Even though Prince William and Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge) have been together for many years, their relationship hasn’t always been easy. After meeting in 2001 and finally getting together, the two broke up more than once; however, they always found their way back to each other. The two have been married now for over ten years, but there’s a lot people don’t know about their relationship. Here are some obscure facts about the royal couple’s romance:
14. Gap Year
During their gap year, both Prince William and Kate went on a volunteering trip to Chile that was organized by Raleigh International. They completed identical ten-week expeditions only one month apart. William was there from October to December in 2000 and Kate joined the charity expedition in January 2001.
Press Association13. Meeting
They met back in 2001 when they were both living in St. Salvator’s Hall, a residence at the University of St. Andrews. They met when Kate was invited to sit with William and his friends while they ate. They quickly discovered that they had a lot in common. Kate was a country girl who loved sports, especially swimming, much like William. She was also a good skier just like William, and they were both studying Art History. She also got along well with his friends, Fergus Boyd, an Eton classmate, and Olli Chadwick-Heale, who were known as Sally’s boys.
AP Photo/Barry Batchelor/PA12. Seeing Kate in a New Light
Before the night of the annual Don’t Walk charity fashion show, Will didn’t see Kate as anything more than a friend; however, after watching her walk down the catwalk, he changed his mind. He reportedly told his friend Fergus, “Wow, Fergus, Kate’s hot!” After the show, he decided to make his move. They were a corner talking and toasting Kate’s success when he leaned in to kiss her, but Kate rebuffed him because she was dating a fourth-year student named Rupert Finch.
Photo by Indigo/Getty Images11. Roomies
During their second year, the Prince of Wales moved in with Kate, his friend Fergus and another friend, Olivia Bleasdale. This is when Prince William and Kate first began dating, although they did their best to keep their romance under wraps, which involved leaving the house at different times and arriving at dinner parties separately. During their third year, they moved out of their shared accommodations to Balgove House, a sprawling private estate a quarter of a mile outside the town center.
Press Association10. Going Public
They went public with their romance in April 2004 when they went to Klosters, Switzerland, for a ski trip. William made no attempt to hide his affection for Kate and the tabloid, The Sun, was able to get pictures of it and confirmed the relationship. Rumors had been around for months that they were dating, but because of how discreet they initially were, the rumors had never been confirmed until this point.
Press Association9. Trial Separation
During the summer of 2004, the couple briefly separated. Will was feeling claustrophobic and decided to take a break from the relationship and began spending time with American heiress Anna Sloan (who wasn’t interested in him) and heiress Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe (who he pursued but was rebuffed). When Kate and William returned to St. Andrews that fall, they continued to live together and it wasn’t until Christmas that they were back together, but they had agreed to take things slowly.
Press Association8. Engagement Rumors
After graduating from St. Andrews, the media became obsessed with the possibility that the two would get engaged; however, the Prince made it clear that he wouldn’t get married until he was “at least 28 or maybe 30.” As a result, the press dubbed Kate “Waity Katie” because she seemed to be hanging around waiting for the Prince to propose.
Press Association7. Breakup
In 2007, after William was photographed getting a little too close with a couple of different women during a couple of night’s out, Kate gave him an ultimatum – either he gives her his full commitment or they break up. William ended up choosing the latter. While Kate was devastated, she didn’t mope. Instead, she and her sister got dressed up and began hitting the town. She also joined the Sisterhood, a group of 21 women who were planning to row from Dover to Cap Gris Nez in a dragon boat to raise money for charity. Within a few weeks and before she finished training for the race, she and William were back together.
Press Association6. She Dated His Friend
After William broke up with Kate in 2007, she began spending time with his friend, shipping heir Henry Ropner, and it is rumored that the two became more than friends. William was reportedly upset about this because Ropner was one of his school friends from Eton.
Press Association5. His Promise
Following their split in 2007, Wills made a pact with Middleton during a trip to Seychelles about their future together. They decided that they were going to stay together and made a secret pact that he would make her his wife, but only after he finished his military training.
(Chris Floyd/Camera Press/PA via AP)4. Proposal and Marriage
During a trip to Kenya in October 2010, William finally proposed to his university sweetheart in a secluded log cabin, using his mother’s 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire ring. According to the Prince, he wanted to propose in Africa because it’s one of the places he feels most comfortable. “I regularly daydream. Africa is definitely one of the places I go to. It does completely settle me down. [Kate] understands what it means to me being in Africa, and my love of conservation,” he told CNN. “I didn’t really plan it that far in advance. I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it and I wanted it to mean something, other than just the act of getting engaged.” The couple announced their engagement in November 2010 and were married on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey.
Photo by Frederic Nebinger/ABACAPRESS.COM3. Honeymoon
The couple spent their honeymoon in Seychelles, a string of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, in a luxury villa that costs a reported $6,000 a night and included a freshwater pool, private garden, outdoor yoga pavilion, personal chef, and butler. While the press made an agreement with Kensington Palace to not take photos of Will and Kate on their honeymoon, 15 months after, pictures from their honeymoon were published on the front of Woman’s Day magazine.
© Pool/i-Images via ZUMA Press2. They Lived Together before Marriage
In 2010, Kate moved to Anglesey, Wales to live with William while he trained to become an RAF search and rescue pilot. While many traditional Anglicans were against this, the Archbishop of York backed the couple’s decision, saying that most couples want to “test the milk before they buy the cow.” They are the first royal couple to have cohabited before marriage.
Shutterstock/Shaun Jeffers1. Kate Wants at least Three Kids
William only wanted two children, but Kate reportedly wants at least three, which means the royal couple might have one more baby. They currently have three children together: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
(Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP, File)
