Kate, the Princess of Wales was once left “in tears” after Prince William backtracked on spending time together – a decision that ultimately led them to take a break.
The Prince and Princess of Wales appear now more solid than ever as a couple, and over 12 years of marriage they have repeatedly shown their commitment to each other and their children.
But like many people before them, especially those who have been together since their early 20s, they have been no strangers to insecurity about their relationship and blowout fights.
Author Katie Nicholl detailed one such occasion in her new book The Making of a Royal Romance, revealing Kate was particularly hurt when William cancelled on their “big plans” with only a few days to spare.
Back in 2006, William and Kate had to spend Christmas separately as he joined the rest of the British Royal Family at their Norfolk pile, Sandringham.
Traditionally, only married couples would be invited and despite having been his girlfriend for nearly four years by then, Kate didn’t make the cut.
The tradition would only be shelved in 2017, when Meghan Markle joined the celebrations five months before her marriage to Prince Harry.
Bowing to customs, Kate and William opted instead to plan something with the Middleton family for New Year, according to Nicholl.
But on December 26, the now-Prince of Wales reportedly phoned his girlfriend to cancel plans – a decision believed to have later led to the couple’s break up.
Nicholl said the separation wasn’t a caprice but rather that “William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate.”
“Both advised him not to hurry into anything,” Nicholl wrote. The advice came after three of the late Queen’s children divorced following relatively short engagements.
Speaking of their break up later on, William said: “We were both very young. We were finding ourselves. It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up.”
The royal’s doubts about the relationship were short-lived, with Kate appearing only a few rows behind William and Prince Harry at a tribute concert in memory of Princess Diana.
The following year Kate appeared at William’s RAF graduation ceremony, cementing her role as his official girlfriend.
Two years later, after popping the question at a remote retreat in Kenya and presenting Kate with his mother’s iconic sapphire-and-diamonds engagement ring, the future royal spoke for the first time about their separation.
“I, at the time, wasn’t very happy about it. But actually, it made me a stronger person.”
The royal pair tied the knot on April 29, 2011 and have since welcomed children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
And after the last couple of years brought significant changes to the outlook of the Royal Family, sources close to the Prince and Princess of Wales have remarked how they have become each other’s pillar of support.
One insider told US Weekly: “William and Kate are more in sync than ever. They cherish what they have with each other. For them, family comes first, and it always will.
“They’re the first to admit it’s been a tough year, but everyone agrees William and Kate have done a wonderful job staying strong in the face of such adversity.”
They added: “They’re in awe of each other. William tells anyone who will listen that he couldn’t do it without Kate, and she echoes that right back.”
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