Princess Kate and Prince William Have "Been to Hell and Back" After a "Make or Break" Moment in Their Relationship, Says Royal Author

"They have stuck together through awful times."

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Kate Middleton wears a checked coat and has long wavy brunette hair while sitting next to Prince William
(Image credit: Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Some might consider Princess Kate and Prince William's romance to be idyllic, particularly as they tied the knot in a fairytale royal wedding on April 29, 2011. However, the Prince and Princess of Wales have overcome some significant obstacles during their relationship, according to one royal author.

Royal correspondent and author Katie Nicholl told OK! magazine (via the Mirror), "William and Kate look more united today than ever." Nicholl continued, "They are a proper partnership, and theirs is a marriage based on friendship, love, and mutual respect. They've been to hell and back in the past year or two, but they look very, very strong together and they are clearly very in love."

Discussing some of the difficulties Kate and William have faced in recent years, Nicholl told the outlet, "It's been challenging...They have stuck together through awful times, and have become even more tight-knit."

Prince William Princess Kate Walk

"They have stuck together through awful times, and have become even more tight-knit."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2024, Princess Kate revealed that she'd been diagnosed with cancer and subsequently underwent chemotherapy.

"Going through cancer can make or break a couple, but we've heard William speak so movingly and openly about his love for his wife, and his admiration for everything she's been through and navigated," Nicholl told the publication.

The expert continued, "He's spoken very candidly about 2024 being the toughest year of his life. He didn't know if he was going to lose his wife and the mother of his children, and that is an awful place to be."

Kate Middleton wearing a blue sequin gown and tiara walking with Prince William at a banquet

"They've been to hell and back in the past year or two, but they look very, very strong together."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Since revealing she'd completed chemotherapy in September 2024, Princess Kate gradually returned to work in 2025. Having recently moved into their "forever home"—Forest Lodge in Windsor—the Prince and Princess of Wales appear to be stronger than ever.

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.