Despite family drama and rumors, Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton’s relationship blossomed. Meeting at the University of St Andrews in 2001, they endured a brief breakup in 2007 but reconciled, leading to their engagement in 2010.
The couple tied the knot in 2011 and welcomed three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Their relationship encountered rumored challenges, including allegations of extramarital affairs.
“Kate finds the rumors hurtful, obviously, and hates the thought that one day her children will be able to read about them online,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2019.
“It forced her and William to sit back and examine their relationship, which they realized they should have been doing more often.”
Despite fervent denials, the couple persevered through difficult times. In January 2024, Kate underwent a “planned abdominal surgery” and recuperated privately at home, away from public view for two months.
Kate’s initial public remarks, an Instagram post on the U.K.’s Mother’s Day in March, sparked backlash and conspiracy theories regarding her whereabouts due to Photoshop suspicions. Another insider revealed that the intent was for Kate to:
“express gratitude to the public for their support and debunk some of those absurd conspiracy theories.”
Prince Harry Blames William and Kate For Controversial Costume Choice
In 2005, Prince Harry sparked controversy by wearing a Nazi costume. Years later, he claimed it was selected by Prince William and Kate Middleton.
“I went up and down the rows, sifting through the racks, seeing nothing I liked. With time running out I narrowed my options to two. A British pilot’s uniform. And a sand-colored Nazi uniform. With a swastika armband. And a flat cap,” Harry wrote in his January 2023 memoir, Spare.
“I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said. I rented it, plus a silly mustache, and went back to the house. I tried it all on. They both howled.”
A Postgraduate Seperation
During their college years, William and Kate faced scrutiny over their engagement timeline, earning Kate the nickname “Waity Katie.” Their relationship hit a rough patch in 2007, resulting in a brief split.
“At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but it actually made me a stronger person,” Kate recalled during a November 2010 interview.
“You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn’t realized. I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger, and I really valued that time for me as well although I didn’t think it at the time.”
The couple eventually reconciled one year after their brief split.
The Rift Between Brothers
William and Harry, sons of King Charles III and Princess Diana, were once close, even launching a joint foundation. However, their bond waned in February 2019 when they separated their royal households.
In 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals, moving to California, sparking estrangement with William and Kate. Harry detailed their feud in “Spare,” alleging William tore his necklace during a physical altercation.
What was different here was this level of frustration, and I talk about the ‘red mist’ that I had for so many years — and I saw this ‘red mist’ in him,” Harry said in an interview. “He wanted me to hit him back, but I chose not to.”
Sparking Infidelity Rumors
In 2019, William faced allegations of an affair with Rose Hanbury, a close friend of William and Kate for years.
Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, attended their 2011 wedding and the 2021 funeral of Prince Philip. Her son, Oliver, served as one of the pages of honor at Charles’ coronation in May 2023.
William, Kate, and Hanbury, who is married to David Cholmondeley, have never addressed the rumors.
“It’s not unusual to have a few hiccups in a marriage, especially after eight years, and Kate and William are no different,” a source told.
“They’re still going strong. Regardless of their ups and downs, they love each other dearly and their kids are the most important thing in their lives.”
Failure Of Mother’s Day Photoshop
Following Kate’s January 2024 surgery, speculation on social media escalated due to her absence from public appearances.
Despite the royal family’s silence on her diagnosis, conspiracy theories intensified in March 2024 after a grainy TMZ photo of Kate and an edited family portrait surfaced.
On Mother’s Day that March, news outlets received a “kill notice” to remove the photo from their websites, alleging manipulation by the source.
Kate later apologized for the confusion, acknowledging her experimentation with photo editing software.
She expressed regret for any confusion caused by the family photograph and wished everyone celebrating a happy Mother’s Day.