories, including Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, and the Falkland Islands.
- Kate did her own makeup. The duchess reportedly took makeup lessons from London makeup artist Arabella Preston. Wedding planner Mark Niemierko previously told People, “She’s had about three or four lessons with Kate at her private flat in Chelsea and has also gone very privately to Clarence House. Arabella was supposed to be coming on the day as well but now she isn’t, because Kate’s comfortable and confident in doing it herself.”
- The royal couple spared no expense. Will and Kate’s wedding total came to a whopping $34 million. While they were able to get their venue free of charge, the flowers cost $800,000, the two cakes were $80,000, and Kate’s dress totaled at $434,000.
- Will and Harry’s uniforms were sweatproof. The duo’s military attire was custom-made with sweat-wicking materials in the hopes of keeping them cool throughout the ceremony.
- Kate gave a sweet nod to Will with her bouquet. The arrangement featured hyacinth, lily of the valley, ivy, and one flower called sweet William.
- The ceremony trees went on to find a happy home. The aisles of Westminster Abbey were lined with English field maples, which were replanted at Prince Charles’s vacation home in Wales the following day.
- Kate stuck to tradition and wore something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Some of the lace on her Alexander McQueen dress was old, her earrings were a wedding gift from her parents, she borrowed Queen Elizabeth II’s tiara, and she had a blue ribbon sewn into her gown.
- Ellie Goulding performed at their wedding. The British singer performed her own rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song” for the couple’s first dance. While attending London Fashion Week in 2016, she revealed she “was so nervous, my hands were shaking.”
- There was no big exchanging of rings. Before the wedding, the palace released a statement about Will’s decision to ditch tradition and go ringless, saying, “It is simply down to personal preference. It was something the couple discussed but Prince William isn’t one for jewelry.”
- The wedding was watched by billions. According to several outlets, 2 billion people watched the royal wedding live. Nearly 23 million people in the US alone watched the nuptials on networks like CNN, NBC, ABC, Telemundo, and CBS.