The 'secret pact' Prince William and Kate Middleton made following their brief split
By Jo Abi|
Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly made a "secret pact" with each other in the early days of their relationship.
The Prince of Wales, 43, is next in line to the British throne. When he is crowned king, his wife, the Princess of Wales, 43, will be queen.
Theirs is a steadfast union that began with a friendship during their time as students at St Andrews University.
READ MORE: Pop megastar trapped in 'scary' show malfunction
After William and Kate began dating, their destiny seemed decided – until they briefly split in 2007, reportedly because Prince William was reluctant to commit at such a young age.
After they reunited, the couple decided to take a private holiday together and it was there Prince William is said to have made a pact with Kate that would see them tie the knot in 2011.
READ MORE: Prince Edward breaks royal protocol during Canada tour
Royal author Katie Nicholl described the turn of events in her book The Making of a Royal Romance.
It said William and Kate took a holiday to Desroches, an island in the Seychelles, and checked into the location under the names "Martin and Rosemary Middleton" to conceal their identities.
Nicholl writes: "William, who had inherited something of his father's fear of commitment, knew he would lose Kate if he could not give her some form of guarantee."
Instead of proposing, William is said to have made a private pact with Kate.
"William told Kate she was the one, but he was not ready to get married. He promised her his commitment and said he would not let her down, and in turn, she agreed to wait for him," Nicholl said.
The pair continued their relationship with the pact in place.
Prince William would propose to Kate three years later during a trip to Kenya, with the pair publicly announcing their engagement in November 2010.
The couple wed the following year on April 29 at Westminster Abbey.
Their union sparked a fresh wave of interest in the British royal family, with William and Kate hailed as the future of the monarch.
The Princess of Wales said at the time the proposal was "a total shock".
There's a true romantic in there," she said at their engagement press call.
Prince William confirmed they had been "talking about marriage for a while" so it "wasn't a massively big surprise, but I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya, and I proposed".
The couple are ow parents to three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
They have since endured difficult times together, most recently the Princess of Wales' cancer battle.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Kate was diagnosed with cancer in January 2024 after undergoing "planned abdominal surgery".
The Princess of Wales stepped back from public life, during which time rumours began swirling about her absence, despite it having been announced.
The royal eventually released a video addressing her absence and sharing her cancer diagnosis.
READ MORE: The walking shoes frequent flyers will always wear on holidays
She announced she was on the "road to recovery" in a video released in September 2024 and confirmed she was in remission in January 2025, during a visit to the hospital where she received her care, The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
Since then, the Princess of Wales has returned to royal duties, however, she continues to prioritise her health.
Most recently, Kate pulled out of a planned appearance at Royal Ascot, having already attended Trooping the Colour and then shortly after, Garter Day.
Prince William still attended without his wife, as he did last year.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
