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Over the years, Prince William and Kate Middleton have become one of the most admired royal couples. However, their journey hasn't been devoid of hitches. Despite being married for over a decade and cherishing the joys of parenting three children, the duo has navigated choppy waters in their romantic saga.
Rewinding to 2006, an instance came to light which showcased the testing period in their relationship, well before they tied the knot. That Christmas, the couple celebrated separately. Prince William, poised to be the future king, made significant plans with Kate. However, a change of heart left Middleton deeply upset and in tears.
In her book, *The Making of a Royal Romance*, royal author Katie Nicholl delves deeper into this incident. She writes, "At that time, William and Kate had been seeing each other for about five years. However, tradition at Sandringham was that only wedded couples were invited for the Queen’s holiday festivities."
Prince William's Change of Heart
To compensate for their separate Christmases, Prince William had charted out “grand plans” for the subsequent New Year. He had committed to spending Boxing Day with the Middleton family. Yet, in a sudden turn of events, he retracted, leaving Kate devastated.
The reason behind this unexpected decision? "Prince William was grappling with uncertainties," writes Nicholl. "He sought counsel from his father and grandmother. Their collective advice was not to rush into commitments."
Fast forward to April 2007, and the media was rife with reports about the couple's split. Close sources even mentioned the Queen's dismay at this development. Yet, love has its mysterious ways. A mere few weeks later, whispers of their reconciliation emerged following a private army gathering.
Their story took a fairytale turn when, in 2010, they shared their engagement news, followed by a grand royal wedding in 2011. It's evident that like many relationships, theirs too has had its highs and lows, but they've managed to weather the storms together.