2004: First meeting
Kim and Kanye first met on a music video shoot when the KUWTK star was working as Brandy’s assistant and Kanye was working on a song with the songstress.
At the time she was still married to Damon Thomas, who she went on to divorce in 2004, and Kanye was dating model Alexis Phifer.
Speaking about their first meeting on the Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10 year anniversary special, Kim said: ‘I met him I think in 2002 or 2003. He was recording a song with Brandy, and I was her friend…
‘I vividly remember hanging out with him and then they did a video together, so I’d see him a few times. He was asking his friends: ‘Who is this Kim Kardajan?’ He didn’t know what my name was’.
Sealing the deal: West’s crush on Kardashian only grew over the years as the rising star began getting photographed next to her boss-turned-friend Paris Hilton; Paris and Kim pictured in 2006
2006: Heads turned further
Kanye’s huge crush on Kim only grew over the years as the rising star began getting photographed next to her boss-turned-friend Paris Hilton.
In an interview with Ryan Seacrest in 2013, Kanye revealed that he truly fell for his future wife after he got a glimpse of a certain photo of her next to her pal Paris in Australia.
He said: ‘I just knew I wanted her to be my girl for a long time. ‘I remember I saw a picture of her and Paris Hilton, and I remember telling my boy, ‘Have you seen that girl Kim Kardijon?”
Despite his growing attraction to Kim, Kanye went on to propose to longtime girlfriend Phifer in August of 2006.
Working together: Kanye asks Kim to appear in his infamous hip-hop puppet show Alligator Boots, where she would be playing the part of Star Wars’ Princess Leia; Kim and Kanye pictured in 2008
2008: A split, Princess Leia and two new loves
In April, Kanye calls off his year-and-a-half engagement to Phifer, as confirmed by Phifer in a statement to People, in which she said: ‘It’s always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends’.
Shortly after, Kanye asked Kim to appear in his infamous hip-hop puppet show Alligator Boots, where she would be playing the part of Star Wars’ Princess Leia.
Although the show was rejected by Comedy Central, Kardashian still had fond feelings for the project as she shared behind the scenes pictures from the set of Alligator Boots to social media in 2018.
Kim wrote on her website: ‘We had met before this project (back in 2003), but I would say this is when we first really connected. These pics are SO funny!’
At the time of filming Alligator Boots, Kim was in a relationship with New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who she started dating in 2007.
Meanwhile, Kanye became involved with model Amber Rose in September of that year.
Future couple? In February, Kim and Kanye reunite with one another at the Y-3 show in New York City. Kim attended the show with boyfriend Reggie, while Kanye arrived solo and snagged a seat next to the couple and actress Milla Jovovich
2009: A fashionable meet and a mysterious mention
In February, Kim and Kanye reunite with one another at the Y-3 show in New York City. Kim attended the show with boyfriend Reggie, while Kanye arrived solo and snagged a seat next to the couple and actress Milla Jovovich.
In April, during his appearance on Keri Hilson’s hit track Knock You Down, appears to reference his looming crush on Kim and his jealousy over her relationship with Reggie.
He rapped: ‘You were always the cheerleader of my dreams / Seem to only date the head of football teams/…
‘And I was the class clown that always kept you laughing / We were never meant to be, baby we just happened’.
Kanye and Amber also part ways in July of that year
2010: The end of two love stories
In March, after three years of dating, Kim and Reggie split up for good. Reports at the time blamed the pressures of fame.
They had briefly split in August 2009 before reuniting, however he was unable to reconcile himself to Kim’s rising star.
An insider told e! online: ‘They do truly love each other and there’s no bad blood… They’re even open to the idea of reconciling down the road, but need to be apart right now.’
Kanye and Amber also part ways in July of that year.
Following their split, Amber blamed Kim for the split, saying: ‘Kim is one of the main reasons why me and Kanye are not together. She’s a homewrecker!”
In the years after his split from Amber, Kanye has openly criticised the model – most famously saying in a 2015 interview that he had to take ’30 showers’ after dating her and reportedly branding her a ‘prostitute’.
In December, as Kim filmed the music video for her single Jam (Turn It Up), Kanye was present on set. Famously, Kardashian’s mother Kris Jenner snapped at him for checking out her daughter’s famous derriere by bluntly saying, ‘Don’t be looking at her a**’.
The songwriter snapped back: ‘I’ve never seen it actually.’
Early snap: Kim confirmed her romance with Kanye in June 2012 and they announced they were expecting their first child that December
2012: It’s TRUE and there’s a baby
They finally got together eight years after meeting. In March, The rumored couple let it be known they were spending time with each other when Kim sat front row at Kanye’s runway show during Paris Fashion Week.
The following month, after months of rumors and rumblings, Kim and Kanye made their relationship official as they held hands in New York City.
In May they took things a step further and make their red carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival during the premiere for the film Cruel Summer.
In December, the Stronger rapper joyously reveals that his is expecting his first child with Kim during a New Year’s Eve concert in Atlantic City.
The rapper said ‘stop the music’, then announced ‘make noise for my baby mama right here,’ with a wide smile. Kanye’s announcement prompted a flurry of excited tweets from the audience
Taking to her official website, Kim also confirmed the pregnancy, writing: ‘It’s true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby…
‘We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us. Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family.’
2013: A star is born… North West is here and a wedding on the way
Epic proposal: In October, Kanye made proposal history when he asked Kim for her hand in marriage with a sparkling 15-carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring
On June 15, Kim welcomed their daughter North West. Weeks later, the KUWTK star showed off a picture of her and Kanye’s baby girl, while appearing on her mother Kris’ short lived talk show.
In October, Kanye made proposal history when he asked Kim for her hand in marriage with a sparkling 15-carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring.
