The British Monarchy has been around for over 1,200 years. Ergo, the royal marriages pictured here aren't enough.
Still, here is the compilation of the modern royal marriages: the ones that Kate Middleton would have her picture and William lined up with come this April. These marriages are the bluest of the blue when it comes to proximity to the royal throne.
Starting with the marriage of Prince William's great-grandparents, the Duke of York (who later became King George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, here is the epitome of British families and many families the world over – the beauty of its beginnings and the sad current fate many marriages find themselves in.
26 April 1923: The wedding of the Duke of York (King George VI ) to Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon = successful union
Albert Frederick Arthur George was the second son of King George V and had the title the Duke of York. He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the late Queen Mother) and they had two daughters, Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen) and Princess Margaret.
After the Duke's father's death his older brother Edward ascended to the throne. However King Edward VIII was advised that he cannot remain king and still be able to marry his American-twice-divorced-socialite-girlfriend, Wallis Simpson. He abdicated and later became known as the Duke of Windsor. The Duke of York ascended and took on the name King George VI.
King George VI's Family
King George VI's Wedding
20 November 1947: Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Philip Mountbatten = successful union
The present Queen was still a princess when she married Prince Philip. They had four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
The Queen's Wedding
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
6 May 1960: The wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones = unsuccessful union
The late Princess Margaret was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth. She was in love with a divorced older man, her father's equerry, before she abandoned her feelings for him. As the sister of the Monarch the monarchy thought a union between her and Group Captain Peter Townsend was unsuitable. Princess Margaret then went on to marry photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones who was made the Earl of Snowdon. They had two children: Viscount Linley (David Albert Charles) and Lady Sarah Chatto.
The marriage failed due to the Earl's wandering eye and extramarital affairs that produced a child. He later went on to have other children after their 1978 divorce.
The Princess Royal, currently the tenth in line to the British throne, is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Having competed in the Olympic Games as an equestrienne she married another Olympic equestrienne, Mark Anthony Peter Phillips. They produced Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips, also a keen horse rider. Cause of marriage's failure is Captain Phillips' wandering eye and an extramarital affair that produced two children.
Princess Anne's Wedding
Princess Anne's Children on Interview About Her
Zara Phillips - Another Olympian
12 December 1992: Wedding of Princess Anne and Tim Laurence at Crathie Church, Balmoral, Scotland = successful union
Princess Anne was given a second shot at love by Vice-Admiral Timothy James Hamilton Laurence. Though the Queen refused to be at her daughter's second wedding she is still happy for her and welcomed her new son-in-law with open arms. So far, Vice-Admiral Laurence had reciprocated this by staying true to form as a son-in-law if a monarch.
29 July 1981: Prince Charles and Diana Spencer on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day = unsuccessful union
Prince William and Prince Harry's parents. With the transpareny of both parties in washing their dirty laundry in public it is still up to people's imagination up until now on why the marriage crumbled.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana's Wedding
23 July 1986: The wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. Also on the balcony Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, the Queen Mother and Prince Edward = unsuccessful union
The second son of Queen Elizabeth married the “redhead” famous till now because of her recurring and never-ending ability to accumulate debts. The Duke and the Duchess of York had Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The marriage ended due to the Duchess' extramarital affairs.
9 April 2005: Prince Charles and Camilla at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after their civil wedding = successful union
Camilla, the current Duchess of Cornwall was then Camilla Shand when it was reported that she couldn't wait for Prince Charles to return from the military. She then went on to marry Andrew Parker Bowles, another military man. Charles went on to marry Diana. However, they still couldn't forget their love for each other and after Diana's death the monarchy took a chance and let Charles marry her. This is the only brave thing the monarchy did for this union. Still shaking with this decision on how the public would react the monarchy didn't even toyed with the idea of giving Camilla the title Princess of Wales (the title Princess Diana has until her death) after her husband's title as the Prince of Wales.
19 June 1999: Prince Edward and Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones = successful union
So far, this is the only marriage of the Queen's four children proving to be successful. Prince Edward, the current Earl of Wessex went on to marry businesswoman Sophie Rhys-Jones. They have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
