Why Prince William Was "Very Concerned" About Princess Kate

Kate Middleton and Prince William announce their engagement in the State Rooms of St James's Palace on November 16, 2010 — (Image credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Having met while studying at The University of St Andrews in Scotland, Princess Kate and Prince William began a relationship. After several years, the couple tied the knot in a fairytale royal wedding on April 29, 2011. But according to a former royal courtier, Prince William was initially "concerned" that Princess Kate wouldn't be able to adjust to his royal lifestyle.

Royal expert Russell Myers's new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, detailed some of the difficulties the Prince and Princess of Wales faced early in their relationship. At the beginning, William reportedly attempted to shield Kate from some elements of royal life.

Per the royal author, "The prince had invited his girlfriend to stay at Highgrove on several occasions, and they had also enjoyed a weekend together at The Queen's Sandringham estate."

Article continues below

Russell Myers

'William and Catherine'

Myers continued, "The stays were organized by William for when his father and grandmother were not in residence, allowing the couple the freedom to enjoy themselves without Catherine worrying about meeting his family."

A former royal courtier spoke to the author, saying, "He was very concerned she would be completely overawed by the whole thing." The courtier continued, "Kate had wealthy friends who had nice piles in the country, but it's a different story when you're dating a prince whose granny is The Queen."

Princess Kate wearing a maroon suit walking next to Prince William — "He was very concerned she would be completely overawed by the whole thing."

Although William was allegedly worried about whether or not Princess Kate would fit into his world, he at least wanted to try.

"He was still very much in the mode of 'Let's take it slow and see what happens,' while being pretty nervous that the press was going to find out what was going on and ruin it for them," the former courtier told Myers.

Princess Kate wearing a red gown and tiara smiling at Prince William — "He was pretty nervous that the press was going to find out what was going on and ruin it for them."

Luckily, Princess Kate ended up being a perfect fit for Prince William's royal lifestyle and it's strange to think that wasn't always the case.

TOPICS

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.