Kate Middleton And Prince William Split: Ten Years Later, Find Out Why
Kate Middleton and Prince William are the perfect couple and an inspiration to romantics everywhere. As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, they fulfill their royal duties with grace and aplomb. As Kate and Wills, they delight the world with their charm and obvious love for each other.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are a cracking couple. I said to them once, “you’ve got my vote.”
“For what?” William asked. So humble.— Galactic Keegan (@GalacticKeegan) November 10, 2016
But Marie Claire writes about a time when things were very different for Middleton and her prince.
“It’s hard to imagine a time when Kate and William weren’t associated with marital bliss…”
Six years into an enormously successful and popular marriage, Middleton and Prince William are still an example of two people in sync with each other. More than that, Kate and William are clearly still as in love with each other as they were in 2011 when the entire world celebrated their wedding.
Unlike Prince Charles and Princess Diana… Prince William and Kate Middleton are in love.. LOVE, LOVE,LOVE.. :-)) #RoyalWedding
— Rvay Eman (@RvayEman) April 29, 2011
Incredible though it is to think about now, there was a time when the future didn’t look good for Middleton and Prince William. Today, the Cambridges are well established as possibly the happiest, most grounded royal couple the British royal family has ever had. Fans love Kate and William as much as they appear to love each other.
Almost exactly ten years ago, the Kate Middleton news was devastating for Kate and William fans and for Middleton herself. At Easter 2007, Prince William and Kate Middleton broke up, and for a brief, nerve-wracking period, it looked as though Prince William’s perfect partner was forever gone from his life.
Middleton was suddenly no longer a royal girlfriend and odds-on favorite for the future wife of Prince William, heir to the throne. That didn’t stop reporters from following her everywhere as people devoured Middleton news updates.
Kate’s many followers still find inspiration in how well she coped with the relentless public scrutiny that continued to surround her.
The Daily Mail previously reported on the “fevered speculation” that occupied royal watchers when Prince William and Kate Middleton separated.
The late Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Prince Charles’ goddaughter, revealed some of what Kate went through after the split. Tara shared that she offered comfort to the 25-year-old Middleton during what was probably the worst time of her life.
Middleton was in an incredibly difficult position. She had to bear all the burden of being a royal, with none of the protection and security. Kate wasn’t a princess, wasn’t even going out with a prince anymore, but the appetite for Middleton news was enormous.
At the same time, once Prince William was no longer at her side, people weren’t all that concerned about being kind to Kate.
Palmer-Tomkinson, who described herself as sharing a “complete code of trust” with long-time family friends Prince William and Prince Harry assured Kate, “He’ll be back, don’t worry.” Tara gave Kate a shoulder to cry on and someone safe to talk to until Prince William did eventually come back to Kate.
“People were being kind of horrible to her, but I knew William would be back as soon as he realized what he was missing out on.”
Long after the unexpected breakup, Prince William and Kate Middleton opened up about the rocky period in their romance.
William explained that he and Kate “were both very young.” He remembered that they needed time to grow up. “‘We were finding ourselves. It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up.”
Many people saw Middleton as being the more mature half of the couple, although Kate and William are the same age.
Kate Middleton is not that much older than me– but seems so much more adult and mature! So graceful.
— Muffy Martini (@MuffyMartini) November 17, 2010
Prince William showed his maturity when he expressed concern over his parents’ history. He didn’t want to make the same mistake that Prince Charles and Princess Diana made.
According to reports, Kate wasn’t the one who wanted to break up. “I, at the time, wasn’t very happy about it,” said the Duchess.
Despite photos of Prince William partying with several young women at a Poole nightclub while he was on assignment with the army, Middleton still hoped that she and Prince William could work it out.
Happily, she was right to hope, but she doesn’t regret that anxiety-producing time when Prince William struck out on his own. Middleton says, “But actually it made me a stronger person.”
[Featured Image by Paul Gilham/Getty Images]
