All the Things Kate Middleton Has Said About Her 2007 Breakup With Prince William

Prince William and Kate Middleton might be living a fairytale these days, but that wasn’t always the case. The duke and duchess actually broke up at one point; they split for a few months back in 2007. Neither has said much about the split, but Kate did say a few things about being without William.

William and Kate broke up for various reasons

When William and Kate split back in 2007 (their most notable breakup), there were a lot of factors at play. Both of them were still young, and William wasn’t quite ready to propose. But with the press expecting a proposal any day, the pressure started to set in. Plus, Kate was having trouble keeping the paparazzi away, and William didn’t think it was fair for her to have to deal with the photographers when he wasn’t totally sure she was the one.

William’s behavior had also started causing problems between the two. He was out at a bar one night when he was living several hours away from Kate, and he was photographed with his hand on another woman’s breast. His late nights ended up creating issues between them, and he eventually pulled the plug on the relationship.

Kate said she ‘really valued’ their brief 2004 breakup

William and Kate took a break once before their more notable split. The two called things off briefly back in 2004, though it’s thought to not have lasted very long. But in the couple’s 2010 engagement interview, the duchess said she “really valued” that breakup.

William and Kate were still at school when things ended, and William said that the two were still “growing up” and figuring things out, though he didn’t specifically say why they ended things.  

The duchess also revealed that she ‘wasn’t very happy’ about their 2007 split

During the interview, it gets a bit confusing in trying to figure out which breakup the two are talking about (William referred to them breaking up “at university” but they had both graduated by 2007). Either way, though, Kate said that she “wasn’t very happy” about the breakup at the time, though she noted that she realized it was a good thing looking back on it. “It made me a stronger person; you find out things about yourself.”

The duchess and her sister moved in together after she and William broke up, and the two were spotted all around town at the bars and clubs, which gave Kate more bonding time with her sister. Kate also signed up for a charity rowing competition, which helped her channel her emotions and energy into something different.

It was easy for Kate to win William back  

It didn’t take long for William to realize he had made a mistake. He and Kate were only broken up for a few months before William was determined to win her back. And when he and Kate were working things out, he invited her to a costume party near where he was living. Her costume reportedly made William practically beg for Kate to recommit to him, and she agreed.

The two got engaged in 2010, about three years after they got back together. And since then, their marriage has seemed to be going strong.