Prince William Had a "Passionate Romance" With Arabella Musgrave Before Meeting Kate Middleton, According to a Royal Biographer
Before he met his future wife, Kate Middleton, Prince William dated Arabella Musgrave. The two had a passionate romance the summer before he started at the University of St. Andrews, according to royal biographer Katie Nicholl.

The fairytale romance that is Prince William and Kate Middleton's love story has not been without its share of bumps—even though (thankfully) those bumps all seemed to happen early in the relationship, way before they tied the knot in 2011.
Yeahhhh. Take a seat and pour some tea because this bit of Prince Will backstory is intense.
The revelation comes courtesy of royal biographer and expert Katie Nicholl, who wrote about the love affair in her 2010 book, William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls. According to Nicholl, just prior to meeting his future wife at the University St. Andrews, Will was all kinds of in love with a woman named Arabella Musgrave.
According to Nicholl (via quoted excerpts in The Sun), Arabella was part of the "Glosse Posse," the name given to Will and his younger brother Harry's inner circle. As a member of the Glosse Posse, Arabella was invited to parties that Will used to throw in the basement of Prince Charles' manor, Highgrove (teenage royals, really are just like us—throwing parties in their parents' basements and giving their friend groups ridiculous nicknames).
Will and Arabella (whose dad managed the Cirencester Park Polo Club) had known each other since they were kids, but, like the jock in a '90s teen movie, Will hadn't really noticed her like that until she "blossomed." Per Nicholl:
Mmkay. So then what?
Apparently, things were so serious that Will had talked to Charles about the relationship and gotten his dad's blessing. When he started at university that fall, Will missed Arabella terribly and even considered dropping out of school to go be with her. He even did that very college-kid-in-a-long-distance-relationship thing and drove home on Friday nights to see her.
This is where Kate comes in. After the couple met during Will's freshman year, she "encouraged him to give St Andrews a second chance," according to The Sun.
Don't feel bad for Arabella though, because she is doing amazingly well herself post-Will. She married George Galliers-Pratt in 2014 (in a lavish wedding that was featured in Vogue, no less) and she has an amazing gig as Gucci's head of PR.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Unearthed Prince Harry Interview from 2017 Reveals He Already Wanted Out of the Royal Family—But Stayed for One Reason
He and wife Meghan Markle eventually left their roles as senior royals in 2020.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Matty Healy Addressed His Podcast Controversy: "It Doesn't Actually Matter"
Um...
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Jennifer Garner Took Hers and Jennifer Lopez' Kids to Disneyland for a Sweet Day Out
LOVE THIS!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William Not Expected to Invite Prince Harry to His Coronation, Friend Claims
That doesn't sound good.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
We Finally Know Where the Earthshot Prize 2023 Will Take Place
Let's go!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate Is Seen Skipping Happily With Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte in Behind-the-Scenes Footage
This is too cute.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Blames 'Daily Mirror' Publishers for Chelsy Davy Breakup in Court Documents
The court case began this week.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Tabloid Stories About Prince Harry Came From Members of the Royal Family, 'Daily Mirror' Publisher Claims
These claims could corroborate previous statements from Harry.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Princess Kate Hugged a Little Girl Who Burst Into Tears During Windsor Walkabout, And Told Her Mom to Get Her an Ice Cream
So cute!!!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Here's How Princess Kate Kept an Eye on Prince Louis During the Coronation, According to a Body Language Expert
Smart.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Louis Was Filmed Eating a S'more So Delicious It Literally Made Him "Weak at the Knees"
Oh, Louis.
By Iris Goldsztajn