Kate Middleton and Prince William met in 2001and reportedly started dating in 2003. Though she was known as the girlfriend of the heir to the throne and attended some functions, she officially became a member of the Royal Family in 2011 when she and Prince William married.
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Since then she has enjoyed many royal privileges attributed to senior members of the Firm. One of them is her security and right to privacy – unlike other celebrities or her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, she doesn’t get followed around by photographers and gets Royal Protection Officers.
However, reports that are now resurfacing show that Prince William was allowed to put security measures in place for Middleton prior to their wedding.
Princess Kate’s direct access to a royal aide
In an article published by the Mirror on 10 April 2024, it is reported that Prince William was ‘deeply concerned’ for Kate Middleton’s safety and how she would handle the scrutiny. Consequently, a royal writer has alleged that the heir decided to ‘quickly set up an emergency hotline’.
According to the author, Katie Nicholl, Prince William was anxious to see his mother’s history repeat itself especially as Middleton started being followed by paparazzi when she was leaving in London. In her book Kate: The Future Queen Nicholl explains:
He had seen firsthand how his mother had been harassed by the paparazzi and was determined that Kate not be subjected to the same treatment.
A royal aide also allegedly spoke to the author and stated:
We had been introduced to Kate early on, and we were instructed from the outset to give her every support possible. She was obviously the subject of a lot of press interest and intrusion from the paparazzi
Adding:
William said we had a duty of care to her and her family and so we advised her on how to deal with the cameras. We told her to smile at the photographers so that there would be a better picture. She was given advice on how to manage the media, and we were there to support her if there was a crisis.
According to the author, the number was directly link to then-Prince Charles’ press secretary, Paddy Haverson.
What about Meghan Markle?
These revelations were first made in 2013 when Nicholl first published her book. However, years later, they offer a fresh perspective on another situation: namely, the security of Meghan Markle. Indeed, while the safety of the partners of senior members of the Royal Family is important, it seems like not all partners get the same treatment.
In 2022, a book written by Tina Brown, which Newsweek reports on, revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s security concerns pre-dated their 2020 exit from the Firm. Brown explained that these security worries are what led to the Prince marrying Markle so quickly. Brown pens:
To his brother's concerns, Harry's riposte can be summarised as, I am told, 'Well, actually the best way that I can protect her is to marry her as quickly as possible, because as soon as I marry her she will then get police protection.
Moreover, security concerns about Markle’s safety were made public by Kensington Palace through a statement written by Prince Harry in which he exposes the ‘abuse and harassment’ Markle had been subjected to since it was revealed they were dating.
It was alleged at the time that the Prince could pay for private security for Markle like his father had done for Camilla prior to their wedding however, to this day, it remains unconfirmed if he did.
In multiple interviews the couple gave, the Palace’s behaviour concerning their security was addressed and never was a helpline with direct access to a senior aide mentioned or even posed as a possibility. In their Netflix docu-series, the couple also stated that in the UK, Meghan’s smiling was perceived as her liking the attention she was getting which led Prince Harry to ask her not to speak to the photographers or smile. A stark contrast to what Kate Middleton was told.
Read more:
⋙ Kate Middleton reportedly received lessons from Queen Elizabeth before marriage
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton: The story of how they met and how that sheer dress came to be
Sources:
Mirror: Prince William set Kate Middleton up an emergency hotline when they started dating
Newsweek: Prince Harry's Concern Over Meghan's Security Predates Royal Split—Book
People: Why Prince Harry Told Meghan Markle Not to Smile at Paparazzi When They Started Dating
