Prince William and Princess Kate have been happily married since April 29, 2011, but the couple encountered some issues early in their relationship. While William was initially "concerned" Kate would be "overawed" by his royal lifestyle, the Princess of Wales allegedly got "spooked" by one element of the romance.
In the new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, royal expert Russell Myers shared, "Having grown up under the media glare his entire life, William was clearly aware of what lay on the horizon. For Catherine, however, it was entirely new territory."
Myers continued, "William had done his best to inform her about how the media operated, but now she was the subject of their pursuit things felt incredibly different."
Describing the Princess of Wales's reaction, a former royal courtier told Myers, "She was spooked by the attention." They continued, "No matter how much you're told about what can happen, you literally can't have any idea about it until you're on the other side, and now she was very much on the other side."
Unsurprisingly, interest in the couple's relationship continued to grow, which must have felt quite overwhelming at times. "William and Catherine found themselves at the centre of a media storm," Myers explained.
Defending the media's interest in William's romance, a former editor told Myers, "The world had been waiting for the news that William had a proper love interest and once it was all but confirmed by him or the palace, it marked a turning point for sure."
They continued, "The public were desperate to know if the future King had found his Queen and what that would mean for the future of the monarchy in an ever-changing world."
In 2026, Kate and William appear united in their confidence as a unit, and the world is seemingly ready for their future tenure on the throne. Still, dealing with such a huge amount of pressure early in their relationship can't have been easy.
