A Complete Timeline of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Relationship

Kate Middleton and Prince William are two of the most famous and photographed people in the world. But way back when, they were just a couple of college kids, falling in love and hanging out with their friends.

JK, William’s life has been documented for the public since his birth, but he was living as normal a university life as a future King of England can when he met his future wife. After many years of dating, the couple tied the knot in a massive royal wedding at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011, in a ceremony that was broadcast around the world. Since then, they’ve had so many memorable moments as a couple, including the births of their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

But let’s take a look back to where it all began at St. Andrews and all the important milestones in the lives of two of our favorite royals.

2001–2005

Kate and William meet during their first year at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where they live in the same residence hall and become friends. “I want to go there and be an ordinary student. I mean, I’m only going to university,” William says in a BBC interview at the time. “It’s not like I’m getting married—though that’s what it feels like sometimes. It will get easier as time goes on. Everyone will get bored of me, which they do.”

Later, he said, “When I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her. I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there,” in their engagement interview. “We ended up being friends for a while, and that just sort of was a good foundation. Because I do generally believe now that being friends with one another is a massive advantage. And it just went from there.”

“I actually think I went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling very shy,” Kate added. “But we did become very close friends from quite early.”

During their second year at school, William, Kate, and two other friends move into a house together, though they are still just friends. They reportedly didn’t become a couple until 2003, and the public learns about the relationship when they are photographed on a ski trip together in 2004. “We moved in together as friends because we were living together, we lived with a couple of others as well, and it just sort of blossomed from there really,” he said in their engagement interview. “We just saw more of each other, and you know, hung out a bit more and did stuff.”