When Prince William realised he had romantic feelings for his good friend Kate Middleton, he was well aware that any potential relationship would change her life forever.
The pair met when they were both studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, which they revisited this week, and became close as pals before romance blossomed.
But dating the future king would put Kate in the royal spotlight, and make her every more subject to public and media scrutiny. So, unsurprisingly, Wills wanted to keep his new girlfriend a secret for as long as possible to give them time to work out just how serious they were about each other.
And they succeeded in keeping things under wraps for almost a year - with their relationship reportedly beginning in 2003 but remaining secret until 2004.
However the story broke when Kate joined William on a family skiing holiday and they couple were spotted together on the slopes.
The photos appeared in British newspapers the following day, and William was reportedly "furious".
Speaking on Channel 5's documentary William & Kate: Too Good To Be True, Rebecca England, royal editor at the Daily Mail, said: "Unfortunately for them, a paparazzi photographer took pictures of William and Kate clearly very close on the ski lift together.
"A red top tabloid newspaper slashed it all over their front page.
"William was furious, and he was also genuinely worried for Kate and her family about what this would now mean for them."
During the interview, Rebecca also referenced rumours that Kate's mum Carole Middleton had tried to set her daughter up with the prince.
She said: "At the time there were a lot of rumours going around that Carole might have tried to orchestrate the relationship by ensuring her daughter went to St Andrews.
"There was talk of Kate having a poster of William on her wall at her school, Marlborough College."
However, Kate shot the poster rumour down during her engagement interview in 2010.
She apologised to her future husband, saying: “He wishes!”
“No I had the Levi’s guy on my bedroom wall, not a picture of William. Sorry!”
During the programme, Tom Quinn explains that Kate started to change her wardrobe in the lead up to the couple's engagement as she began to prepare for royal life.
He said: "Her clothing almost began to reflect what people saw in her character, a kind of restraint, kind of modesty almost.
"I think that did come about because William and Kate were coming towards the point where they would announce their engagement.
"It was Kate starting to behave in ways which would be seen more appropriate for a future Queen."
The couple made their first public appearance together at their university graduation from St Andrew's, which was attended by the Queen, Prince Charles and Carol and Michael Middleton.
Royal expert Victoria Arbiter adds: "Graduation for William and Kate, it really was their last moment in that protective bubble.
"I think perhaps they might have both been a bit naive about what was to come.
"William understood how the media works but Kate would have had no idea what it meant to be on the receiving end."
