Prince William and Kate Middleton's enduring love story continues to captivate the public, even after decades together. Roya Nikkhah, the royals editor for The Sunday Times and co-host of the podcast 'The Royals with Roya and Kate,' shared with Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales remain deeply connected despite a challenging year.

'When you see them on engagements, they're obviously still very into each other,' Nikkhah noted. 'One's always looking out for the other. Recently, when they were in Southport together, you could see that... she was a bit more vulnerable. I think they've got each other's backs.'

Nikkhah also pointed out the difficulty of maintaining privacy under constant public scrutiny. 'I think when you have that weight of public scrutiny on you, it's very hard to keep a little bit of your private life private because you are so publicly scrutinized,' she explained. 'But if you look at the video they put out when [Kate] announced she'd finished chemotherapy, we never get to see them like that.'

The couple's journey began as students at St. Andrews University in 2001 and culminated in their marriage in 2011. They now share three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This year has been marked by health concerns within the royal family, including King Charles III's treatment for an enlarged prostate and Kate's abdominal surgery.

In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles was receiving treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. Shortly after, Kate revealed she was also undergoing cancer treatment, putting an end to rampant speculation on social media. Following her announcement, William took time off to support his wife, and in September, Kate announced she was cancer-free.

Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, described the couple's life as 'happy, stable family life full of fun, love, and laughter.' She added, 'They strive to keep the majority of their personal tactile life private. During their earlier years, they enjoyed partying at certain clubs. But for many years they've fueled and energized each other through enjoying competitive sports and pursuing all things fun in the great outdoors.'

On November 7 during his visit to Cape Town, South Africa, William admitted that 2024 had been 'brutal' and 'the hardest year' of his life. He reflected on his role as the Prince of Wales following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. 'Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult,' he said. 'But I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it's been... brutal.'

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich noted that as Kate returns to royal duties, William will continue to provide the support she needs. 'A picture tells a thousand words and there have been several times when their affection is reminiscent of two teenagers in love, which of course they initially were, well in their early 20s,' Fordwich said.

Their early years at university were marked by shared activities like water polo and swimming, which helped build their bond. 'It was there that their athletic instincts were apparent to each other, albeit at that time they were still just friends. Dark winter mornings, rising before 5 a.m. aren't for most university students. They each knew the other was health conscious, yet another attribute they have in common. It's where they developed such comfort with each other,' Fordwich shared.

Their public displays of affection today reflect a deep, unwavering bond formed during their university days. 'Their displays of public affection nowadays demonstrate they have no hesitation or reservation in letting the world know exactly how they feel about one another when they deem it appropriate to do so,' Fordwich concluded. 'Their comfort with each other from those deep bonds formed at university has never waned, but rather have grown.'

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