Prince William and Kate Middleton have had their fair share of ups and downs, just like any couple. Their story started in 2007 when they broke up for a while due to different reasons, which really hurt Kate. But eventually, they worked things out and got back together.
Now, 13 years after their beautiful wedding at Westminster Abbey, William and Kate are proud parents of three kids. Even though many people think that a future king and queen have a perfect life, they still face challenges in their marriage.
According to a royal expert, the Prince and Princess of Wales have struggled with their marriage. As it stands, it’s not as perfect as one might think.
On April 29, 2011, William and Kate got married at Westminster Abbey in London. But just a few years before that, in 2007, it looked like their romance was over. Some news outlets even claimed that William and Kate had split up for good.
When they broke up in 2007, gossip about the reasons behind their breakup spread like wildfire.
Prince William and Kate Middleton – rocky love story
Some royal experts suggested that Prince William chose to break up with Kate because he thought the “fun” had faded from their relationship. On the other hand, Kate was reportedly very upset, as she had already imagined their future together as a married couple.
After the breakup, William was said to have been out at nightclubs in London, meeting several other girls.
Kate, understandably, was quite angry. Reports say that they exchanged “harsh words” because Kate felt “humiliated” by William’s actions. She also believed he was “cheapening her image.”
According to a report, “It was the first such warning she had given during their four-and-a-half-year relationship.” A friend of Kate’s mentioned, “Kate had had enough, and they had a serious talk. She told William that he was making her look bad. She had dealt with girls throwing themselves at her boyfriend for years, and at first, she thought it was funny and flattering.”
At the same time, some people believe that neither William nor Kate had full control over their breakup. Royal expert Christopher Anderson, who wrote William and Kate: A Royal Love Story, claimed that William’s stepmother, now-Queen Camilla, had a big influence on the situation.
In a chat with The Daily Beast, Anderson shared that Camilla might have played a big role in the split.
“I was in London when William and Kate broke up. I couldn’t believe it; I was totally shocked! Everyone thought it was just a matter of time before William would propose to Kate. Then I started hearing that Camilla had something to do with it,” Anderson mentioned back in 2016.
Kate Middleton realized “awful burden” before marrying William, expert says
Speculation about the events between William and Kate in 2007 still pops up from time to time. Just last year, Judy Wade, a former royal correspondent for Hello! Magazine, shared a new theory on the matter.
Wade mentioned that Kate began to understand how much her life would change if she became a senior member of the Royal Family.
“She might have seen the heavy responsibility that comes with marrying into royalty. It’s like a life sentence,” Wade explained.
At that time, William was serving with the Household Cavalry in Dorset, while Kate was in London, which meant they often had to be apart. During their engagement interview, they talked about their breakup in 2007.
“We did break up for a little while,” William shared in the interview. “But that was just because we were both really young, still in university, trying to figure ourselves out and being different people.”
“I wasn’t very happy about it back then, but it actually helped me grow stronger,” Kate said.
“You learn things about yourself that you might not have known before. When you’re younger, it’s easy to get really wrapped up in a relationship. I appreciate that time for myself now, even if I didn’t see it that way at the time.”
Prince William and Princess Kate represent a fresh face for the monarchy. Although King Charles is known for trying to modernize things, like reducing the number of royals who work, William and Kate show what a new generation of royals looks like.
Reason behind Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘strong spark’
Kate is known for wearing both expensive designer clothes and more budget-friendly brands. This mix makes her seem more relatable and down-to-earth, which is great for the royal family because it shows a more modern and human side of her.
William and Kate want their kids to have as normal a childhood as possible. By living in Adelaide Cottage, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis can enjoy a regular home life, even if it is a beautiful and spacious one.
Royal marriages are meant to last a lifetime. However, like any couple, William and Kate have faced their share of challenges. With their busy schedules, finding time to be together must be tough.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe has shared insights about the couple’s date nights and how they keep their relationship strong. In 2021, he talked to OK! Magazine about how Prince William and Kate make sure to spend quality time together and what their special nights look like. He also explained why their connection remains so vibrant.
“Kate and William’s relationship blossomed when they were at St Andrew’s University, doing normal student-y things and just enjoying each other’s company,” Duncan said.
