Her desire for a fairytale wedding and the chance to live ‘happily ever after’  earned Kate Middleton the nickname ‘Princess in waiting’ at school.

And starting her studies at St Andrews University at the same time as Prince William allowed her to fulfil that fantasy – as she met Prince William in September 2001 and they sat together in the dining hall and bonded over their mutual love of skiing.

A few months later a relationship began in earnest after Kate famously caught the attention of the young prince when she modelled a sheer dress in a charity fashion show (for which the Prince had reportedly paid £200 for a front-row seat).

News of the pair’s budding romance quickly spread across the campus – and, indeed the world – as a fresh-faced Kate was thrust into the media spotlight.

And so nine years later, a period that included a brief separation, it was no wonder that rumours had began to circulate that William was considering popping the question. And Kate began to hope he might take the next step.

As royal expert Katie Nicholl described in her book Kate, The Future Queen, when the couple travelled to Kenya at the start of October 2010, the now Princess of Wales had ‘dared to hope that she might return from Africa with a ring on her finger’.

But, as the holiday began to draw to a close ‘there was no sign of a proposal’ and by the final day of their incredible trip, ‘Kate’s heart was heavy’.

Over the course of their African adventure, Kate and William trekked to the remote area of Ishak Bin, with no sign of an engagement ring. Then, they travelled to Lewa and stayed in the same five-star lodge they had holidayed in after their graduation.

In that time, the pair caught glimpses of a rare hooked-lipped rhinoceros, with William later sponsoring the animal for $9,000 to ensure its safety in the wild.

Kate, to her disappointment on the trip, had received no similarly expensive gestures of affection, with a proposal seemingly set to remain an ever-distant dream.

Ms Nicholl said: ‘By the time they headed to Sarara [in the heart of Kenya] for another safari with two friends from South Africa, Kate had given up hope.’

And so, having made peace with the idea that a proposal was off the cards, she busied herself with enjoying the incredible scenery and photographing the vast wildlife. But, to Kate’s surprise, William revealed that he had secretly added an additional leg to their trip, having booked a day and a night at the Il Ngwesi Lodge.

Described by Ms Nicholl as a ‘remote log cabin in the heart of the countryside near the great Lake Rutundu’, William, who had visited the unique lodge before, ‘knew it would be the perfect place to return with someone special’.

And as the pair basked in the picturesque scenery, Kate’s seemingly endless patience for her prince charming was finally rewarded.

A perfect illustration of the old saying ‘good things come to those who wait’ – Prince William got down on one knee and asked his university sweetheart to marry him.

The prince presented the then-28-year-old Kate with a ring that was to be ‘immediately recognisable’ – his late mother, Princess Diana’s, 12-carat oval Ceylon blue sapphire, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds.

Purchased by the now-King Charles for Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, it cost £28,000 and now has a value upwards of £300,000.

Considered to be one of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, William had been carrying the ring in his backpack for three weeks during their Africa trip.

Kate was said by Ms Nicholl to have been left ‘speechless’. She later described the proposal as both ‘very romantic’ and a ‘total shock’, though admitted that the pair had discussed marriage previously.

Explaining William’s prior arrangements, the royal author added: ‘Although no one – not even his father or brother – knew of his intention to propose to Kate while away, William had spoken with Harry to make sure his younger brother was happy for him to have their mother’s ring, as and when the time came.’

The young prince and his fiancée also swore to keep their engagement a secret until William was able to ask Kate’s father, Michael Middleton, for her hand in marriage, Ms Nicholl explained.

And so when Kate signed the guest book the following morning, she left a message that made absolutely no reference to the life-changing moment. It read: ‘Thank you for such a wonderful 24 hours. Sadly no fish to be found but we had fun trying. I love the warm fires and candle lights – so romantic. Hope to be back soon’.

Upon Kate and William’s return to their secluded cottage in Anglesey, Kate placed her engagement ring in the safe.

Her parents, Michael and Carole, were to meet the newly engaged couple at the Aberdeenshire estate of Birkhall that weekend.

‘Just before supper on the first night, William took Michael into the dressing room, poured them both a large whiskey, and asked for permission to marry Kate.

‘Without a moment’s hesitation, Michael gave William his blessing,’ Ms Nicholl said.

