Recognizing the pressure that his girlfriend felt, in 2007, William reportedly broke up with Kate over the phone. Contrasting reports speculated27) that he wanted to date other women; that, at 24 years old, he felt too young to marry; and that he simply felt guilty for the media scrutiny and constant expectations that were being leveled28) on her. The pair reportedly licked their wounds by dating and hitting the party circuit, but the fate ultimately led them back into one another's arms. They reunited months later, and she attended the Aug. 10 anniversary memorial that William and Prince Harry had arranged for their late mother.
据报道，由于意识到女友所承受的压力，威廉王子在2007年与凯特通过电话分手。而与此不同的报道也做出各种推测，或称威廉王子是想与其他女人约会，或称24岁的威廉觉得谈婚论嫁还为时尚早，又或认为他只是对凯特所受到的那些媒体监视以及人们对她无休止的期待感到内疚。据报道，两人通过各自结识新欢及出席各种派对场所来舔舐自己的伤口，不过命运最终还是让他们回到了彼此的怀抱。几个月后他们又复合了，而且凯特还出席了威廉和哈里王子于8月为亡母戴安娜王妃举办的逝世十周年的纪念仪式。
The two continued to date for the next three years, and in November 2010, made history when they announced their engagement. William had popped the question29) with Princess Diana's 18-carat30) sapphire31) engagement ring (a gift from Harry) while the two were vacationing in Kenya—after the polite prince had asked for Kate's father's blessing and approval, of course.
他们又继续交往了三年之后，历史性的一刻终于到来——他们在2010年11月宣布订婚。两人在肯尼亚度假时，威廉王子用戴安娜王妃那枚18克拉的蓝宝石订婚戒指(这是哈里王子送给他的礼物)向凯特求了婚——当然，礼貌的王子事先征得了凯特父亲的同意，并且得到了他的祝福。
Forget economics and politics, it will be the collective "oooohs" and "ahhhs" heard round the world that will make history when, on April 29th, 2011, Kate gracefully steps from her carriage and down the aisle of Westminster Abbey32).
忘掉经济和政治吧。2011年4月29日那天，当凯特优雅地走下马车，沿着威斯敏斯特教堂的走道走向圣坛之时，全世界一齐发出的欢呼与赞叹之声将会创造历史。
Archbishop33) of Canterbury Rowan Williams will marry the couple in an 11 a.m. ceremony.
坎特伯雷大主教罗恩·威廉斯将在上午11点为这对新人主持结婚仪式。
The wedding will be the most expensive celebrity wedding of all time and likely cost the British taxpayers more than $20 million dollars.
这场婚礼将会是有史以来最为昂贵的一场名流婚礼，很可能将会花掉英国纳税人超过两千万美元的税款。
Britons and visitors can try to catch a glimpse of the couple as they glide by in a horse-drawn carriage, when it travels through Parliament Square34), Whitehall35), Horse Guards Parade36) and the Mall, or they can gather near Buckingham Palace, where William and his bride are expected to emerge into public view briefly on the balcony.
这对新人会坐着马车缓慢通过国会广场、白厅、皇家骑兵卫队阅兵场和林荫道，英国人和游客们可以设法在马车驶过时一睹新人的风采；或者他们也可以聚集在白金汉宫附近，因为威廉王子和他的新娘应该会短暂地出现在那里的阳台上与公众见面。
This is the same balcony where William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, kissed after their 1981 wedding, and where wartime leader Winston Churchill joined the royal family to wave to the public in triumph at the end of World War II.
而这个阳台正是威廉的父母，也就是查尔斯王子和已故戴安娜王妃于1981年举行完婚礼之后亲吻的地方，也是二战结束时，战时的英国首相温斯顿·丘吉尔与皇室成员一起向欢庆胜利的公众们挥手致意的地方。
Queen Elizabeth II, William's grandmother, will host a reception at Buckingham Palace after the wedding ceremony. At the night of the wedding, Prince Charles will host a dinner and dance at Buckingham Palace for family members and close friends of the newlyweds37).
