Prince William's confession about keeping secret from Kate Middleton for three weeks

Prince William confessed to keeping a significant secret from Kate Middleton for three weeks, fearing he'd be in 'a lot of trouble'.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, who will mark their 13th wedding anniversary on April 29, always pique our interest with matters concerning their marriage and engagement.

Royal expert Robert Hardman likens the announcement of a royal engagement to the "starting gun" for months of eager anticipation, as was certainly the case for the future King and Queen.

He explained: "When a royal couple announce they're engaged, we're captivated by everything from the design of the dress to the identities of the bridesmaids and best man, and where we'll get to watch it.

"People relish the opportunity to celebrate with street parties and such, so there's immense interest right from the start."

Indeed, Prince William and Kate Middleton created quite a buzz when they announced their engagement in November 2010.

In a chat with ITV's Tom Bradby, the newly-engaged duo shared details of a romantic Kenyan holiday during which William proposed with his late mother Princess Diana's engagement ring.

William explained at the time: "It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died.

"And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee."

He also revealed that he had been carrying the ring, made by royal jeweller Garrard, in a backpack for three weeks before popping the question.

He joked: "I knew if this thing disappeared, I'd be in a lot of trouble".

The official engagement photograph was taken at St James's Palace by the famous photographer Mario Testino, who confessed, "I waited a long time, an hour or two, to make that picture perfect."

The iconic photo prominently featured the ring, which boasts a magnificent Ceylon sapphire encircled by 14 diamonds and was resized to fit by the prestigious G. Collins and Sons jewellers.

Years later, it was Prince William's brother, Prince Harry, who grabbed headlines with his engagement news to American actress Meghan Markle, sharing their happiness from the sun-drenched gardens of Kensington Palace in November 2017.

Author Robert reminisced: "I was there in the garden, and it felt like the dawn of a brand new era for the royals. Everyone wanted to be part of that excitement."

Meghan's engagement ring featured a Botswana diamond with two smaller stones from Princess Diana's collection on either side.

In 2019, Meghan updated her ring, replacing the original gold band with one studded with a fine pave of diamonds.

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