William & Catherine: Their Lives, Their Wedding

by Andrew Morton

“I’d been carrying around the ring with me….I would not let it go. You hear a lot of horror stories about proposing and things go horribly wrong, but it went really, really well.” --HRH, Prince William of WalesThe marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton is one of the most significant royal events of recent times. As second in line to the throne, the elder son of the much mourned Diana, Princess of Wales—whose famous sapphire and diamond engagement ring he bestowed on his future bride—William embodies the hopes and expectations of millions of people around the world. And as a “commoner” who will become a princess, Catherine brings romance and freshness to a very traditional union.Acclaimed biographer Andrew Morton, who was trusted by Diana herself to recount her true story to the outside world, has been covering Prince William since birth. Now he brings his unique insights to this portrait of the histories and characters of the bride and groom—from their family backgrounds, their childhoods, and the early days of their relationship at university, through their ups and downs as a couple in the public eye, their private engagement in Kenya, and all the glamour and drama of the wedding itself. Lavishly illustrated with color photographs, both a chronicle and a lasting memento of a day to remember, William & Catherine brings us both the public spectacle and the private moments as only the author of Her True Story can reveal them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Royalty, Biography Memoir, British Literature, Contemporary, Memoir

Audio CD

First published May 17, 2011

About the author

Andrew David Morton (born 1953) is one of the world's best-known biographers and a leading authority on modern celebrity. His groundbreaking biography Diana: Her True Story was a #1 New York Times bestseller, as was Monica's Story, an authorized biography of Monica Lewinsky, and Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography. The winner of numerous awards, including Author of the Year, his other New York Times bestsellers include unauthorized biographies of Madonna and Angelina Jolie, as well as William & Catherine: Their Story. A former British Fleet Street tabloid journalist,he studied history at the University of Sussex. He lives in London.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/andrew...

Reviews

[Lesa Parnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm obsessed with the Royal Family so this was one for me. This was written by Andrew Morton, the official Diana Autobiographer. It had beautiful pictures, too much about Diana (poor Kate) and left me hoping that he really loves her

This review is from the 20 year old girl who woke up early to see a beautiful girl the same age as she marry a prince--who became the 50 year old woman who MADE all three of her daughters stay home and watch as another beautiful girl became a princess and perhaps a Queen, with a husband that seems to love her and who has all the mannerisms of his mother.

Did I cry? you bet.

[Lisa James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I read his book on Diana, & because I am a self admitted hopeless romantic, I bought this one on sale :) It's full of little known tidbits about the royal family, about their family backgrounds, school experiences, etc. It's also chock full of photos over the years, including birth & marriage certificates, wedding photos from past to present, etc. It's an enchanting read, one that made me smile. Well done, easy to read, with some humor thrown in, definitely not stuffy :)

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I needed to do was replace any mention of Catherine/Kate Middleton with my own name to understand how the story was REALLY supposed to turn out.

*sigh*

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much new in this book. Mostly a picture book to commemorate the wedding in 2011. Of course since it's Andrew Morton it was heavily biased toward Diana, Charles was bad and all that. Worth it mostly because of all the pictures some of which have never been seen before.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morton’s story of William and Catherine contains several beautiful photos of the couple, the Queen, and Kate’s family that are not very well known, their wedding certificates, and popular photos too. He seems to borrow from Claudia Joseph’s “Kate: The making of a princess” for his chapter on the background of Kate’s childhood since a lot of genealogical facts from the Goldsmiths are sited. However, Morton is more successful at making it read like a story, compared to Joseph’s genealogical essay.

As with any biography of the Duke of Cambridge Diana is mentioned quite often. What makes this book stand out is its close proximity to current pop culture. While Diana is talked about during Williams childhood, and of course her death is outlined as a key event in the young prince’s life, Morton brings her back again to discuss how the media continuously compares Kate to her – which is how most of us today view Diana (as something to be weighed against) – from her sense of style to her upbringing.

