The Princess of Wales gave Prince William an "ultimatum" shortly before their 2007 break-up, leading to an unprecedented intervention from the Queen, a new book has revealed.
In his new biography, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, The Mirror's Royal Editor Russell Myers sheds light on the early relationship between the future King and Queen – and explores in detail the pivotal year where it all nearly came to an end.
Prior to their split, and four years into their relationship after meeting at the University of St Andrews, Kate gave William an "ultimatum", telling him to commit to their future, or she would walk away.
In a passage serialised in the new book serialised in the new book, Russell writes: "Catherine delivered an ultimatum to William. While she did not explicitly demand an engagement or even a promise of marriage, she did break free from the gentle and arguably submissive persona that had typified her relationship with the future king."
However, it was the late Queen Elizabeth II, having witnessed the damage caused by the breakdown of the relationship between Charles and Princess Diana, who made a game-changing intervention to bring them back together. It was the Queen who convinced William to rekindle the relationship and gave Kate advice on joining the royal family, the book reveals for the first time.
Russell wrote: "Sensing William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. William was more than just crestfallen and worried about whether he was throwing away the one constant in his life. He was, according to one well-placed source, ‘completely broken’.
© UK Press via Getty Images"'In that moment, the Queen advised her grandson that the only certain path is the one supported by faith. It was all she had to say, they said.'"
William and Kate's early relationship
The Queen's advice proved crucial and, three years after getting back together, Prince William and Kate tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011. The couple reconciled in the summer of 2007, just months after their split.
© X / @KensingtonRoyalThe Prince and Princess of Wales's romance was first made public in 2004 when they were photographed on a ski holiday in Switzerland. The two started their studies at the University of St Andrews in 2001, becoming firm friends and even sharing a flat together. Eventually, it blossomed naturally into a romance.
"I actually think I went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling very shy about meeting you," Kate recalled to William in their 2010 engagement interview, revealing that the Prince wasn't there for Freshers' Week. "So it did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other, but we did become very close friends from quite early."
William proposed in October 2010 on a private holiday in Kenya, and, almost a decade after meeting at university, they tied the knot in 2011.
The pair have since gone on to become parents of three, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, balancing family life with royal duties and navigating life's highs and lows, including Kate's chemotherapy treatment in 2024.
