As the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary on 29 April after a ‘brutal’ few years, royal experts reveal what gifts they might exchange

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William and Kate are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary on April 29, 2026

Fifteen years of marriage is an achievement by anyone’s standards, and after what has been a difficult few years, the Prince and Princess of Wales have more reason to appreciate their love for one another than ever before. Last year they spent their 14th anniversary on the picturesque Isle of Mull in Scotland, and shared a romantic photograph of themselves standing arm-in-arm as they took in the spectacular scenery. The setting was a perfect choice given Kate’s deep love and appreciation for nature, which has grown even stronger since her cancer diagnosis in 2024.

Their tastes have changed over the years, as they and their children have grown, and royal author Katie Nicholl says big romantic gestures and extravagant spending are not their style. “They’re not an over-the-top couple and they don’t make a big fuss with ostentatious gifts for occasions like anniversaries,” Katie tells OK !. “But they’re still very romantic together and they will certainly want to mark the moment in some way.”

While they are not known for their public displays of affection, we have seen them grow from a couple in the throes of early love into a deeply united partnership. In addition to raising three happy and healthy children, they have, particularly in recent years, provided unwavering stability and safety for each other.

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Royal expert Katie Nicholl says Kate and William are not an ‘ostentatious gift’ sort of couple(Image: Getty Images)

“As we know, the wider family doesn’t have a great record for long-lasting marriages, but William and Kate have obviously found something really special, and 15 years of marriage is something they can be very proud of,” says royal expert Richard Palmer.

“Whenever anyone who knows them is asked how they’ll celebrate, the answer is always the same: privately. They would both much prefer some family holiday time or a private anniversary trip to any big public declarations. I can see them going somewhere that eans a lot to them, possibly to Africa, or maybe to Mustique.”

“They have probably sat down with their work diaries and the school holiday dates and worked out when they can do something together, and with the children. That time will be much more important to them than anything else.

“They’re both quite sentimental and after everything they’ve been through, with Kate’s illness and the many changes in the family, we could see them involving other family members too, maybe Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, because they’ve been such a big part of their life together.”

When it comes to gifts, William admits he has not always hit the mark, and once hilariously recounted an occasion where he left Kate somewhat baffled by his choice of present.

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Kate playing with a homemade pair of binoculars during a visit at the Ardura Community Forest on the Isle of Mull in 2015(Image: PA)

“I did get my wife a pair of binoculars once – she’s never let me forget that – that was early on in the courtship. I think that sealed the deal. It didn’t go well,” he joked on the That Peter Crouch Podcast . “And I tried to convince her – well I think I was convincing myself – about it. I was like, ‘Yeah but these are really amazing, look how far you can see’. And she’s looking at me going, ‘They’re binoculars, like, what’s going on?’”.

While he has certainly made up for it in the years since, Kate says he is still not the type of man to shower her with bouquets of flowers. During a visit to a flower market ahead of Valentine’s Day in 2023, Kate reportedly responded to a comment about the Prince of Wales “no doubt buying some red roses” by saying, “I don’t think he will do…”

For their 15th anniversary, he could choose a traditional gift made of crystal, which is meant to signify the fragility of a relationship and the care required to protect it. “Couples often buy watches for each other at 15 years, instead of crystal, and I could imagine them seeing this as something sentimental but also useful, which would suit them,” Richard says.

While the binoculars did not quite go down as he’d hoped, William has a strong record of choosing jewellery for his wife. During their first Christmas as a married couple, he gifted Kate a pair of green amethyst oval drop earrings by London jeweller Kiki McDonough.

William and Kate: Celebrating 15 years of marriage

We are pleased to introduce this special collector’s edition of OK!, celebrating the 15th wedding anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

In this edition, we reflect on their romantic journey and milestone moments since their wedding at Westminster Abbey in 2011. We explore how they have dedicated themselves to royal duty while raising their three children and address the challenges they have faced, including the Princess’s cancer diagnosis in early 2024.

With insights from royal experts, we also revisit the early days of their romance and examine how they are shaping the future of the monarchy as they prepare for their roles as King and Queen.

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Kate made a joke about William buying her flowers during a visit to Kirkgate Market in Leeds(Image: PA)

The engagement ring he proposed with – a striking blue sapphire and diamond ring – was seen on Princess Diana ’s finger on many occasions during her lifetime, and Kate has described the piece as “very, very special”.

William is thought to have added a set of matching earrings to Kate’s collection shortly before their wedding in 2011, which she is regularly spotted wearing, including on her visit to Anna Freud Centre in London in November 2025.

To mark their 10th wedding anniversary in 2021, the couple worked with videographer Will Warr – who later shot Kate’s heartfelt cancer update video – to produce a special film featuring George, Charlotte and Louis, who were then seven, five and three. The footage showed the family running on the beach, laughing in the sand dunes and toasting marshmallows on a campfire at Anmer Hall.

In the caption on social media, Kate said, “Thank you to everyone for the kind messages on our wedding anniversary. We are enormously grateful for the 10 years of support we have received in our lives as a family.”

The couple also enlisted photographer Chris Floyd to take two new official portraits to mark the occasion. Afterwards, Chris said, “In that time, they were just another pair of people that I was photographing. I just forgot where I was and who I was with and I was just photographing a couple, who in this case, were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. There was no one else around, it was just me and them, and we had a really great time.”

Whatever they do, there is no question that there is a lot to celebrate, royal broadcaster Katie says, adding, “They are very much still in love and united, and have been through things which could have broken a couple, and they deserve to celebrate together.”