Prince William and Princess Kate’s love story is the stuff of fairytales – but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the future King and Queen, as revealed in a new royal biography
The Prince and Princess of Wales will soon celebrate their wedding anniversary, marking 15 years since their fairytale nuptials at Westminster Abbey. Since that day, the country has taken the couple to their hearts, along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and of course, little Prince Louis.
Considered the most popular royals – both here and overseas – the couple’s charm is evident on each of their public engagements. So, too, is their love for each other.
Together, William and Kate have weathered many storms – from Kate’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, to the toxic fall-out from Harry and Meghan’s exit, and most recently, the Andrew problem. It has only served to strengthen their bond, however. Looking ahead, it appears that the future of the monarchy couldn’t be in safer hands.
But their romance hasn’t always been so secure. In his revealing new biography, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, the Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers takes a closer look at the start of their relationship – and the break-up that could have spelled the end.
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Cracks appear
It was March 2007, and Prince William and his girlfriend of five years stepped out together to attend the Cheltenham horse racing festival. Despite outward appearances – they were both dressed in matching tweed – there was trouble bubbling just under the surface. Onlookers noted that, despite having barely seen each other in recent weeks, the couple appeared frosty with each other.
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Days later, William heaped further embarrassment on Kate when he was pictured appearing to grope an 18-year-old Brazilian student he met on the dancefloor of Elements nightclub in Bournemouth. It, of course, greatly upset Kate and she admonished him for his behaviour, privately questioning whether their romance would withstand.
The ultimatum
Deeply unhappy and at a loss to describe how their relationship had faltered, Kate delivered an ultimatum to William, Myers reveals. She did not explicitly demand an engagement or the promise of marriage, but Kate did break free from the gentle and arguably submissive persona that had so far typified her relationship with William.
A long-standing friend, who she confided in at the time, told Myers: “Catherine was distressed. She was miserable, but she certainly wasn’t desperate. She felt as though she had nothing to lose and for the first time she probably relayed her true feelings to William. She wasn’t demanding an engagement, but she wanted a commitment, and if he couldn’t deliver that, well, then she left him in no doubt that it was best they go their separate ways.”
‘At least now she is free’
In a shock move, William instructed Clarence House to confirm that he and Kate were no longer together in April 2007. But a comment made in private seemed to suggest there was more going on than just a normal break-up. Myers reveals that William confided to one senior courtier, ‘at least she is free’.
As the future king, William was all too aware of the pressures put on his girlfriend – the attention, the constant pressure and expectation. “He held these things responsible for contributing to the breakdown of his previous relationships, but now, when it mattered the most, he wondered if he was taking the right course of action, for Catherine or himself.”
The Queen intervenes
When Princess Diana died, the Queen acted first as a grandmother, not a monarch. She dedicated herself to comforting her suffering grandchildren. And she would now do the same.
Sensing that William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. Heartbroken William confided that he was worried he was throwing away the one constant in his life. One well-placed source described him at that time as ‘completely broken’. Myers writes: “‘In that moment the Queen advised her grandson that the only certain path is the one supported by faith. It was all she had to say.”
The ‘One’
Two months after their split, in June 2007, the couple were back together. Their time apart had given them both time and space to consider the future – they knew the pressures that lay ahead if they continued their romance. Ultimately, though, they both knew they were in it for the long haul.
A source close to the couple told Myers: “They came back clear that they would face the future together. That’s all Catherine had ever wanted and now that William was fully on board and recognised that it was not solely about him, everything seemed to fall into place.”
The Queen’s advice
In December 2010, Queen Elizabeth invited Kate to Buckingham Palace to discuss plans for her upcoming wedding to William. While it was an ‘informal’ catch-up, it was the first time Kate had met the monarch on her own – and she was understandably nervous. In the car on the way to the Palace, she fixed her hair and touched up her make-up before being met by the Queen’s private secretary and taken to a room where afternoon tea had been laid out.
Her Majesty had requested to be kept up to date with the preparations of the wedding committee. But, as they chatted over a light buffet of tea and finger sandwiches, she chose not to ask questions about the finer details of nuptials, and instead looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the monarchy for the next generation.
“According to one former courtier, the Queen offered words of encouragement to Catherine regarding her future role as a senior member of the family, as well as guidance in how to deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands,” Myers reveals.
The Queen also advised Kate not to get too bogged down with the details of the guest list, telling her there would be many people she wouldn’t know and many she wouldn’t even see again.
In a very touching moment, the monarch then generously offered the bride the chance to speak with royal jewellers about borrowing an item from her personal, priceless jewellery collection. “The source said, ‘It was a lovely gesture and typical of the Queen to think of how Catherine would be feeling.'”
Breaking rules – with the Queen’s blessing
As the future king and queen, William and Kate are crucial to the monarchy. As such, they would need to be guided through the complexities of their positions. But it was clear to courtiers that whatever they did next would break the mould.
William had made no secret of his hankering for a ‘normal’ existence; it had been behind his decision to study at St Andrews. And in one private meeting with his grandmother ahead of his wedding, he spoke again of his desire to take advantage of the freedom of living in Wales after the nuptials, which would also give Kate the opportunity to make her first tentative steps into royal life.
(William and Kate lived in a four-bedroom farmhouse on the Bodorgan Estate on the Isle of Anglesey from 2010 to 2013, while William worked as an RAF search-and-rescue helicopter pilot stationed nearby at RAF Valley.)
In response, Myers says, the Queen drew similarities with her own profoundly personal experiences as a newlywed with Prince Phili .
Between 1949 and 1951, Philip’s service with the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean fleet had provided the couple with an incredible opportunity to live relatively ‘normal’ lives. The Queen felt there were deep parallels between her cherished time in Malta and William’s determination to live in Wales for longer.
“‘The Queen certainly had sympathy with his [William’s] situation. Her direction was very much ‘go and live your life’, but also to have one eye on the future, as you never know when things will change,’ one former courtier said. William drew much comfort from his grandmother’s words and felt emboldened to make the most of the opportunity that lay in front of him and Catherine, for as long as they could make it last.”
‘Probably the hardest year of my life’
Following their wedding in 2011, William and Kate’s bond continued to strengthen and together they welcomed three children – George, Charlotte, and Louis. But in 2024, they faced a monumental challenge. The Princess was diagnosed with cancer.
It was a huge blow for William, not least because his father was also battling the disease; Charles shared his diagnosis in February, followed by Kate a month and a half later. The Princess was ‘completely in shock’, at the diagnosis, but remained composed. William meanwhile, was in ‘a state of disbelief’, and has tellingly described 2024 as “the hardest year” of his life, calling it both “dreadful” and “brutal”.
But, following the Princess’s diagnosis, the couple’s relationship entered its strongest phase, through ‘mutual love and support’. A friend told Myers: “They are both incredibly proud of each other. In the moment, it was obviously very stressful for them both. William had both his father and his wife diagnosed with cancer within days of each other, then through Catherine’s treatment, as well as having to split his focus to deal with all that and making sure the children weren’t affected, it was a lot. They were both very conscious of protecting them as much as possible.
“Catherine’s admiration for the way in which William took on all of that, keeping the children entertained and occupied, being constantly sanguine even when he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, allowing her to concentrate on her treatment and recovery, is something she will be eternally grateful for.”
Extracted from WILLIAM AND CATHERINE by RUSSELL MYERS, published by Ebury Spotlight on 26th February at £22. Copyright © Russell Myers 2025.
