Prince William has revealed that his romance with Kate Middleton nearly ended before it truly began, as the couple faced a brief breakup during their university years. In their 2010 engagement interview, William explained that the split was a necessary period of self-discovery for both of them.
"We both were very young, it was at university, we were sort of both finding ourselves as such and being different characters and stuff," William said. "It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up, and so it was just sort of a bit of space and a bit of things like that and it worked out for the better."
Kate admitted she "wasn't very happy about it" at the time, but later recognized its value. "It made me a stronger person," she said. "You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized, or I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger, and I really valued that time for me, as well."
The couple first met as students at the University of St Andrews, where William initially noticed Kate at a student fashion show. "Kate's hot!" he whispered to a friend, according to reports. Despite an instant attraction, William was dating another student, and Kate was seeing someone else. They eventually became flatmates and close friends before romance blossomed.
Their relationship faced its first public test in 2004 when photos emerged of William with his arm around Kate during a ski trip, sparking intense media scrutiny. Kate, nicknamed "Waity Katy" by the tabloids, handled the attention with composure. The couple endured another rough patch when William took a solo vacation to Greece, and Kate discovered he had visited another woman.
Despite these hurdles, William proposed during a trip to Kenya in 2010, presenting Kate with his mother Princess Diana's engagement ring. "It went really, really well and I was really pleased she said yes," William recalled.
Now married for 15 years and parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the couple has weathered significant challenges, including Kate's cancer diagnosis in 2024. William described that year as "the hardest" he has ever faced.
"Life is sent to test us as well," he reflected, "and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are."