威廉的祖母，女王伊丽莎白二世将于婚礼结束后在白金汉宫举办一场招待会。婚礼当晚，查尔斯王子将在白金汉宫为家庭成员及新婚夫妇的密友们举办一场晚宴和舞会。
William's little brother Harry is planning the bachelor party38). Meanwhile, the night before the wedding, Middleton will stay overnight in central London at one of the palaces.
威廉的弟弟哈里正在为哥哥筹划单身汉舞会。而那时，也就是婚礼前夜，米德尔顿将会在伦敦市中心的某一座宫殿中住一晚。
1. melodramatic [ˌmelədrəˈmætɪk] adj. 戏剧似的；夸张的；情节剧的
2. satiate [ˈseɪʃieɪt] vt. 充分满足
3. palate [ˈpælət] n. 趣味；味觉
4. backdrop [ˈbækˌdrɒp] n. 背景
5. curtsy [ˈkɜː(r)tsi] n. 屈膝礼
6. play down: 降低……的重要性
7. off-guard [ˈɒfɡɑː(r)d] adj. 不提防的
8. etiquette [ˈetɪket] n. 礼节，礼仪；规矩
9. intrigue [ɪnˈtriːɡ] vt. 激起……的兴趣
10. unpretentious [ˌʌnprɪˈtenʃəs] adj. 谦逊的；不夸耀的
11. demeanor [dɪˈmiːnə(r)] n. 举止，行为；风度
12. fast friend: 可靠的朋友
13. in the cards: 可能发生的
14. sheer [ʃɪə(r)] adj. 透明的
15. strapless [ˈstræpləs] adj. 无吊带的；无带的；无背带的
16. coed [ˈkəʊed] n. (男女同校、尤指大学的)女生
17. crane [kreɪn] vt. 伸长脖子
18. get a glimpse of: 瞥见
19. brunette [bruːˈnet] adj. 浅黑肤色的；深色的
20. round up: 集拢(分散的人或物)
21. platonically [pləˈtɒnɪkli] adv. 纯精神友谊地
22. tabloid [ˈtæblɔɪd] n. 小报；文摘；小型画报
23. be on to: 了解……的情况；识透(某人)的意图
24. detail [ˈdiːteɪl] n. 特派小分队，选派的小队(或小组等)，(陆、海军等的)特遣队
25. decline [dɪˈklaɪn] vt. 婉辞；谢绝
26. brace for: 准备接受……
27. speculate [ˈspekjʊleɪt] vt. 推断
28. level [ˈlev(ə)l] vt. 针对
29. pop the question: 求婚
30. carat [ˈkærət] n. 克拉(= karat)，钻石等珠宝的重量单位，1克拉= 0.2克
31. sapphire [ˈsæfaɪə(r)] n. 蓝宝石；青玉；天蓝色
32. Westminster Abbey: 威斯敏斯特教堂，正式名称为“圣彼得联合教堂”，坐落在英国伦敦。最初于960年开始修建，1245年重建，经历代增建，直到1745年才竣工。这里有丘吉尔、牛顿、达尔文、狄更斯、布朗宁等人之墓，也曾是戴安娜王妃葬礼的举办地。
33. archbishop [ɑː(r)tʃˈbɪʃəp] n. 【宗】大主教；总教主
34. Parliament Square: 国会广场(即议会广场)
35. Whitehall [ˈwaɪtˌhɔːl] n. 白厅，是伦敦市内的一条街，连接议会大厦和唐宁街(英国首相官邸所在地)。一些英国重要政府机关设在这条街及其附近，因此人们用“白厅”作为英国行政部门的代称。
36. Horse Guards Parade: 皇家骑兵卫队阅兵场
37. newlyweds [ˈnjuːliˌwedz] n. 新婚夫妇