<P> Prince William and Kate Middleton met in 2001 . Their engagement on 20 October 2010 was announced on 16 November 2010 . The build - up to the wedding and the occasion itself attracted much media attention, being compared in many ways with the 1981 marriage of William's parents . The occasion was a public holiday in the United Kingdom and featured many ceremonial aspects, including use of the state carriages and roles for the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry . Events were held around the Commonwealth to mark the wedding; organisations and hotels held events across Canada, over 5,000 street parties were held throughout the United Kingdom, and one million people lined the route between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace . The ceremony was viewed live by tens of millions more around the world, including 72 million live streams on YouTube . In the United Kingdom, television audiences peaked at 26.3 million viewers, with a total of 36.7 million watching part of the coverage . </P> <P> In 2001, Middleton and Prince William met while studying at the University of St Andrews . They began dating in 2003 . </P> <P> On 16 November 2010, Clarence House stated that Prince William was to marry Catherine Middleton "in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London". They were engaged in October 2010, while on a private holiday in Kenya; Prince William gave Middleton the same engagement ring that his father had given to William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales--an 18 - karat white gold ring with a 12 - carat oval Ceylon (Sri Lankan) sapphire and 14 round diamonds . It was announced at approximately the same time that, after their marriage, the couple would live on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, where Prince William was based with the Royal Air Force . </P> <P> The Queen said she was "absolutely delighted" for the couple, giving her formal consent to the marriage, as required by the since repealed Royal Marriages Act 1772, in her British privy council on the morning of the engagement . Congratulations also came in from the Queen's prime ministers, including Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard, who has at other times demonstrated moderate republican leanings . The suffragan Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent, who also has republican views, published a critical reaction to the wedding announcement on Facebook . He later acknowledged that his words were "offensive" and subsequently apologised, but his superior, Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, instructed him to withdraw from public ministry "until further notice". </P>

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