“Being a future king you might expect William to whisk Kate away to Paris for the day or an extravagant lunch at a top restaurant, but they’ve never been like that. They’re more of a fish and chips on the seafront type of couple, as we saw when they went back to St Andrew’s for an engagement recently.”
“Reminds them of their student days”
When the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in the UK, William and Kate took the chance to go out and have some fun together in the city.
For instance, they often visit Kate’s parents, and when they do, the Prince and Princess of Wales enjoy having George, Charlotte, and Louis’ grandparents close by.
According to Larcombe, Prince William and Kate Middleton aren’t into extravagant things. Instead, they prefer to hang out in more “normal” places.
“While the loving grandparents take care of the kids, William and Kate have managed to sneak away to the local pub for a night out, just the two of them,” the royal expert shared.
“I heard they did this to celebrate William’s birthday in June [in 2021]. Another thing they love is when William cooks bolognese for Kate, and they relax on the sofa watching TV. It brings back memories of their student days when they first met and their love story began.”
Even though William and Kate seem like a perfect couple, things aren’t always as they appear. Just a few months ago, they attended the wedding of Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein and his bride, Saudi Arabian royal Rajwa al-Seif, in Amman, Jordan.
The wedding guests then had a chance to greet the couple, sending them their best wishes for what was to come next. Cameras were all over the place, and they caught the moment when Prince William and Kate Middleton were to say hello to the bride.
William’s “rude” gesture to Kate
Prince William was the first to speak, and after a brief chat, it was Kate’s turn. However, after a little while, William thought it was time to keep things moving. While Kate was talking to Princess Rajwa and seemed a bit restless, William signaled to her, urging her to speed up. Reports even say he told her to “chop, chop.”
William just wanted Kate to hurry up, but his comments have drawn some criticism from royal experts about how he treated her.
Body language expert Judy James shared her thoughts with the Express, saying it wasn’t one of William’s best moments in terms of how he acted or what he said. She pointed out that while he was ready to move on, Kate was having a lively and friendly conversation with the bride. James noted that Kate wasn’t really holding up the line since the next guests were still chatting with the groom, so there didn’t seem to be a good reason for William to rush her, especially since it only added a few seconds to their talk.
James also mentioned that William’s hand gestures were “bad enough.” She praised Kate for not reacting to William’s behavior but added that his actions came off as overly controlling, making Kate seem like a naughty child in comparison.
The prince was “rude,” the body language expert concluded.
William and Kate have, according to royal expert Tom Quinn, been known not to want to appear as “the perfect couple that everyone else should try and emulate.” within the royal family.
William and Kate’s marriage “not as perfect as it might seem”
The author of Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family told Fox that Prince William and Kate Middleton are just like any other couple. They have days when they are “really, really mad at each other” and even days when they don’t talk at all.
The Prince and Princess of Wales want people to see them as a normal couple. They deal with the same challenges as other parents, like balancing work, handling the stress of raising kids, and everything else that comes with family life.
Even though they might look like they have it all together, Tom Quinn points out that they, like all strong marriages, have their disagreements. But they know how to find common ground and make their daily lives work.
“From people I’ve spoken to, it’s not as placid. It’s not as perfect as it might seem,” Quinn told Express. “But William adopts the manners and the way of behaving of his grandmother, and Kate is very good at not complaining and adopting.”
The royal expert said, “Both of them have really followed the example of the late Queen, who was an amazing ruler. They hardly ever complain, and when they do, they always choose their words carefully.”
Quinn went on to say that William and Kate have their arguments too. But instead of doing something really crazy like “throwing heavy vases at each other,” the Prince and Princess of Wales just “throw cushions” at one another, which is much safer and shows they keep things under control.
“It’s like a Jane Austen novel”
In a March 2023 interview with Fox, Quinn talked more about Prince William and Kate’s marriage. They have some adorable and playful nicknames for each other, but things aren’t always perfect.
Kate and William might look really calm on the outside, but that’s not always the case. They actually deal with a lot of stress because they are always around palace aides. It kind of feels like something out of a Jane Austen book. Tom Quinn claimed.
Kate is definitely the more relaxed one, he said. William tends to be a little more fiery. You can see that in Harry’s book… But Kate stays cool and collected. She’s the one who tries to calm things down and says, ‘Let’s not make things worse.’
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