Kate Middleton wore this chic dress to woo back Prince William after he dumped her over the phone in 2007
LONDON, ENGLAND: Prince William and Kate Middleton had several highs and lows in their eight-year relationship before finally tying the knot in 2011.
However, the relationship came to a point when the Prince of Wales threw a break-up party after severing ties with his then-girlfriend Kate in 2007. But the royal couple’s separation didn’t last long as the future queen won her literal prince charming back by dressing in a nurse uniform during a fancy dress party, per Daily Mail.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson has detailed the early years of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ relationship in his upcoming book, ‘Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography’, where he described the time when Kate saved her relationship from a premature death.
Kate Middleton and Prince William started off as friends
According to the author, the parents of three knew each other from their respective times at Marlborough College and Eton.
Jobson wrote, “Catherine and the Prince first met when she was at Marlborough, and it was then that they actually became friends. 'There was plenty of socialising [between pupils at both schools] back then, and they were known to each other,' said a senior source close to the Middletons. 'I understand he invited her on a few things.'”
Upon completing their terms in their respective schools, Kate took a gap year before applying to the University of St Andrews. Defying royal tradition, the future king, too enrolled himself in the same university.
The author further wrote in his book, “In 2001, William quietly slipped into undergraduate life at St Andrews, where he used the pseudonym 'Steve' in a rather pathetic attempt to stay under the radar. He soon struck up an intimate friendship with a stunning student, Carly Massy-Birch.”
The relationship soon “dissolved,” with William finding himself enamored with Arabella Musgrave - daughter of the manager of Cirencester Park Polo Club. Though they enjoyed a passionate summer romance, later, “they'd mutually agreed that it would be better to cool their relationship.”
William’s future wife then made an entry into his life as a close friend. Jobson noted, “At St Andrews, he was cautious about whom he'd admit into his friendship group. 'People who try to take advantage of me and get a piece of me, I spot it quickly and soon go off them. I'm not stupid,' he said.”
However, Kate - “the pretty girl from Marlborough” - was one of his steady friends from the beginning.
The author wrote, “He and Catherine had met again when they found themselves sharing the same hall of residence, and began to go out for drinks and play the odd game of tennis together.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton become more than just friends
He continued, “Catherine's infectious energy set her apart. He found himself smiling every time she laughed and admired the way that — unlike him — she threw herself into all aspects of student life. Then, famously, he started seeing her in a different light in March 2002 when she strutted down the catwalk in a student charity show, wearing a daring black sheer ensemble that showed off her figure.”
“From that pivotal moment, William knew he wanted to be more than just friends,” noted the biographer.
But that incident did not mark the event that facilitated their fairy-tale ending. Though Kate, at that time, “was casually involved at the time with Rupert Finch, a fourth-year law student, … they soon went their separate ways.”
“In their second academic year, William and Catherine moved into a student house along with two undergraduate friends. Among the student community, it was an open secret that they were a couple: they could often be seen walking or cycling to lectures or browsing the aisles of the local Safeway,” wrote the author.
He continued, “For weekends and holidays, he'd often whisk Catherine off to Highgrove or Sandringham or to a cottage on the Balmoral estate. Occasionally they checked into hotels, using the names Mr and Mrs Smith — which doubtless fooled no one.”
However, the news of their relationship broke to the media in May 2003, with Jobson writing, “Though William insisted a month later that he didn't have a steady girlfriend. He may have been telling the truth, as the couple briefly broke up that year.”
“By August, the romance was back on, and they'd decided to move to a cottage on a private country estate. This served as their sanctuary for their final two years of undergraduate life, though they also went out to bars and attended student balls,” added the author.
From here, the relationship took off again with them attending milestone events with each other, and Kate meeting the late Queen Elizabeth for the first time.
With the public’s evergrowing fascination with her, speculations about her life started to grow. However, there was still no signs of engagement.
“What could go wrong? Plenty. Already — with no sign of an engagement — Catherine was being labelled Waity Katie, and criticised for first working for her mother's Party Pieces business rather than starting a career, then taking a part-time job as an accessories buyer at Jigsaw,” wrote Jobson.
He added, “Catherine knew William wasn't in any hurry to propose, and the truth is she was prepared to wait until he was ready. After all, they were in love — weren't they?”
Prince William calls Kate Middleton to break up
However, as Kate approached her 25th birthday in January 2007, things turned sour between the lovebirds again with William telephoning her one day “to suggest that they split up.”
Allegedly, “He told her they both needed 'a bit of space' to 'find our own way', and he was unable to promise her marriage.” Jobson continued, “In an emotionally charged 30-minute conversation, they both acknowledged they were on 'different pages'.”
The biographer noted, “It was a devastating blow to Catherine, who felt doubly let down at being dumped over the phone. Though it wasn't the first time William had called time on their relationship, it felt final.”
Distraught, “Catherine resolved to hide her pain from the outside world. Carole Middleton acted swiftly, taking her heartbroken daughter for a break in Dublin — a welcome respite from media scrutiny. William, of course, simply got drunk at Mahiki and started yelling about being 'free',” wrote Jobson.
Soon, she was seen out in the town more with her sister Pippa, with Jobson writing, William started having second thoughts.
“After years as his loyal girlfriend, she seemed to be enjoying herself without him. Her heels were higher, and the outfits she wore — that sometimes bared her midriff or her spectacular legs — were far racier,” wrote Jobson.
The biographer noted, “She was even said to be dating Sir Henry Ropner, a shipping heir.”
“For William, after his initial wave of drunken nights out, it was a different story,” as he was fulfilling his duties in the army.
“Seeing photographs of his ex‑girlfriend having fun and looking sensational was a bitter pill. He soon began having serious second thoughts, though he realised that after the way he'd treated Catherine, it wasn't going to be easy to woo her back,” wrote Jobson.
However, doubts started arising regarding the time and place for their probable meeting.
Reunion at 'Freaking Naughty' themed party where Kate Middleton came as a nurse
Nevertheless, their mutual friend Sam Waley-Cohen solved the problem when he “invited them individually to a 'Freakin Naughty' themed fancy-dress party at his family's 17th-century manor house. The chemistry between William and Catherine did the rest.”
It was then Kate made her spectacular entry as a nurse that turned William’s head.
“She'd arrived dressed as a nurse and William had made a beeline for her. They then spent the first part of the evening deep in conversation before hitting the dance floor, where they ended up kissing. When friends joked they should get a room, they sloped off together,” wrote Jobson.
Kate and William decided in September 2007 they’d marry at some point
Jobson wrote, “That September, the couple enjoyed a romantic holiday together in the Seychelles, where they made a secret pact to marry at some point in the future.”
“In April 2008, William qualified as a pilot, then announced he'd be spending the next five years working as an RAF Search-and-Rescue pilot,” he added.
He described, “Carole Middleton, meanwhile, was reportedly growing anxious that her daughter's on-off relationship had run its course,” before adding, “Two years on, Catherine herself may have also been growing impatient. When William was posted to RAF Valley, Anglesey, she made it plain she wouldn't be happy with a long-distance relationship.”
The couple soon relocated to their first house together near his base. “He finally proposed formally during a holiday in Kenyain 2010, by the side of the turquoise waters of Lake Alice. The question wasn't entirely unexpected, of course, but Catherine's face lit up with a radiant smile as she said yes,” continued the biographer.