The wedding section is another aspect of this book that sets it apart from the rest. While most other royal biographies rushed to publish before the big day, Morton patiently waited to finish his story after the wedding so that he was sure to be able to include intimate details of the most watched wedding of our generation, as well as include several beautiful photos from the big day. Overall I believe this is one of the best biographies of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to date.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book by Andrew Morton. I had read his Diana: Her Words book some time ago and found it to be a fascinating portrait of Princess Diana. When I saw William and Catherine: A Royal Wedding was coming out I was hoping that it would be an equal portrait of William and his bride, Catherine. However it was definitely lacking. It's mostly a picture book. It has pictures on almost every page and nothing but pictures for about the last 10 pages of the 224 page book. I was looking for more detail on their lives especially together. Although Mr. Morton told me a lot more than I knew about their college years together and their living together after college, but didn't really go into any detail. Mr. Morton glossed over William's stints in the Royal Air Force. It was almost like he couldn't find any sources or he was trying to put this book out too quickly to capitalize on the wedding fame. I really wish he would have taken more time to gather more information and made it a longer more detailed book. Overall I gave it an average rating because of the pictures and the college years information that he does have. I wouldn't recommend it as a source book for anyone however if someone is wanting a picture book then this is an excellent find.

[Corazi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bookclub choice and a bit more tabloidish than my normal preference, but overall was better than expected. The pictures were nice break to the life stories of two people that really haven't done anything noteworthy except be born to privilege and royalty otherwise who honestly cares?

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was exactly what I was expecting so I don't know why I was so disappointed. Maybe I'm just over the whole thing now....

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrapped up their second official royal tour of Canada last fall, I thought it would be a perfect time to read another book about the highly popular royal couple. Browsing through our collection on the royal family here at the Napanee library, the beaming photograph of Prince William and Kate leaving Westminster Abbey on their wedding day sparkling on the front cover captivated me instantaneously! If you are looking for a classy read about this attractive royal couple, I would definitely suggest this book by Andrew Morton. The acclaimed biographer brings a unique insight to this portrait of the bride and groom, which starts with their family backgrounds, leading to childhood tales and through the early days of their relationship at university, until the moment they walked down the aisle. What makes this particular book meaningful and memorable, are the dozens of beautiful photos within its pages that truly bring the love story of Will and Kate to life. For those of you who can’t get enough of this stylish couple, these images will have you flipping through these pages over and over again, relishing in the colorful portraits!
Assuredly, this book highlights how this marriage was one of the most significant royal events we will witness in our lifetime. The wedding marked a new chapter in not only the lives of William and Catherine, but of the royal family, as well as the meaning of the monarchy and influence around the world. In this book, Andrew Morton clearly presents how the union of these two young people in love, who are now the most celebrated royal couple on Earth, are bringing the monarchy with them into the present globally, using their celebrity status to bring goodwill to the people. As we learn in this book, Kate once said that William was lucky to have her. Well, given she had a, “common” upbringing, and looking at her performance in the public eye at William’s side since her wedding day, then I would conclude that the monarchy is indeed lucky to have her. If you’re a “royal watcher”, or just curious what went into this matrimonial joining of such a widely praised couple, pick this book up the next time you are into the library. I’m sure it will make you smile at how it brings a royal love story to life!

[Shoshanah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost two years ago I was dying to read one of the newly published books on Will & Kate. I decided on Christopher Andersen's version, and hated it. The whole thing felt so gossip-y and I hated how the couple was referred to as Babykins and Big Willie over and over again. It left a bitter taste in my mouth and left me hesitant to try any of the others. If only instead I had picked up Andrew Morton's version instead.

This is the Will & Kate book I was looking for! To start with the entire thing is in color on photo paper with at least one picture on each two page spread, if not more. The entire book is gorgeous and feels like a keepsake. Plus there's photos of their wedding, since it wasn't published till afterwards. (Plus, what's fun are the other historical wedding photos of the monarchy.)

This books also feels legitimate. There isn't gossip that feels straight out of a tabloid. Instead, there are actually a number of quotes, by William specifically, where I can place the exact interview it came from. Although since such a point was made to be factual there isn't a ton of information here. While we know some information about the Duke and Duchess' relationship, we don't know the intimate details. And rather than speculate, we're just given the somewhat limited facts known.

