Late Queen's role in Prince William and Kate's reunion after heartbreaking split
William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, briefly split in 2007 but were back together within weeks
It's been revealed that the late Queen Elizabeth II had a role in reuniting her grandson, Prince William, and his now-wife Kate Middleton, following their 2007 break-up.
The royal couple met at St Andrews University in 2001 while they were studying history of art. The now-Princess of Wales was credited with persuading the Prince to continue his studies when he considered quitting as he struggled to adjust to university life during his first year.
They moved into a shared house with two other friends in 2002 and reportedly became a couple around Christmas 2003. The couple briefly split up in April 2007, reportedly because of the strain caused by William's military career, but they were secretly back together within weeks.
Their engagement was announced in 2010, and William and Kate went on to tie the knot at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. They have since become parents to three children - George, Charlotte and Louis.
And their brief split is among the moment documented in a new book about the couple's life together. The Mirror's Royal Editor, Russell Myers writes in his new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, which is being serialised by the Mirror: "In March 2007, William and Catherine who had barely seen each other since Christmas, were pictured decked out in matching tweed, appearing frosty with each other at the Cheltenham horse racing festival. Sources claimed the relationship had ‘soured beyond repair’.
"Days later, William heaped further embarrassment on Catherine when he was pictured appearing to grope an 18-year-old Brazilian student he met on the dancefloor of Elements nightclub in Bournemouth. Looking wide-eyed, sweaty and clutching a pint of beer as he stood between two young women, William seemed to have temporarily abandoned his senses. Was this the normality he craved?
"Or was he simply a young man letting off some steam after finishing a tank commander course, while continuing to exist in a pressure-cooker situation? Catherine was upset and admonished him for his behaviour, questioning whether the light of their four-year relationship was about to be extinguished forever."
He continues: "In the days after the Cheltenham Festival, deeply unhappy and at a loss to describe how their relationship had faltered, Catherine delivered an ultimatum to William. While she did not explicitly demand an engagement or even a promise of marriage, she did break free from the gentle and arguably submissive persona that had typified her relationship with the future king.
"A long-standing friend who she confided in at the time said, ‘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.’
"On many levels, the conversation was the clearest sign of the changing dynamic of their relationship. Catherine was no longer a shy student finding her way in the world, nor was she willing to be portrayed as the long-suffering girlfriend of a prince who had other priorities. Either they were a team, or they weren’t."
Russell later reveals how the Queen had a role in bringing the couple back together. "The Queen had witnessed at first hand the toxicity that spilled over from Charles and Diana’s relationship and the devastating effect of the Princess of Wales’s tragic death on both William and Harry," Russell writes.
"And she knew that William was hurting from the attempt to reconcile so many competing expectations, demands and desires. During those initial days of hopelessness after the tragedy of Diana’s death, Elizabeth’s first reaction had been that of a grandmother, not a monarch. She refused to bow to pressure from the press and instead dedicated herself to comforting her suffering grandchildren. Now she would do the same.
"Sensing William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. William was more than just crestfallen and worried about whether he was throwing away the one constant in his life. He was, according to one well-placed source, ‘completely broken’.
"'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,' they said."
Once they decided to reunite, the Queen stepped in once again. "In December 2010, Queen Elizabeth invited Catherine to Buckingham Palace," Russell shares. "Although billed as an informal catch-up, it was the first time Catherine had met the monarch on her own and she was understandably nervous.
"Even though Catherine had by now met the Queen on several occasions, she sought advice from aides on what to wear and say during the meeting. In the car on the way over to Buckingham Palace, she adjusted her hair and touched up her makeup 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. During the light buffet of tea and finger sandwiches, the Queen eschewed questions about the finer details of the production and instead looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the institution 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.
"In a lighter moment, the Queen also advised Catherine to not get too bogged down with the details of the guest list, telling her not to worry about how many people would be there. There were many she wouldn’t know and many she wouldn’t see again. In a startling gesture to the young bride, the Queen also generously offered Catherine the opportunity to consult with royal jewellers over 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.'"
William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, published on 26 February by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now