Prince William and Kate Middleton traveled to Scotland, where they’ll celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.
It is the couple’s first away tour since Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis, and a milestone for the Princess of Wales, who underwent a grueling course of chemotherapy this time last year.
Sources close to the couple say that William and Kate chose to visit the Isles of Mull and Iona in the Inner Hebrides despite it coinciding with their anniversary, which they have always celebrated privately.
Their decision to visit Scotland, where they met at University of St Andrews more than two decades ago, is a poignant reminder of how important the country is to the couple, who also hold the Scottish titles the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay.
After a day of engagements on the Isle of Mull on Tuesday, including a visit to a community hub in Tobermory, an area famous for its colorful buildings, the couple will visit a popular artisan market. They will also tour a working croft, where they will learn about farming and hospitality in the area and look at locally produced food on the land. On Tuesday evening, the couple who hosted a lavish wedding party at Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011, will stay in a modest self-catering cottage (which is equipped with a kitchen).
Prince William, Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay and Catherine, Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, smile to well-wishers as they arrive for a visit to Aros Hall, a local community hub on April 29, 2025 in Tobermory, Scotland.
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“It says a lot about them,” says a longtime friend. “They could be doing something opulent but this is typically down to earth. They love being in nature, switching off and just being together. I think they both have a renewed sense of purpose and perspective after this past year.”
The traditional gift for 14 years of marriage is ivory, however, as Prince William is an advocate for wildlife protection who is vehemently opposed to the illegal ivory trade, it’s unlikely he will gift anything to do with elephants’ tusks. While he may give his wife a special and meaningful present following their turbulent year, the source added that the couple are unlikely to exchange lavish presents. “They are not showy in the slightest. In the past, I recall William gifting Kate a pair of binoculars which she absolutely loved.”