Prince William Disappointed Kate Middleton in a Big Way When He Didn't Propose on Her Birthday

Back in 2007, Prince William was expected to propose to Kate Middleton on her 25th birthday. Kate was reportedly very disappointed when Will didn't propose and ended up asking to take a break just a few months later.

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If you had been following the royal family back in 2007, then you would have been anxiously awaiting the announcement of a certain long-awaited engagement, between Prince William and Kate Middleton.

People were so eager for the news, in fact, that they had gotten all worked up and convinced themselves that William was going to pop the question on January 9, 2007—Kate's 25th birthday. Paparazzi were hounding Kate especially hard that day, hoping to capture the first photo of her engagement ring. Royal fans were sure it was happening and just waiting not-so-patiently for the announcement.

Unfortunately, everyone was super, super wrong.

In the 2011 documentary Kate Middleton: Biography, royal expert Katie Nicholl explained that the truth was that Will wasn't even really considering proposing on Kate's birthday, much to everyone's (including Kate's) disappointment.

"What I was hearing from my sources in the inner circle was that actually the relationship was coming unstuck," Nicholl said of this time in Will and Kate's relationship. "Prince William was feeling the pressure from the press and from everyone around him to settle down. He was totally wrapped up in his military career, he wanted to do other things apart from being with Kate all the time."

Not only did Will not propose to Kate on her birthday, he actually called to give her the news of their now-infamous break not long after, apparently.

According to Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer, Will called Kate that spring to tell her he wanted to take a break. "She was devastated, she was really upset about it," Palmer said.

Thankfully, Will and Kate's fairytale worked out in the end.

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Weekend Editor at Cosmopolitan

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. 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.