Did Prince William Ask Kate Middleton’s Dad For Permission to Marry Her?
The love story of Prince William and Kate Middleton seems like the perfect fairy tale. Their lives mirror something right of out of a storybook in which a handsome prince, and the second in the line of succession to the throne, marries a beautiful commoner and together they had three children. They also have many fans around the world and have become one of the most popular royal couples in history. On top of that, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s family is so picture perfect all the time and the two look to be doing a good job of raising the cutest royal kids we’ve ever seen.
But it wasn’t all bliss for the pair as Prince William admitted that he was actually a little fearful of Kate’s father. Here’s why the prince was scared of Michael Middleton and how that fear could have kept the couple from getting married.
Before they tied the knot in 2011, William spoke about if he broke the age-old engagement tradition or asked Middleton’s father for his daughter’s hand in marriage.
“I was torn between asking Kate’s dad first, and then the realization he might actually say no came to me. So I thought if I ask Kate first, then he can’t really say no,” the prince revealed.
So instead of talking to Michael first, William carried around the ring for weeks waiting for the right time to propose to his then-girlfriend. That time came while they were on vacation together in Kenya in October 2010. When they got back William had his chance to speak to Michael and he soon learned that he didn’t have anything to be afraid of because Middleton’s parents were extremely happy about the news. In fact, following the engagement announcement, Michael read a statement about how “delighted” he and his wife, Carole, were.
“I would just like to say that Carole and I are absolutely delighted by today’s announcement,” he said. “As you know Catherine and Prince William have been going out together for quite a number of years which has been great for us because we have got to know William very well. We all think he is wonderful and we are extremely fond of him. They make a lovely couple, they are great fun to be with, and we’ve had a lot of laughs together. We wish them every happiness for the future.”
William and his bride were married on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey in front of around 1900 guests and millions watching around the globe.
The majority of the wedding was paid for by not only the royal family but also Middleton’s dad who reportedly chipped in a six-figure sum for the costs. The Middletons own a party supply company which today is worth between $30 and $50 million dollars.
Read more: What Was Kate Middleton’s Net Worth Before She Married Prince William?
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