Prince William and Kate Middleton have been married since 2011 and the look like the epitome of a happy couple. They have three beautiful children and are heavily involved in dozens of charities all over the world.
But behind their seemingly picture-perfect life, the Duchess of Cambridge. and the Duke have been dealing with some heavy turmoil. And according to rumors, Harry and Meghan may have played a role in this.
Something’s Wrong With William and Kate
Prince William and Kate Middleton have been married for about 10 years. They have three beautiful kids—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.For the most part, the couple seem truly happy. But people have noticed that something’s off with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge since Harry got married to Meghan.
But what is it?
It Was Love at First Sight
William and Kate have had a few ups and downs just like any other couple, but from the very first day, it seemed like they meant to be. They met in 2001 while attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
William allegedly saw Kate on the catwalk at a fashion show, and it was love at first sight. So, what happened between these two?
They Were Strictly Platonic
At the time, William and Kate were only friends, so for a while, they were in a strictly platonic relationship. But when she walked the catwalk in a sheer dress that showed off her underwear, William realized how much he was attracted to her. And according to Vanity Fair, William told a friend “Kate’s hot!”
William Told Kate She Was a Knockout
An anonymous source used for Kate Nicholl’s 2010 book “William and Harry” hinted that the catwalk was a pivotal moment for William and Kate. “It was clear to us that William was smitten with Kate. He actually told her she was a knockout that night, which caused her to blush.
There was definitely chemistry between them, and Kate had really made an impression on William,” said the source. But where’s that chemistry now?
She Played It Cool
“[Kate] played it very cool, and at one point when William seemed to lean in to kiss her, she pulled away. She didn’t want to give off the wrong impression or make it too easy for Will,” the source added. But why is she acting different now?
They Secretly Dated
Eventually, William and Kate started secretly dating, but they were careful not to alert the press. They allegedly left the house they shared with classmates at different times and were cautious about holding hands in public. But why did the Duke and Duchess let go of one another?
The Press Wouldn’t Leave Them Alone
When news broke out about their relationship, Kate was overwhelmed by the media attention. She even filed a legal complaint, which ultimately led to the couple breaking up in 2007. But it wasn’t long before they got back together.
And it seemed like nothing could threaten to tear them apart, but that didn’t last long.
He Popped the Question
The prince had proposed privately. A month later, William and Kate announced their engagement in November 2010. The couple smiled in the official photos and kept it formal while celebrating this occasion, but one image showed William and Kate for what they truly were.
The Photo Showed Spontaneous Emotion
In 2014, Mario Testino–the photographer who snapped the royal couple’s engagement photos—told The Daily Telegraph that he wasn’t “totally satisfied” with the photos until he captured one precious moment. “When I’d finished the shoot, [Kate and William] were about to leave, and they suddenly hugged in front of a radiator. It was spontaneous emotion.
You could see they were completely in love,” Testino explained. But what caused them to change all of a sudden?
The World Was Their Wedding Guest
Ten years after they met, William and Kate tied the knot in Westminster Abbey. It was a precious moment witnessed by millions around the world. And while the two stood on the balcony to wave to the crowd, William and Kate kissed.
Then, he kissed her a second time after onlookers shouted “kiss her again.” But is this a moment they wish they could take back?
Their Kiss Broke All the Rules
Royals don’t kiss romantically at a wedding or in church. In fact, before William and Kate’s marriage, the Very Reverend Dr. John Hall, Dean of Westminster, told Yahoo News, “There will be no kiss during the wedding ceremony.
We don’t do that in the Church of England. That’s sort of a Hollywood thing, ‘You may now kiss the bride.’ It doesn’t happen here.” So, was it all just an act?
The Kiss Was Staged
Despite the rules, several newspapers claimed that William and Kate had practiced their balcony kiss beforehand, and it was reportedly scheduled, too. But the second kiss had apparently come from the heart. But something new came into their lives that changed their behavior.
They Welcomed Their First Child
In 2013, William and Kate welcomed their first child, Prince George, but the couple didn’t kiss when they showed their bundle of joy outside of the hospital. In fact, royal watchers noticed that these two rarely showed PDA, but there was a reason for this.
They Have to Behave at All Times
William and Kate didn’t show public affection because the royal protocols demanded it. As members of the royal family, they were representing the monarchy and had to show restraint. But the couple haven’t been acting like themselves lately.
They Were at Work
In 2017, HELLO!’s royal correspondent Emily Nash said, “The duke and duchess are almost always seen in photographs taken during official engagements, so they are at ‘work,’ and it would be unprofessional to hold hands.” Then she added, “They also need to shake hands with a huge number of people as they meet them, so aside from being on duty, it wouldn’t be very practical!” Although they didn’t mind the rules then, they certainly do now.
