To see him in his red military uniform, Prince William looked just like Henry, Cinderella's prince. In her long white lace dress, Kate Middleton also played the part of the Disney heroine to perfection. On 29 April 2011, when viewers saw the images of the sumptuous wedding of the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and his girlfriend, they were struck by the uncanny resemblance to the famous cartoon.
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While all the ingredients of the fairytale seemed to come together on the day of the long-awaited ceremony, the love story between the Prince and the Princess of Wales was not always perfect.
Why Prince William fell for Kate Middleton
The lovebirds met on the benches of Saint Andrews University in Scotland. From a friend who lends her lecture notes, the pretty Kate Middleton slowly but surely established herself as the ideal woman in Prince William's eyes. During their traditional engagement interview in November 2010, King Charles III's eldest son said:
When I first met Kate I knew there was something very special about her. I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there. We ended up being friends for a while and that just sort of was a good foundation.
However, the Prince almost lost her on two occasions. In 2004, Kate Middleton and Prince William separated before the summer and spent their holidays apart. A 'break' that ultimately strengthened their relationship... which was shaken again by a break-up in 2007. Harry's older brother, who had been in a relationship with his sweetheart for several years, couldn't stand the pressure to get married. In 2006, his girlfriend dared to decline an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to attend Christmas at Sandringham, on the pretext that she would only accept once she had the ring on her finger. Robert Lacey explains in his book Battle of the Brothers:
Putting pressure on William, however, was not the way to change his mind. Indeed, he had begun to wonder whether he had found the right girl at the wrong time.
When Prince William acted poorly towards Kate Middleton
Not in a hurry to get married, the young prince preferred to make the most of his life as a military officer, going on 'drinking sprees', often in charming company. Kate Middleton, meanwhile, earned the nickname 'Waity Katie' in the British press. Other women's accounts of his nightclubbing suggested that William behaved like a bachelor. So he decided to break up with his partner... over the phone. Robert Lacey writes:
On 11 April 2007, Kate emerged from a work appointment at Jigsaw, the fashion boutique where she had recently started working, to take a call from William in a conference room that was safe from prying ears. She closed the door for over an hour. When she came out, she was single.
Not enough to get through to the future princess, who preferred to live her best life in full view of everyone, especially her ex. Remorseful, Prince William finally got back in touch with her, and the exchanges resumed some ten weeks after the separation. And the rest is history...
This article has been translated from Voici.
Read more:
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton: The couple are under 'unmanageable pressure', according to expert
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton: The story of how they met and how that sheer dress came to be
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton: Experts weigh in on their relationship dynamic
Sources used:
People: Kate Middleton and Prince William Talked Breakup & 'Shock' Proposal in Engagement Interview 13 Years Ago
Telegraph: Royal Wedding: Prince William and Kate Middleton interview in full
