Following eight years of dating, Prince William and Kate Middleton delighted royal fans across the globe when they announced their engagement on November 16, 2010.
William had popped the question during a private holiday in Kenya the previous month, after requesting permission from Kate’s father, Michael.
The couple shared the joyous news with the press in the State Apartments at St James’s Palace, giving Kate the opportunity to showcase her dazzling new ring.
William had, of course, presented his fiancee with a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds, which was crafted by the London luxury jeweller Garrard. It was the very ring chosen by Lady Diana Spencer when she became engaged to Charles, then Prince of Wales.
For the engagement ring, William presented Kate with a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds, which had belonged to his late mother Princess Diana
Prince William said: ‘It is very special to me. It was my way to make sure my mother did not miss out on today and the excitement that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together.’
Only a few were aware that the big announcement would be taking place, including Kate’s siblings James and Pippa Middleton.
In his new book, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, James reveals how Kate broke the news to them.
‘Our family know a day or so before it is officially announced in November 2010,’ he pens.
‘Catherine, Pippa and I go out for a walk with Ella and Tilly to our local pub in a village close to Bucklebury. We sit in a corner, chattering quietly. Catherine whispers the news and says it will become public in the next day or so. Pippa and I want to be visibly excited, but we have to tamp down our emotions so no one suspects a thing.
‘We make a quiet acknowledgement that we’ll always be there for each other, look out for one another, support each other. No matter how crazy things get.’
He continues: ‘William has been in our lives for so long and we’ve grown very fond of him. He feels like our older brother, and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other.
‘As we digest the news, I know I haven’t yet experienced the love they feel for each other myself. But I’m hoping one day I will.
‘On the morning it is going to be announced, Catherine rings to let me know. I walk with Ella in Battersea Park savouring the secret knowledge and feeling a thrill of happiness for them.
‘I remember tramping for miles that day and returning to our flat via Sloane Square Tube. The first edition of the Evening Standard was piled high. There on the front page was a picture of Catherine in her blue dress. I tucked a copy under my arm and walked home with a sense that it was all quite surreal.
‘I thought how lucky William was to be marrying my capable, down-to-earth big sister, and I felt absolutely reassured that they were in love.
‘It was beautiful to see how he brought out her confidence. She’d blossomed. I knew he’d look after her, and he does to this day.’
The dazzling design by London luxury jeweller Garrard was chosen by Lady Diana Spencer when she became engaged to Charles, then Prince of Wales
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer announcing their engagement at Buckingham Palace on February 24, 1981
One of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, Kate’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring was purchased by Charles for Diana in 1981. It cost £28,000 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000.
The ring, inspired by Queen Victoria’s sapphire brooch from 1840, which she wore as her ‘something blue’ on her wedding day, symbolised marriage, family and love.
When presented with various options, Diana and Charles reportedly selected this ring together, as it complemented her blue eyes. And the choice of a catalogue ring rather than a custom-designed piece broke royal tradition, making it possible for others to purchase the same engagement ring.
Branded the ‘Commoner’s Sapphire’, it reflected Diana’s grounded nature, as she valued the sentimental significance of the ring over adhering to royal customs.
During Kate’s engagement announcement, onlookers were quick to notice her impeccable outfit and voluminous blowdry – trademarks she has continued to impress with over the years.
She wore a £385 royal blue dress by Daniella Helayel, founder and former creative director of Issa. The mid-length silk dress, inspired by a design worn by Helayel’s couturier grandmother, was a fitting choice for the future duchess.
It then sold out within 24 hours, marking the beginning of the ‘Kate effect.’
However, the surge in demand led the brand into administration, as it struggled to keep up with production.
Following eight years of dating, Prince William and Kate Middleton delighted royal fans across the globe when they announced their engagement on November 16, 2010
The couple shared the joyous news with the press in the State Apartments at St James’s Palace, giving Kate the opportunity to showcase her dazzling ring
With sales doubling following the royal appearance, Daniella lacked the funds to finance the mass production needed to meet the high demand – she needed an investor. She turned to her friend Camilla Al-Fayed, daughter of Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, who acquired a 51 per cent stake in the company.
The Al-Fayeds had recently sold Harrods, and Daniella’s longstanding relationship with Camilla made the investment seem like a natural fit. But, in 2012, a new CEO was appointed, leading the company in a different direction.
Unhappy with this transition, Daniella resigned as creative director in May 2013 and was succeeded by designer Blue Farrier, although the business closed two years later.
In 2015, House of Fraser acquired Issa and relaunched the dress as ‘The Kate Tie Wrap Dress,’ offering it in various colours and at a more affordable price.
However, this success was short-lived, as House of Fraser announced it would be cutting its house brands in 2018 after being purchased for £90million by Sports Direct.
Despite the brand’s turbulent history, the dress remains one of the most iconic looks associated with the Princess of Wales.
Carole and Michael Middleton make a statement about their daughter’s engagement to Prince William outside their home near Bucklebury in Berkshire
Photographers gathered outside the home of Kate Middleton’s parents
Following their engagement announcement, William and Kate sat down for their first joint interview, which was carried out at Clarence House by ITV News’s Tom Bradby
Following their engagement announcement, William and Kate sat down for their first joint interview.
Side by side in a corner of Clarence House, they spent more than 15 minutes chatting to ITV News’s Tom Bradby, with Kate joking that William’s proposal ‘was very romantic – there’s a true romantic in there. It was a total shock when it came’.
‘As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going,’ William said. ‘So I was planning it, and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful.’
The couple had been dating for eight years before William popped the question, having met during their first year at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001.
In April 2007, Kate and William decided to go their separate ways. But rather than mope, Kate made sure she was seen to be enjoying an independent life – with the emphasis on enjoyment. Seen, and photographed, of course.
Speaking in the couple’s engagement interview, Kate reflected on their time apart. ‘At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but it made me a stronger person,’ she said.
A few months later, with the prince apparently having realised what he was missing, they were reconciled.
William explained why he took so long to pop the question, saying he wanted to give Kate a chance to ‘back out’ if she felt she couldn’t cope with life as a future Queen.
He said: ‘I wanted to give her a chance to see in and to back out if she needed to, before it all got too much. I’m trying to learn from lessons done in the past and I just wanted to give her the best chance to settle in and to see what happens on the other side.’
And while Kate may have taken a gamble in waiting all those years for her prince charming, she is the prime example of ‘good things come to those who wait’.
