Prince William and Kate Middleton are the epitome of couple goals, and regularly make fans gush when they engage in subtle PDA that shows just how much they love and care for each other.
But their effortlessly romantic relationship sometimes makes people forget that their love story hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In April 2007 – after nearly five years of dating after first meeting at the University of St Andrews in 2001 – the couple briefly split. And yes, according to multiple reports since then, it’s still believed that Prince William broke up with his girlfriend over the phone, which we are still shaking our heads over.
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Prince William And Kate Middleton Briefly Split In 2007
The Princess of Wales famously referenced the breakup during their November 2010 engagement interview, pictured above, admitting she wasn't "very happy" about it when it happened. However, with hindsight, she suggested it may have ultimately strengthened their relationship.
Kate seemingly handled the split like any newly single twenty-something would – by living her best life, and making sure her ex knew it! She was frequently photographed enjoying herself with her friends in London, looking carefree and happy while attending events, and even joining all-female dragon boat team, The Sisterhood, and training to race across the English Channel. Royal fans may remember that she had to withdraw from the final race in August 2007 though, due to intense media attention and safety concerns.
Proving that she was doing just fine without her ex seemed to have worked, as by June 2007, the pair were spotted together again at a 'Freakin' Naughty' themed costume party thrown by jockey Sam Waley-Cohen. By July 2007, they were officially back on!
"She'd arrived dressed as a nurse, and William had made a beeline for her," Robert Jobson previously explained, adding: "They then spent the first part of the evening deep in conversation before hitting the dance floor, where they ended up kissing." After getting back together that night, they got engaged three years later!
Did The Breakup Do Them Good?
In Russell Myer's juicy new book William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, the author claims that Kate gave Prince William something of an ultimatum shortly before his relationship-ending phone call in 2007.
"Catherine delivered an ultimatum to William. While she did not explicitly demand an engagement or even a promise of marriage, she did break free from the gentle and arguably submissive persona that had typified her relationship with the future king," Myers wrote.
Prince William has since maintained that the breakup ultimately did them good, explaining in their engagement interview that they both needed space and time to grow. "We were both sort of finding ourselves as such and being different characters and stuff. It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up," he said in the interview. He added: "It worked out for the better."
Seeing his ex-girlfriend thriving without him during their brief split may not have been the only thing behind Prince William's change of heart, as according to more recent reports, his grandmother may have played a surprisingly pivotal role behind the scenes…
Did Queen Elizabeth II Get Prince William And Kate Middleton Back Together?
Myers alleges that the late Queen Elizabeth II stepped in after noticing just how deeply her grandson was affected by the split – particularly given the lasting impact of his parents' very public split in the 1990s.
According to the book, the late monarch invited her grandson to Sunday lunch at Windsor Castle in the weeks following the April 2007 breakup to gauge his state of mind, and that's when she knew she had to step in.
Myers wrote: "Sensing William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. William was more than just crestfallen and worried about whether he was throwing away the one constant in his life. He was, according to one well-placed source, 'completely broken.'"
