Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style at Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Winter Shoe Trends
    • Perfume Necklaces
    • Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams
    • Bouclé
    • Statement Red Socks
    • Angel Reese
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Prince William and Kate Middleton Made a Secret Marriage Pact in 2007

    Prince William and Kate Middleton made a secret marriage pact in 2007 after they got back together after their breakup. This was four years before they actually got married in 2011.

    By Kayleigh Roberts
    Published 1 June 2019 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    People in nature, Photograph, Botany, Event, Smile, Photography, Grass, Tree, Ceremony, Love,
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    • Even though they didn't officially tie the knot until 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton made a secret marriage pact in 2007.
    • The couple made each other promises about their future together during a vacation after their breakup in 2007.
    • Royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl described the incident in her book Kate: The Future Queen. 

    Prince William and Kate Middleton officially tied the knot in 2011, but they knew that they were eventually heading down the aisle long before that—way back in 2007.

    In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl explains that Will and Kate made a secret pact about their future nuptials when they got back together after briefly breaking up in 2007. Kate wanted some security about their future, but Will wasn't ready to get married just yet.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    When Will and Kate got back together after their split, they took a romantic vacation to the luxury island of Desroches in the Seychelles to figure out what their future together was going to be. There, according to Nicholl, they made a promise about their long-term future together:

    "There on the paradise island, William promised Kate that he was in the relationship for the long term. For the very first time, they talked seriously about marriage, and with the ocean before them and beneath the night sky, they made a pact to marry."

    You may like
    • Princess Kate wears a navy blue satin dress as she announces her engagement to Prince William, who wears a suit Princess Kate "Had a Very Handsome Boyfriend" Before William
    • Prince William Princess Kate dating Royal Editor Reveals the “Sincere” Advice Given To Kate Middleton While Dating Prince William
    • Prince William and Princess Kate kissing at a polo match Royal Author Reveals the “Secret” to Prince William and Princess Kate’s Successful Marriage and How Kate Plans to Support Her Husband This Fall

    According to someone close to the couple, they compromised and decided to wait until Will felt ready.

    Magazine, Design, Pattern, Poster, Child model, Pattern, Photography, Child,

    (Image credit: Amazon Prime)

    "They didn't agree to get married there and then; what they made was a pact," the source told Nicholl. "William told Kate she was the one but he was not ready to get married. He promised her his commitment and said he would not let her down, and she in turn agreed to wait for him."

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

    subscribe here

    RELATED STORIES

    Event, Suit, Ceremony, White-collar worker, Conversation, Formal wear, Wedding,

    (Image credit: Sean Gallup)

    Prince William Says He and Kate Are "Naughty"

    White, Blue, People, Red, Yellow, Fashion, Event, Smile, Dress, Photography,

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Kate Pretended to Be Will's Girlfriend in College

    Explore More
    marriage Prince William
    Kayleigh Roberts
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

    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.

    Read more
    Prince William and Princess Kate stand behind King Charles while all three look serious and wear black
    Royals How Kate and William Are Ditching "Institutional Secrecy"
    By Amy Mackelden
    Princess Kate and Prince William Might Have Been "Forced to Cancel" Their Annual Vacation to One Luxury Destination, Says Royal Source
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William "Forced to Cancel" Vacation
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    Princess Kate wearing her wedding gown and veil looking to the right
    Royals Princess Kate Had a Secret Fashion Fairy Godmother for Her Royal Wedding
    By Kristin Contino
    Princess Kate waves while wearing a royal blue dress while daughter Princess Charlotte wears white
    Royals Princess Charlotte Just Had a Secret Day Out With Mom Kate
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Queen Camilla riding in a car and smiling with King Charles
    Royals Queen Camilla Reveals Her Favorite "Pure and Wholesome" Car Snack
    Harriet Sperling in her wedding dress and veil
    Royals Harriet Sperling Shares the Inspiration Behind Her "Dream" Wedding Dress
     
     
    Princess Diana wearing a red plaid blazer talking to fans
    Royals Princess Diana Delivered a Brutal Comeback About Her "Boyish" Haircut
    King Charles wearing sunglasses and a tan suit
    Royals One Member of the Royal Family Keeps King Charles "Sane," Says Royal Expert
     
     
    Latest in News
    Jennifer Lawrence wore red pants, a plaid button-down, a graphic tee, Vans sneakers, and the barn jacket trend while delivering the Hunger Games salute
    Celebrity Style The Barn Jacket Trend Gets the 'Hunger Games' Treatment From Jennifer Lawrence
    Queen Camilla riding in a car and smiling with King Charles
    Royals Queen Camilla Reveals Her Favorite "Pure and Wholesome" Car Snack
     
     
    celebrities carrying the Coach Tabby Bag at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards
    Celebrity Style The Coach Tabby Bag Is Red-Carpet Worthy, According to the CFDA Fashion Awards
    Harriet Sperling in her wedding dress and veil
    Royals Harriet Sperling Shares the Inspiration Behind Her "Dream" Wedding Dress
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.