Innholdsfortegnelse for YOU Commemorative Edition - The royal rock stars! i You South Africa

AS FAR as love stories go, it isn’t that unusual. Boy meets girl at university, sparks fly, they get married several years later and go on to have three lovely children. Yet perhaps this story is so special precisely because it’s so relatable. There was no manipulation by The Firm, no nod of approval needed by the queen, no royal eyebrows raised because Kate was a commoner. Unlike his father, Prince Charles, who was corralled into marriage to a woman he never truly loved, William was allowed to follow his heart. And what a treat it’s been to watch this fairytale unfold. The Prince and Princess of Wales have gone from starry-eyed students to gracious, mature adults who add gravitas to the royal family while remaining down to earth and…

IN CENTURIES gone by, royal tours meant visits around Great Britain to prove to the people that members of the royal family were alive and well and for subjects to pay their respects. But times sure have changed. These days there’s social media updating us on every aspect of royal lives and photographers at the ready to record every event – and yet nothing beats a good trip. Royal tours have extended far beyond the borders of Britain of course, and they’re generally a boost for both The Firm and the host country which benefits from plenty of media coverage. And when William and Kate come to town the delight is almost palpable. The future king and queen have won hearts almost every time. Cute in Canada The couple had…

HE WAS a beautiful boy growing up in a fractured family. She was a cute little girl with a dimpled smile enjoying a childhood of cheerful anonymity. As far as their backgrounds go, they’re chalk and cheese – and yet the Prince and Princess of Wales have carved out a life where they’re in perfect sync, united by common goals. Royal author Tom Quinn says the couple have merged their worlds to bring out the best in one another. “William wanted Kate because she has the sort of solid, warm family background he didn’t have’.” And yet between those two worlds was a vast chasm – and it’s one they’ve crossed to create the magic that exists today. WILLIAM'S COMPLICATED WORLD HIS MOTHER’S PROTECTOR Charles wasn’t often present for his…

DID YOU KNOW? It’s protocol when meeting royals to wait for them to extend their hand in greeting first.…

AN ANECDOTE about a 10-year-old Princess Elizabeth finding out she would be monarch one day has often done the rounds. Her uncle, King Edward VIII, had just abdicated the throne after less than a year to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, had a question. “Does this mean you will have to be the next queen?” she asked her sister. “Yes, someday,” Elizabeth replied. “Poor you,” Margaret said. For young Margaret, the thought of having a future role mapped out with all the duty and restrictions it would entail may have seemed like a fate worse than death. But Elizabeth would embrace her destiny with stoicism and resolve and go onto become one of the greatest monarchs the world has ever seen. Learning she would…

WILLIAM and Kate come from very different backgrounds. He grew up surrounded by privilege, but in a family riven by trauma and damaged by divorce. She’s the product of self-made parents who worked hard to ensure their children had a comfortable upbringing. Put them together and you get a man desperate to give his children the stability he didn’t have and a woman eager to emulate the childhood she cherishes. Which is why the couple are on the same page when it comes to their home environment. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are front and centre of their lives and they’re determined to create a haven for them amid the scrutiny of a royal existence. It’s for this reason they swopped the luxury of Kensington Palace in London…

THEY may have a rock-solid marriage but that doesn’t mean they don’t like a little one-upman-ship when the occasion presents itself. In fact, emerging victorious over one another is one of the most delightful aspects of their relationship. We’ve seen William and Kate get stuck into all sorts of contests over the course of their 12-year marriage – and they get competitive as spectators too. At the Six Nations rugby match between England and Wales in Cardiff in early 2023 – which they attended as patrons of England rugby (Kate) and Welsh rugby (William) – the prince said he was preparing for an awkward trip home. “It’s going to be tense for whoever wins,” he joked. “If we win, my wife won’t speak to me.” England won and Kate could…

THE excitement of their wedding had barely died down before the question of when they’d start a family started to gather momentum. William and Kate were one of the most famous couples in the world and fans were eager for the fairytale to continue. But it would be nearly two years before the announcement finally came – and even though the news was greeted with delight, there was also concern. Kate was ill – and the reason the pregnancy was announced at that point was because she’d been spotted leaving a London hospital. Royal pregnancies aren’t made public knowledge until after the first trimester when potential danger has passed and things are well on their way. But the palace felt it wise to make the announcement early to put an…

BEING a member of the world’s most famous family comes with plenty of perks – privilege and wealth, palaces and castles, and an army of staff to do your every bidding. But if there’s one thing the Prince and Princess of Wales are acutely aware of it’s this: with power comes responsibility – and their responsibility is to ensure the royal family remains relevant and in touch with the times. Which is why they’ve immersed themselves in causes to make a difference to the world and the people in it. And you couldn’t find a better couple for the job, says Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, William and Kate’s former private secretary. “They’re bringing to the party different means of achieving the whole. William has the experience of knowing where the institution sits…

A FRIEND once said all the Princess of Wales wanted when she was growing up was a house in the countryside, loads of kids and dogs and an Aga stove. “She wasn’t interested in having a big job or becoming famous.” But just look at her now. Kate might have that country house, a trio of kids, a dog and enough money to afford a dozen Agas, but she also has a huge job and is arguably the most famous woman in the world. As the years have stretched on, she’s risen to her role as future queen with grace and style. She’s also acutely aware that all eyes are on her and that what she wears speaks volumes about the kind of woman she is. Becoming the Princess of…