In line with royal protocol, William was then required to ask his grandmother, the late Queen, for her permission in order for the engagement to go ahead.

And so, in the meantime, Kate’s overjoyed father was forbidden from disclosing the incredible news with another soul – including his wife.

Following the Monarch’s blessing, the news was made public a few weeks later and on November 16, 2010, the Palace announced to the world that both William and Kate were to be married.

Side by side in a corner of Clarence House, they spoke to ITV News’s Tom Bradby, with Kate joking to the camera that ‘it was very romantic, there’s a true romantic in there’.

‘As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going,’ William said. ‘So I was planning it, and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful.’

The 15-minute interview was viewed by more than 3 billion people worldwide and marked the first time that a fresh-faced young Kate had spoken publicly.

The prince explained that he had been planning to propose ‘for a while’ and chose to give his late mother’s ring to his betrothed as a loving tribute to Diana.

William said: ‘It’s my mother’s engagement ring, and it’s very special to me, as Kate is very special to me now as well. It was only right the two were put together.

‘It was my way of making sure Mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement and the fact that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.’

However, things had not always been so smooth sailing for the loving couple. Just a few years prior, in April 2007, Kate and William decided to go their separate ways.

But rather than mope, Kate made sure she was seen – and photographed – to be thoroughly enjoying an independent life, with the emphasis on enjoyment.

Speaking in the couple’s engagement interview, Kate reflected on their time apart.

‘At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but it made me a stronger person,’ she said.

A few months later, with the prince apparently having realised what he was missing, they reconciled.

William explained why he took so long to pop the question, saying he wanted to give Kate a chance to ‘back out’ if she felt she couldn’t cope with life as a future queen.

He added that he was ‘trying to learn’ from past lessons and had wanted ‘to give her the best chance to settle in and see what happens on the other side’.

Offering a glimpse behind the scenes of the famous announcement, Ms Nicholl explained that an inexperienced Kate ‘had been dreading the interview’.

She added that after the fact, ‘Mr Brady remembered her leaning back and sighing with relief, exclaiming “I’m no good at this!”‘

To ease her nerves, Ms Nicholl explained that Kate made a deliberate ‘point of placing her hands on her lap so that she didn’t fidget with her hair and spoke beautifully in a cut-glass accent’.

She continued: ‘Like the late Princess of Wales, Kate was statuesque and beautiful, with heavily made-up eyes, but she seemed far more confident than Diana, who had been just 19 when she and Charles got engaged.’

Charles and Diana announced their engagement five months prior to the wedding, on February 24, 1981, with an exclusive interview.

Her striking ring had been inspired by Queen Victoria’s sapphire brooch, worn as her ‘something blue’ for her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.

The choice of a catalogue ring, instead of a custom-designed piece, broke royal tradition, allowing others to purchase the same engagement ring.

Dubbed the ‘Commoner’s Sapphire’, it reflected Diana’s grounded nature, as she valued the sentimental meaning of the ring more than royal traditions.

But the announcement was remembered not just because it marked a future king choosing his wife-to-be, but for a comment later described as ‘traumatising’ for the late Diana.

When asked if the newly engaged couple were in love, she replied, ‘Of course’, while Charles quipped, ‘Whatever in love means’.

However, in great contrast, William and Kate presented a remarkably more comfortable and outwardly loving display, with Mis Nicholl observing: ‘With his arm protectively around Kate, it was clear William knew exactly what love meant.’

Kate was immaculately dressed in a £385 royal blue dress by Daniella Helayel, founder and former creative director of Issa.

The mid-length silk dress, inspired by a design worn by Helayel’s couturier grandmother, seemed to be a rather fitting choice for the future Queen.

It sold out within 24 hours, marking the beginning of what would come to be known as the ‘Kate effect’.

As a princess-to-be, Kate’s unwavering patience had ultimately paid off as she now awaited her new life in the Royal household.

Her fairytale wedding to her beloved prince the following year saw London become engulfed by a blanket of red, white and blue as millions of well-wishers gathered to catch a glimpse of the new bride and groom.

And as William and Kate shared their first public kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, an age-old cliche appeared to have rung true – the best things in life are worth waiting for.