Prince William and Princess Kate share heartwarming picture to mark wedding anniversary

The Prince and Princess of Wales have released a previously unseen picture from their wedding day to mark their 13th anniversary today.

They shared the sweet black and white picture on their social media pages with the caption: "13 years ago today!"

The photograph was taken by professional snapper Millie Pilkington, who has taken several of the couple's family photographs over the years.

She also captured the recently released image of King Charles and Queen Camilla, which was shared to mark the news that the monarch would be returning to public-facing duties.

In the picture, taken inside Buckingham Palace, Kate is wearing her stunning wedding dress and tiara and clutching her wedding bouquet. William stands beside her with his hands on her new bride. The couple are both beaming with happiness. 

The release of the picture has come as a welcome surprise, as the pair don't usually release images to mark non-landmark anniversaries. Though they did release a new snap last year. 

It was markedly different to this year's throwback picture however, as the 2023 picture was a recent picture of the pair enjoying a bike ride in the country.

Dressed casually, Kate and William stopped to pose for a picture with their arms around each other. 

The caption for last year's snap was very similar to this year's, stating: "12 years" with a love heart emoji.

No new portrait was released to mark their 11th anniversary in 2022, though a new official portrait of the couple was released to mark 10 years of marriage - a landmark anniversary - in 2021. 

The release of the picture comes over a month after Kate, 42, revealed she had cancer. In her video message she told how her diagnosis had come as a huge shock and that she and William "have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family".

The prince returned to work following the Easter holidays when the Waleses spent quality time with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Louis celebrated his sixth birthday last week and Charlotte turns nine on May 2.

Kate and William wed in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.

The princess wore an intricate ivory gown with lace applique floral detail, while the groom was dressed in the red tunic of the Irish Guards.

Thirteenth wedding anniversaries are traditionally marked with the gift of lace.