Prince William and Princess Kate tied the knot on April 29, 2011 in a fairytale royal wedding at Westminster Abbey in London. Having met while attending the University of St Andrews in Scotland, Kate and William dated for several years, and even endured some brief splits from one another. According to a new book, one particular breakup impacted the Princess of Wales greatly.
In his new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, royal expert Russell Myers discussed the Prince and Princess of Wales's temporary breakup in 2007.
"Catherine had presented William with a simple choice: if he couldn't commit, their relationship would have to come to an end," Myers shared. "To her, the response that followed from Clarence House had been definitive. Catherine told friends that, although she was not ready to move on, she would not wait around for William."
At the time, William and Kate were in their mid-twenties, a crucial time in both of their lives. "If he wasn't ready, she couldn't put her existence on hold," Myers noted. "She needed to get on with her life, and if that was to be without William, she was fully prepared to move in a new direction."
Despite being the instigator of their separation, 24-year-old Prince William "was struggling to process the breakup, as well as the concept of his own identity as a soldier and the expectations of him as a future monarch," according to the royal expert. With such a huge destiny ahead of him, it's understandable that the Prince of Wales might have had doubts about several aspects of his life.
While Princess Kate was reportedly against the split, she allegedly threw herself into a busy social life, attempting to find her own interests without the prince. "Although equally heartbroken, Catherine had decided to stick to her guns," Myers shared. "Throughout the most testing times of her relationship, Catherine had leaned on a group of close school friends, and now she did so again."
Even though Kate seemingly knew she needed to forge ahead, that didn't mean she found the change easy. "She told [her friends] of her lack of direction and how she felt she had been cheated by putting her life on hold for William," Myers explained. "If William wasn't ready to commit, then she was ready to explore her options as a beautiful, young single woman, who by now was known throughout the world."
Their decision to spend some time apart before they made the ultimate commitment seems very sensible, particularly as William would one day become King.
"The breakdown was not caused by infidelity, confrontation, or embitterment, but rather was the result of two young people navigating their first serious relationship at the same time as being thrust into a spotlight whose power had been magnified beyond comprehension," Myers shared.
After reportedly finding their split to be akin to "torture," Kate and William eventually reunited, and the rest is very much royal history.