I may be a little British Monarchy obsessed, but I loved this book! I easily see this one on a place on honor on my bookshelf for years to come. (Although part of that is because it's so pretty, and I think makes a great coffee table book.) I am so glad I decided to give a book on their relationship another chance, especially with their baby due in the next few weeks! Definitely a perfect time to read this one in my opinion.

[Rachael Hewison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy a royal biography and was given this as a birthday present. I was suitably impressed by the gorgeous pictures which adorn every page, in particular the wedding photos which were in stunning colours. I was not so impressed with the writing.
Because of the sheer number of pictures, it reads more as a photographic guide to the couple, rather than a story. Morton does attempt to keep his work chronological but at times is rather all over the place, particularly when trying to explain the family histories at the beginning. It also seems very rushed and he seems to skim over details, which suggests he either didn't take the time to get the information or he was hurrying to get the book published. The book is also a reminder to me that their romance isn't the fairytale that's commonly suggested but at times their relationship was pretty sour and William has treated Kate terribly.
Nevertheless the final chapter on their wedding was wonderful and the pictures and the words reminded me what a special day it was, especially because I was one of the people in the crowd outside of Buckingham palace.
Having read Morton's 'Diana her true story' and 'Diana in pursuit of love' I know what a fantastic biographer Morton is. It just feels like he was quite lazy with this one and I wanted a lot more. I've read better biographies of the royal couple and I'll stick with them in the future.

[Sarah.Aldahas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really into Royalties & Celebrities. I love reading about them specially those fairytales with pictures & let me assure you this book is full of interesting PICTURES.

It talks about the upbringing of William in the Palace , how Diana took care of her boys in her own way not caring about the Royal family. She didn’t want her boys to be stiff like stones without feelings, she didn;t want to raise them like that so she took good care of them. It also talk about the paparazzi, how it lead to Diana’s death & how it affected both boys. William growing u, going to college, being reluctant to trust people around him, getting used to others coming to him every now & then.

After that it talks about Kate, her upbringing, how her great great family were poor & how they became rich! How she was raised taught & then about her life in college.

Then the book explores the relationship of Will & Kate, the ups & downs, how it ended & how it became a fairytale to tell the coming generations!

I loved this book because it explored the insides of both William & Kate. It makes you see how they suffered in this relationship specially Kate not getting used to the paparazzi while William got used to them.

It;s a must HAVE

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely survey of the royal couple's lives. William's life has been well-documented over the years, and Morton does well in giving us a summary of his life, but I was far more interested in Catherine's background, as well as that of her family. Very enlightening.

The pictures -- of which there are hundreds -- were also very well-chosen, especially those of the wedding. I watched that event live, and I recognized practically every moment that was put into the book.

A great book for those wanting to have a decent understanding of the future King and Queen of England.

[Tiffany Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morton, who broke ground with his revealing work with Princess Diana, provides few shockers here. It covers the couple, focusing much more on the Prince, from youth through the wedding. While the book treads old ground and provides little in terms of insight on the couple [or either member of it] it is full of beautiful pictures of the subjects. Approach as more of a photo-journal and be happy with it. Nonetheless, for those interested, it is worth the quick read.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are interesting to look at, the reading, not so much. I started out reading, but after awhile, I was just skimming. If you are looking for interesting pics of the bride and groom in their younger years, and pictures of the wedding, this is the book for you! I thought it was also interesting reading about Kate's family and her background.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very easy to read book with a ton of pictures. The book tells about the upbringing of both william and catherine all the up through their college years. It was very interesting to learn how much the press would interfere in william's life and his girlfriends over the years. Fortunately, for both of them, Catherine stayed strong and got her man regardless of the media.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of gorgeous pictures of William and Kate through the years but not much to offer in the text for Royal followers. I was hoping for a bit more insight from Morton as I had quite enjoyed his book on Diana! Quite a few pictures I hadn't seen before and I did like the section on Kate's family, which I didn't know much about.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of great, interesting information on Britain's new royal couple. lots of great pictures.

the only thing sad about it is that Diana did not live to see William find and marry his Kate. i think she would have liked her daughter-in-law.

[LadySlippersAndLoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another coffee table type book -- glossy, heavy on photos, while light on info. Since this is published shortly after William & Kate's wedding, fairly gushy too. If you keep that in mind, it's not a bad book.

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading The Royal We I felt I need a primer on the real royal romance. So I picked this short book up - that includes fab photos and got the scoop on the royal couple. A quick informative read.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly, this read more like an issue of the Sun as opposed to an actual biography. I would have enjoyed a shorter, more factual and well-researched volume than this fluff. If I wanted supposition and hearsay, I would pick up a tabloid.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the light-hearted, yet still informative feel about this book. His alternating pictures and text also enhanced the reading experience. All in all, a fun read for a royal watcher.

[Jeanna Deswert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed with this book. I think I was hoping for more of a "fairytale" type of story, but realistically this isn't it.

[Kori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. There were a few tidbits of information I hadn't seen elsewhere, and the abundant color photos were fun to browse.

[Gaile · Rating 3 out of 5]

About the love affair and marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton with lots of photos. good collectible book for fans!

[Sara]

I admit it I just checked this book out of the library to look at the pictures of Kate. I wanted to see her clothes, and possibly reassure myself that she doesn't measure up to Diana yet.

[Tori]

2011- No real "new" information here, in fact, most is rehash of information I've already read elsewhere.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

love the pictures! may God bless them both.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, if you are interested in the history of William and Catherine. There are, some very great pictures through out the book.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book qualifies as one of the sorts of books that have a great deal of popular appeal in Great Britain and among any place where the royal family of Great Britain is popular.  In many ways, the author presents himself as someone who is fond of the monarchy in general, but also someone who has a great deal of love for gossip.  As someone who wrote a well-known biography of Princess Diane, he is certainly interested in the more tabloid side of the royals and this book certainly is of that mold.  As I note from time to time, I am a pretty openly admitted Anglophile [1] and therefore I have at least some intellectual interest in what goes on here despite the fact that as a patriotic American the internal politics of Great Britain are not necessarily of the greatest relevance to my own personal life.  Be that as it may, this is a book that is well-calculated to take advantage of the favorable feelings about Britain's Prince William and his commoner princess Catherine nee Middleton, who share one ancestor in one of the aristocratic generals of the English Civil War.

This particular book is written in an even-handed way and it demonstrates that the author is able to draw a great deal of reportage from those close to the royal family.  He avoids naming names in certain aspects, like his sources as well as the names of those members of the royal establishment that had been unkind to Catherine, likely to avoid the problems of a British libel trial.  Even so, this book of about 200 pages has a lot of photographs and goes back and forth between the perspective of William and that of Catherine that demonstrates both their fitness to each other as well as the struggles that made their relationship such a challenge.  We see a William born as part of the Windsor line of succession and knowing how to get his own way and a Catherine that combines a strong sense of dignity with a steely determination that will likely help her husband's future reign.  The author captures the domesticity of their lives as a live-in couple before marriage, the struggle over the prince's paranoia about the intrusiveness of the press that made it a difficult challenge for Catherine to build trust, and that English hostility towards social climbing that led Catherine and her sister to be withering called the Wisteria sisters.

Overall, this is a very good book and a quick read that captures the ambivalent feelings that many people have over the British royals, a feeling of pride in their accomplishments, a desire to know more about them that conflicts with their own understandable desire for at least some privacy, and an ambivalent feeling about the blend between appreciating the common touch of the more effective members of the royal family and a sense of hostility towards those who are seen as social climbing.  The result is a compelling book that looks at the difficulty of forming enduring relationships and building families that also provides some hope that William and Catherine will be able to enjoy an enduring union that provides a great many royals with a common touch as well as the strength of character to endure being the face of the British monarchy in the 21st century.  For those who are avoid royal watchers in the United States, this is a book written by a knowledgeable insider about the goings on of the House of Windsor that looks at one of the more important relationships in that family.  Those who like this sort of book will likely like this book.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...