Prince William’s St Stephen’s Day 2006 phone call cancelling New Year’s Eve plans left Kate Middleton in tears, according to royal author Katie Nicholl, weeks before their 2007 split
Gemma Strong Lifestyle Writer
10:59, 26 Dec 2025
Kate was reported to have been deeply upset by the phone call. (Image: AP)
The Prince and Princess of Wales stand as the Royal family’s most formidable partnership. Blissfully wed since 2011 and parents to three children, they remain as smitten today as when they pledged their love at Westminster Abbey.
However, the initial stages of their courtship were anything but straightforward. As a future monarch, managing a romance under intense public scrutiny proved challenging for William – and he once allegedly reduced his future bride to tears by calling off a significant engagement.
Before their marriage, Royal protocol required William and Kate to celebrate Christmas separately; he would travel to Sandringham for festivities with the extended Royal Family, whilst she would return to Bucklebury to join her parents and siblings.
In 2006, they hatched a plan to celebrate New Year’s Eve together as an alternative. Yet at the eleventh hour, William experienced a change of mind – leaving Kate questioning the stability of their relationship.
The Prince and Princess of Wales pictured together in September of this year. (Image: PA)
Prince William and Kate have three kids together. (Image: PA)
In her published work, The Making of a Royal Romance, Royal biographer Katie Nicholl alleges that William had pledged to join Kate’s family but chose to remain with the royals instead – breaking the news to her via telephone on St Stephen’s Day, reports the Mirror.
Katie penned: “William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate. Both advised him not to hurry into anything.”
In 2007, weeks after Prince William cancelled his New Year’s Eve plans with Kate and her family, he ended their relationship. Fortunately, the couple reconciled and resumed their relationship just a few months later.
Since then, they have remained together, becoming engaged in 2010 and tying the knot in 2011. The couple has since welcomed three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven.
This comes after William demonstrated his deep affection for his wife Kate with a revealing remark that speaks volumes about their bond, as per an expert’s interpretation. William was recently in North Wales visiting the Youth Shedz organisation, where he conversed with the organisation’s founder, Scott Jenkinson, and his wife Sian.
William and Scott quickly connected and discussed the significance of having a robust supportive figure in one’s life. “Were you there with Scott when he turned his life around?” William asked Sian, after learning about Scott’s past struggles with homelessness and addiction.
“He has done well to turn his life around.”
Sian responded: “He has, he really has,” to which Scott added: “With my wife behind me. You know that.”
Approaching his 15th wedding anniversary with the Princess of Wales, William nodded and replied: “This is it. Behind every average man there is an even better wife.”
Prince William and Kate met at university in Scotland. (Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared with the Mirror: “I thought it was a sweet comment, which showed just how equal their partnership is, and how much William values Catherine’s support and advice in everything he does. We women also know that it is absolutely true!”.
“Men are brilliant in so many ways, but it really is almost always the woman of the house who juggles a million balls to keep everyone on track, on time, properly kitted out and happy. I’m sure Catherine is no exception. And good on William for acknowledging this universal truth!”.
William and Kate endeavour to maintain privacy around their family life with their three youngsters as much as possible. However, William recently offered a rare insight into life beyond palace doors, revealing how involved both he and Kate are in day-to-day parenting.
During a chat with Luciano Huck for Brazilian television, he quipped: “I’m the taxi driver, Luciano. Taxi driver, sports days, matches, playing in the garden, where I can. School run, most days. I mean, Catherine and I share it. She probably does the bulk of it.”
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