16 Years Ago Today, This Beloved Royal Couple's Engagement Made Them Stars Of The Modern Monarchy

It has officially been 16 years since Prince William, heir to the British throne, asked Kate Middleton to be his bride. The then-future Prince and Princess of Wales got engaged during a trip to Kenya on October 20, 2010, with The Royal Household publicly sharing the good news nearly a month later, on November 16. From the sound of it, everyone in William and Kate's immediate circle was absolutely over the moon. 

"I am delighted that my brother has popped the question. It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted," William's younger brother, Prince Harry, said in a statement at the time (via BBC). More than making the couple's friends and family happy, however, William and Kate taking their relationship to the next level also arguably ushered in a brand-new era for the monarchy.

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When William and Kate decided to make it official in 2010, the only other recent major royal wedding took place in 2005 between William's father, then-Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles — who were 56 and 57 years old at the time, respectively. With that in mind, a much younger, more modern couple taking center stage was bound to make an impact on the royal family's image, and that it did. Suddenly, the House of Windsor seemed less stuffy... and a little more relatable to the general public. Kate's engagement ring itself (which once belonged to William's mother, Princess Diana) even sparked a fashion movement among teens and young adults. "We've had sporadic demand for rings inspired by celebrities... but this one inspired by Kate Middleton — everyone wants it. Every teenager, anyone in their twenties wants it," jeweler Vashi Dominguez told Hello! in January 2014.

As monumental as Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement announcement was, it was merely a prelude to the main event: their wedding itself. And to say the April 2011 ceremony was a cultural phenomenon would be an understatement. Per Deadline, nearly 27 million people watched the royal wedding in William and Kate's native United Kingdom alone, Meanwhile, nearly 23 million Americans tuned in, as well (which only seems fitting since William is on track to be the first British monarch with American ancestry).

Yet, while William and Kate's wedding had all the grandeur one would expect from such an event, their influence on the direction and perception of the royal family continues to endure a decade and a half after the fact. Ironically, the couple's vision for the future seems to involve less grandeur, with the two continuing to push for a more modern and relatable monarchy. In October 2025, for instance, The Telegraph reported that William has already begun to upend some of his father's longstanding royal rules by easing up on dress codes. "I think William finds some of the pomp and circumstance, and particularly some of the more elaborate outfits, slightly embarrassing, and is likely to be relieved to be able to tone it down," royal expert Ingrid Seward said at the time.

Considering the fact that William and Kate are really still just getting started in the grand scheme of things, it seems rather safe to say that their influence will continue to grow and evolve as their roles in the monarchy do, too.