Queen Elizabeth II sensed William was struggling and offered advice
Queen Elizabeth II sensed William was struggling and offered advice
Prince William was “completely broken” as an insight into his relationship with Kate has been shared. The couple met in 2001 as students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. A new book, titled William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, will explore their relationship, including the late Queen’s advice to Kate prior to their marriage.
William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story will be published on February 26. It is the first joint biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales in over a decade, and has been exclusively serialised in the Mirror. The biography set to be published by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now.
Written by the Mirror’s Royal Editor Russell Myers, the biography features never-before-told details about the Prince and Princess of Wales and draws on exclusive access to numerous palace insiders.
One chapter explores Prince William’s attitude towards banishing his uncle Andrew, including a row with King Charles. Another chapter focuses on Kate’s bravery in preparing her public statement after being diagnosed with cancer in February 2024.
Another part of the book delves into the reason behind William and Kate’s split in 2007. It explains Queen Elizabeth II played a key role in bringing the Prince and Princess of Wales back together after telling her grandson to have faith in his relationship.
William and Kate had been together for four years before their break-up in 2007. An extract from the book ‘William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story’ said: “In March 2007, William and Catherine, who had barely seen each other since Christmas, were pictured decked out in matching tweed, appearing frosty with each other at the Cheltenham horse racing festival. Sources claimed the relationship had ‘soured beyond repair’.”
William was then pictured with a student he met on the dancefloor of Elements nightclub in Bournemouth. According to the extract from the book, Kate was “deeply unhappy” and delivered an ultimatum to William.
In the meantime, Queen Elizabeth II had sensed William was struggling and worried Diana’s death was affecting William and Harry in their personal lives.
The Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to “judge his mood”. The extract said: “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’. The source said: ‘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’.”
The couple soon reconciled, and a source close to the couple said: “They came back clear that they would face the future together. That’s all Catherine had ever wanted and now that William was fully on board and recognised that it was not solely about him, everything seemed to fall into place.”
Queen Elizabeth invited Kate to Buckingham Palace in December 2010, prior to their wedding in April 2011. It was the first time Kate had met the monarch on her own and she was understandably nervous.
An extract from William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story said: “During the light buffet of tea and finger sandwiches, the Queen eschewed questions about the finer details of the production and instead looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the institution for the next generation.
“According to one former courtier, the Queen offered words of encouragement to Catherine regarding her future role as a senior member of the family, as well as guidance in how to deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands.
“In a lighter moment, the Queen also advised Catherine to not get too bogged down with the details of the guest list, telling her not to worry about how many people would be there. There were many she wouldn’t know and many she wouldn’t see again.
“In a startling gesture to the young bride, the Queen also generously offered Catherine the opportunity to consult with royal jewellers over borrowing an item from her personal, priceless jewellery collection.”
William and Kate were described as “hugely significant to the future of the institution”.
Extracted from WILLIAM AND CATHERINE by RUSSELL MYERS, published by Ebury Spotlight on 26th February at £22. Copyright © Russell Myers 2025.
Ensure our latest news and what’s on headlines always appear at the top of your Google search by making us a preferred source. Click here to activate or add us as a preferred source in your Google search settings.
