What really happened when Kate and William split

As far as royal couples go, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appear to have the perfect love story –and now have an adorable little family to go with it too.

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Prince William and Kate Middleton who met back in 2001 while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Before tying the knot in 2011, the pair famously split for a short time in 2007, however, according to the book The Duchess of Cambridge: How Kate Middleton Became A Future Queen, that wasn’t the only time the couple called it quits.

In 2004, the couple were said to have separated during their university summer break after a young William started to feel “claustrophobic” in the relationship.

After wanting some space, William decided to join his best friend Guy Pelly – now Prince Louis’ godfather – on a boys-only sailing trip around Greece which Guy had organised to have an all-female crew.

According to author Jessica Jayne, Kate was left ‘miserable’ when she found out about this and took her own time out with the support of her family in Berkshire.

Only when she was there, Kate let her hair down with a glass of wine and opened up about her relationship troubles.

“She got quite drunk on white wine and really let her guard down,” friends said. “She was debating whether or not she should text or call him.

“She said how sad she was and how much she was missing William but never mentioned it after that.”

Thankfully, the couple made it through their rough patches and look back with no regrets about briefly parting ways.

“I think I at the time wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person,” Kate said during their engagement interview.

“You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn’t realised. Or I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger.”

“I really valued that time for me as well although I didn’t think it at the time. Looking back on it,” Kate summarised.

Now married with three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge seem stronger for it.

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