Since their first appearance together as an official couple, the world has been almost as enamored with Prince William and Kate as the pair have been with each other.
A big part of what makes Princess Diana's oldest son and his bride so fascinating to observe are the ways they've been able to buck several royal traditions and forge their own path with their young family.
It's clear William takes after his rebellious mom in a lot of ways, but Kate certainly adds her own ideals to the mix too.
Obviously, the couple still does their best to adhere to all of the obligations and duties required of them, but you can't help but be proud of the way they live just a little bit differently from the rest of their lineage — especially when it comes to their adorable young family!
Take a look to learn more about their nontraditional lifestyle and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
1. They Skipped The Matchmakers
Instead of being paired up by royal matchmakers and aligning for beneficial family ties like most of William's ancestors, the couple had a typical romance, which started with friendship that blossomed into love, after meeting at the University of St. Andrews.
2. William Ignored Kate's "Old" Age
At 29 years old by the time she wed William (who is actually a few months younger than his wife), Kate became the oldest British royal woman to walk down the aisle when they married in 2011.
3. They Moved Away From London
Though they do have an apartment at Kensington Palace when they feel like visiting the family, their own little family spends most of their time over three hours away at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
The ten-bedroom Georgian mansion offers them a more private life for raising their young children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
4. William Kept His Day Job
After his time as a search and rescue helicopter pilot in the Royal Air Force, William now continues to help people in emergency situations with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
There's usually a high expectation for royals to make hundreds of appearances at special events, but these royals leave his grandparents and father to take care of that, for the most part, while they focus on their life at home.
5. They Sent Prince George To A Local School
Before following in his father's footsteps with his upcoming enrollment at the Wetherby Prep School in London, the little prince attended a local Norfolk nursery, which is quite out of the ordinary for a Windsor.
6. They've Turned Down The Queen's Invitations
Of course, that's only because she and her eldest grandson have made an agreement in order to let William and Kate have as much of a normal life with their children as possible.
That means they occasionally get a pass at mandatory family functions, like spending Christmas Day at their own home rather than joining the rest of the royals at Sandringham House.
7. Kate Has Often Ditched Designer Duds
William's mom was famously friendly with several fashion designers who would create couture looks just for her, and most other royal ladies have tended to go with similarly flashy frocks.
Kate, however, is known to not only frequently don things from less expensive retailers, but even repeat her outfits from time to time, just like any other busy mom would.
8. They've Embraced PDA
Just think: Have you ever seen a photo of Elizabeth and Philip hugging or giving each other a kiss? Even Charles and Diana kept things pretty chaste when there were cameras around, but William and Kate have no problem showing off just how much they care for each other with their public displays of affection!
9. They've Taken A Softer Approach To Parenting
There have been tons of reports on how the pair want to be more hands-on with their children, rather than letting a team of nannies take care of them, which is something Will likely learned from his own mother's approach.
As advocates for mental health, they have also bucked tradition by revealing how important it is to them that George and Charlotte never keep their true feelings bottled up, despite the lingering idea that royals have to rise above and stay mum about such things.
William explained, "Catherine and I are clear that we want both George and Charlotte to grow up feeling able to talk about their emotions and feelings."
Did you know all of the ways Will and Kate make their family and relationship unique from other royals? Be sure to SHARE these facts about the lovely couple with your friends!
