After meeting at St Andrew’s University in Edinburgh, rumours of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance soon made front pages and they have kept their love alive ever since

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been together for more than two decades – but how do they keep the spark alive?

The Royal pair have previously revealed that in the early stages of their relationship, they would enjoy intimate conversations over home-cooked meals. Nowadays, they relish sailing holidays, roast dinners, and extended weekends at their Norfolk residence.

Their love story became public knowledge just over 20 years ago when photos surfaced of a dashing young prince getting cosy with a stunning brunette on a T-bar ski lift. The connection between them was palpable a hushed chat, gloved hands brushing against each other, and both donning what appeared to be coordinated outfits.

This was proof that William had finally won over his lady love a fact that was highlighted by a tabloid headline that didn’t sit well with the Palace. Until then, Kate and William, who were both studying at the University of St Andrews, had successfully kept their romance a secret, despite sharing a secluded cottage.

The nation was captivated by William’s charmingly unassuming pick the girl-next-door Kate Middleton. As their two-year romance became public, people were eager to learn more about the former Marlborough College student who captured the princes heart, reports OK!.

There was a buzz as both Middleton and Goldsmith family trees were scrutinised, highlighting Carole Middleton’s past as an air hostess.

But what was the spark for the future king with Kate?

Initially a bit standoffish at St Andrews, William started blossoming socially within Kate’s circle of well-heeled friends. Their relationship evolved from platonic to romantic as they cohabitated on 13a Hope Street.

Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe reveals: “William was really very starry-eyed about Kate and they brought out the best in each other in many ways. William is quite shy and can be reserved around new people. He’s very cautious, and in that way they are quite similar characters. Their relationship blossomed on spaghetti bolognese and rain-swept beaches.”

Yet, Kate had much more to offer than just her attractive personality and looks. William found a sense of familial stability and warmth with the Middletons – a stark contrast to his life surrounded by the magnificence of the monarchy.

Royal pundit Hugo Vickers shared: “We’ve always been told that Prince William found the Middleton household very convenient, in the sense that he felt it had a sort of a normality that his own upbringing hadn’t particularly had.”

Adding to the insight, Duncan went on: “It’s easy to underestimate the role the Middletons have played in William’s life. Yes, he fell in love with Kate at university, but frankly he fell in love with the Middleton family as well. They were the family he has never had the mum, dad and three kids spending time together and going on family holidays. It was a new world he’d not experienced before.

“The biggest proof of the influence they’ve had on William is that he and Kate are following the Middleton model as they bring up their three children, sending them to the same school and keeping them all close together.”

That yearning for a slice of regular life becomes palpable when recalling Kate pushing a shopping cart around Waitrose near their home in Anglesey, just days after tying the knot with William in 2011.

Their knack for maintaining a personal life distinct from their official roles has been the solid foundation of their union. In their younger days, sporadic snapshots would emerge of William and Kate enjoying the London nightlife, partying and clubbing like many other couples in their twenties.

However, as they’ve matured, their social activities retreated out of the public gaze, reminiscent of how private their time at St Andrews was.

Hugo shared: “They’ve always been good at keeping their private life away from the public gaze, just as they did in Anglesey. Now, of course they have help at home in Windsor but they don’t have many staff. I think they’ve always tried to keep it informal so that they are all together as a family.”

Their four-bedroom abode, adorned with cushioned sofas and framed family photos, was initially dubbed as “quaintly elegant” when it was erected in 1831. With its expansive garden, it’s the perfect spot for raising their three kids and hosting local pals.

As Duncan puts it: “By royal standards, Adelaide Cottage is incredibly modest. They could be living in any number of places that would be 10 times bigger and 10 times grander, with 10 times the staff, but that just doesn’t seem to be how they’re wired. There is a humility to both of them.”

During their leisure time, the couple relishes sailing holidays, roast dinners, and extended weekends at their Norfolk residence, Anmer Hall. Meanwhile, during school days, other parents at Lambrook, their children’s school, are quite accustomed to seeing either Kate or William dropping off their three kids, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, and participating in events on the school’s vast 52-acre campus in Berkshire.

The strength of their family unit is what makes them so resilient, according to Duncan. He observed: “One thing that has struck me over the years is how much they changed after their engagement and marriage. From William’s point of view as heir to the throne, things did get very serious.

Now they’ve replaced that carefreeness they had in their youth with a family bond with their kids. They live their lives through their children when they’re not on official duty. And that’s probably one of the secrets of their success not trying to relive their youth. They just absolutely love being Mum and Dad to three kids.”

As the school summer holidays approached, it was Prince William who took on the responsibility of the daily school runs while Kate recuperated from her chemotherapy treatment. In her announcement about her cancer diagnosis, Kate touchingly spoke of her husband, stating, “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance.”

This sentiment mirrors what Kate expressed when they got engaged in 2010. She disclosed at the time, “You know, over the years William has looked after me, he’s treated me very well as the loving boyfriend he is, he is very supportive of me through the good times and through the bad times.”

But perhaps what has kept them together more than anything else is their brilliant sense of humour. We don’t always see this side of the couple in public except for the occasional knowing glance shared between them but behind closed doors, it’s a different story.

William has revealed some endearing insights about his relationship, saying: “Obviously we both have a very fun time together, both have a very good sense of humour about things, we’re down to earth, we take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she’s got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about.”

No doubt, he’s pulling out all the stops to keep his wife grinning through it all.