Prince William, Kate Middleton Love Story: Palace Dropped Subtle Clue About Duke, Duchess’ Relationship

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s dated for 10 years before they finally decided to get engaged.

Years before their wedding, the Duchess of Cambridge was photographed with some members of the royal family even though Prince William wasn’t with him. Her attendance at an engagement suggested that her relationship with the Duke of Cambridge was indeed serious.

In the book “William’s Princess,” royal author Robert Jobson detailed how the future queen made headlines in 2006 after she was photographed wearing a fur hat at the Cheltenham races.

“William was not with Kate on this occasion as he was continuing his rigorous training at Sandhurst military academy. Yet there was Kate, laughing and smiling and utterly at ease with the royals and their entourage. It only served to underline the extent to which Kate had been embraced as a member of the so-called Firm, as the royals dubbed themselves,” he wrote.

Later that day, a reporter from the Evening Standard asked a Clarence House staff for an on-record statement about Middleton’s fur hat but they refused to say that the Duchess of Cambridge is a private individual, who is not yet a member of the royal family.

Jobson focused on the fact that the palace staff used the word yet to talk about the future queen. The word suggested that while Middleton wasn’t a member of the royal family at that time, she will become one after she and Prince William tie the knot.

“As it was, it suggested there was an inevitable outcome of William’s relationship, that it would only be a matter of time before they would be commenting on her behalf as a fully signed-up princess and member of the family,” Jobson said.

However, Prince William and Middleton’s engagement did not happen until four years after the interview took place. In fact, just one year after her appearance with the royal family, Prince William and Middleton called it quits.

The royal couple was reportedly pressured to take their relationship to the next level after rumors swirled that Prince William will propose to his then-girlfriend on her 25^th birthday.