The proposal was a total surprise and went down at the AT&T Park baseball park in San Francisco, which Kanye rented out for the occasion.
He had arranged for the words ‘PLEEESE MARRY MEEE!!!’ to flash up on the giant scoreboard at the ballpark.
Despite his bravado, Kanye admitted prior to the proposal he was nervous, saying: ‘I was talking to a cousin, I said, ‘What do you think she’s gonna say?’…
‘I’m not arrogant about love and feelings at all . . . I knew I wanted her to be my girl for a long time
In November, the couple then made headlines around the globe when shortly after their engagement, Kim famously appeared nude while straddling Kanye on a motorbike in his Bound 2 music video.
2014: The wedding
In May the following year, the couple tied the knot at the Renaissance fortress in Florence, Italy
In May the following year, the couple tied the knot at the Renaissance fortress in Florence, Italy. The lavish affair saw 200 people in attendance and Kim walked down the aisle in a stunning Maison Margiela bridal gown.
They were wed under the direction of Rich Wilkerson Jr, a pastor from North Miami. Speaking moments after the ceremony to E! News, Kim’s mum Kris said she was ‘beyond bursting with happiness for Kim, Kanye and baby North’.
‘Such a magical, romantic wedding!’ she added. ‘I feel blessed to have my new son and his family as part of ours.’ And Kanye seemed equally ebullient, with a source telling MailOnline he gave an eight-minute speech to the gathered guests.
‘I just wanna stop the music a second ‘cos my baby’s coming back with a new dress on. Here she is – Kim Kardashian West,’ he said, introducing his bride.
After the ceremony, the guests broke bread together sitting family style on a 70-metre-long marble banquet table – a gift from master craftsman Gualtiero Vannelli who used marble from the Tuscan quarry in Carrara, according to Us Weekly.
During the ceremony Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli serenaded Kim and Kanye with several of his songs, including Con te Partiro. Among the stars at the nuptials were Steve McQueen, Lala Anthony, Jaden Smith and Joe Francis.
2015: Saint West
In May, in wake of her first wedding anniversary with Kanye, Kim confirmed to Glamour that she was expecting her second child with the Grammy winner. ‘North has taught me patience. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. And nothing I wouldn’t do for my husband. She’s empowered us to want to be the best parents and the best spouses,’ said the star.
In December, Kim and Kanye welcomed their second child, son Saint West, on December 5, 2015. Eager to share her newborn with her massive Instagram following, Kim shared a portrait of Saint to the platform.
2016: Kim’s trauma and trouble in paradise
In 2016, Kim was left traumatised when burglars broke into her Paris apartment during Fashion Week, tied her up and stole $10million of jewellery in October 2016. In 2018, she finally learning to be ‘okay’ with the horrifying experience because she has ‘learned so much from it’.
The reality star was robbed by five armed men wearing ski masks and clothes with police markings in the ordeal. At around 3am, the robbers entered the building after the concierge let them in.
Handcuffed and at gunpoint, the concierge led them to the starlet’s flat. Kim reportedly ‘begged for her life’ and told the gunmen she had children at home when two of them entered her room and held the gun to her head.
Later that year, the couple were faced with allegations of ‘friction’ due to Kanye’s online behaviour. After Kanye went on a number of Twitter tangents, insiders said: ‘ What causes friction in the marriage, however, is Kanye’s compulsive tweeting. Kim can’t stand it. She is all for self-promotion, but doesn’t approve of Twitter drama’.
Despite this, they denied they were having issues with Kim saying ‘there’s just nothing to really report on’.
2017: Baby number three
The couple hired a surrogate to carry their third child. It was first reported in July that Kim opted to go the surrogate route due to health complications during her first two pregnancies.
Kim, who suffered with life threatening placenta accreta when carrying North and Saint, is said to have been referred ‘by an agency’ to find the right surrogate.
TMZ claimed the famous duo paid $45,000 for the surrogate to carry their third child, before revealing the lady in question is an African-American college graduate in her Twenties who has been married for five years with two children.
‘The entire family is over the moon. Kim had been looking for a surrogate for months until recently when she found the perfect candidate,’ a source told People.
The singer added: ‘They want everything to be perfect and for the baby to be extremely healthy. ‘They don’t want any complications and Kim is providing an ideal eating regimen and diet so everyone knows what the baby is consuming before it’s born.’
Prior to hiring their surrogate, Kim spoke to her sister Kourtney about the perks of surrogacy, saying: ”If you use a surrogate, nobody has to know the whole time. You could have a baby for a year and nobody would even know.’
2018: Chicago is here
In January, their daughter Chicago was born.
2019: The brood continues to grow
In May, they then welcomed another son Psalm West by a surrogate and later renewed their wedding vows
On July 4, Kanye announced he was entering the 2020 presidential race and Kim – as well as Elon Musk – backed him
2020: Kanye’s troubles
On July 4, Kanye announced he was entering the 2020 presidential race and Kim – as well as Elon Musk – backed him.
Later that month, on July 19 he held a campaign rally in South Carolina, wearing a bullet-proof jacket marked ‘security’ and with ‘2020’ shaved into his head.
In a rambling speech, he revealed he and Kim had considered aborting North and also claimed abolitionist Harriet Tubman ‘never actually freed the slaves’.
On July 22, he fired off a series of tweets claiming Kim was trying to have him locked up on medical grounds, that he had been ‘trying to get divorced’ since Kim allegedly met rapper Meek Mill at the Waldorf Hotel and called mother-in-law Kris Jenner ‘Kris Jong-Un’.
Kim subsequently released a statement saying Kanye was suffering a bi-polar episode at the time. It was later revealed he was holing up at his Wyoming ranch and Kim was seen in tears as she visited him,
In October, Kim held a lavish birthday bash on a private island where Kanye gifted her a hologram of her late father Rob.