Kate Middleton may now appear utterly at ease in the royal spotlight, but a new book claims there was a time when the glare became almost too much to bear during her early romance with Prince William.
Long before she became the Princess of Wales, the young woman dating Prince William was reportedly pushed to her limits by relentless paparazzi attention.
The now Princess of Wales married William in April 2011, after the pair first met at university in Scotland in the early 2000s. But according to royal author Russell Myers, the early years of their romance were far from smooth sailing.
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Kate Middleton’s incident with paparazzi during early romance with William
In his new book, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, Myers lifts the lid on William and Kate’s private world, charting both their relationship and their royal duties.
As reported by HELLO!, one particular incident is said to have left Kate, now 44, deeply shaken. It allegedly took place shortly after she began working for the fashion brand Jigsaw.
At the time, William was away in Devon serving as a second lieutenant in the Blues and Royals Regiment. With her boyfriend absent, the media spotlight intensified.
Myers claims that not even “the threat of legal action could discourage unwanted attention” towards Kate.
‘I can’t do this any more’
The book claims that on Kate’s 25th birthday in January 2007, she stepped outside her flat to find herself facing what Myers describes as “a scrum of more than 20 press photographers and five television crews”.
He writes: “The resulting footage made for uncomfortable viewing. Amid the dizzying flashes of photographers’ cameras, some sprinting across the road to get in front of her, some almost stumbling over each other, Catherine struggled to get to her navy Volkswagen Polo, before the media continued to take pictures through the windows of her car as it sped away.”
Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend.
According to Myers, Kate later phoned William “in floods of tears”. A source close to the couple described the moment as “incredibly distressing for both of them”, adding: “She [Catherine] said, ‘I can’t do this any more.'”
Kensington Palace has been contacted for comment.
Royal statement issued on William and Kate
In January 2007, Clarence House released a statement on behalf of William addressing what it called the “paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend”.
It read at the time: “Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend. He wants more than anything for it to stop. Miss Middleton should, like any other private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion.
“The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned.”
Read more: ‘Warning’ Prince William gave Princess Kate on BAFTAs red carpet ‘revealed’
Despite that upsetting chapter, William and Kate’s relationship endured. The couple became engaged in October 2010 and married the following April at Westminster Abbey.
Today, they are proud parents to three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, and remain firmly at the heart of the monarchy.
For all the early turbulence, their story is one that ultimately found its happy ending.
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