They Played by the Rules
“We know [the duke and duchess] are very affectionate and that sometimes comes across during more lighthearted moments, at sporting events or similar, but you wouldn’t expect them to put that on show while in more formal situations,” Nash continued. But in 2017, William’s brother, Harry, broke almost every rule in the book with his new wife Meghan.
Harry and Meghan Don’t Mind the PDA
Harry and Meghan have been photographed holding hands and even shared a romantic kiss during a charity polo match in July 2018. “Meghan and Prince Harry holding hands at a royal engagement is a refreshingly modern approach to their new role both as a couple and as representatives of the royal family,” Myka Meier, a specialist in royal etiquette told People magazine in 2017. But was their behavior contagious?
Public Affection is a Matter of Preference
Meier went on to explain that public affection is “simply a matter of preference for each couple and is also likely dependent on the nature of the event.” But while other royals like Charles and Camilla are sometimes seen holding hands, “a more serious engagement would warrant a more serious level of professionalism, which each royal is sure to follow.” Even the Queen herself knows better than to break this rule.
The Queen Wasn’t Very Demonstrative
In the 2017 biography, “Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life,” author Sally Bedell-Smith weighed in on the lack of affection the Queen and Prince Philip showed in public. She wrote, “In the manner of the upper class, neither of them were physically demonstrative.” But was William and Kate ready to follow Harry and Meghan’s footsteps?
William Broke the Rules
In October 2018, William put his hand on Kate’s back and later on her leg at the London’s Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. But it wasn’t the last time something like this happened.
William and Kate Got Even Closer
A couple of days after the summit, William and Kate got way too close during Princess Eugenie’s wedding and this got the media’s attention. Reporter Kirsten Aiken tweeted: “Commentary team oohs and aahs over an apparently rare PDA by William and Kate (mind you, they’re only holding hands!).” But was this a symptom of a much larger problem among the royals?
They Outdid Harry and Meghan
“They managed to outdo Harry and Meghan here,” Judi James, a body language interpreter told the Daily Mirror and added, “Kate reached across to place a hand on the arm of her husband’s chair, and he put his own hand over it in a very romantic gesture.” Was William trying to outdo his brother? Or did he finally feel free to show his true feelings, even if he wasn’t allowed to according to royal protocols?
William Was Unusually Affectionate
James also studied William and Kate’s public displays of affection at the summit, too. “Kate seems to have increased in confidence here at their first public outing together since the birth, and William is unusually tactile, flashing some sweet “pinging” smiles at his wife to suggest he’s incredibly pleased to have her back at his side,” she told the Daily Express. But what caused this change in the Duke and Duchess?
William Was Trying to Upstage Harry
James told the Daily Mirror that she thinks the change in William and Kate’s views on public displays of affection was “prompted by the very tactile displays from Harry and Meghan.” A tweet from a royal watcher regarding the PDA at Eugenie’s wedding suggested that William and Kate were trying to upstage the new royal couple. But did this all boil down to some not-so-friendly sibling rivalry?
Meghan and Kate Had a Tiff
There are rumors that Meghan and Kate haven’t been seeing eye to eye. In 2018, gossip magazines claimed that the two had a disagreement at Meghan’s wedding to Harry. According to sources, the conflict was over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress and the argument reportedly left Kate crying.
But did it lead to Harry and Meghan’s departure?
Harry and Meghan Decided to Move
In November 2018, news broke out that Harry and Meghan were moving out of Kensington Palace. Then, an anonymous source told the Daily Mail that their decision to move away was because Meghan and Kate weren’t getting along.
Kate and Meghan Weren’t the Problem
The alleged close friend of the royal family told the publication that the two duchesses were like oil and water. “Kate and Meghan are very different people,” they said. “They don’t really get on.” Then, another source told The Sun that the problem wasn’t the royal wives but rather William and Harry.
They Went Their Separate Ways
In April 2019, Metro spoke to body language specialist Peter Clayton about the way both princes behaved while attending a social gathering with environmentalist Sir David Attenborough. Although they arrived in the same car, Harry and William went their separate ways, which only added fuel to ongoing speculations.
Their Behavior Had Changed
Clayton told Metro, “Normally when they arrive at an event, the brothers always walk together – even if it is behind their father. When they greet the organizers or supporters, they usually have a small laugh to ensure they approach the line smiling and looking jolly. But the behavior is now very different.” Were the brothers no longer talking to each other?
Their Brotherly Bond Remains in Question
Clayton added, “If you didn’t see [William and Harry] step out of the car together, you would think they had arrived in separate cars – such is the distance between them. There isn’t any attempt to look at each other, and they appear to be intent on maintaining that distance.” Then, the body language expert continued, “Whatever has happened, I hope they can put it behind them quickly, because I have always really admitted how the two princes have always stuck together and been such good friends.” But whatever the issues among the brothers are, everyone is head over heels in love with the more publicly affectionate William and Kate!