It’s also been revealed she played a part in their reunion following a brief split four years before their big day
Catherine, Princess of Wales, then the Duchess of Cambridge, and Queen Elizabeth II(Image: Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II made a ‘startling’ gesture towards Kate Middleton just weeks before her wedding to her grandson, Prince William – and it’s also been revealed she played a part in their reunion following a brief split.
The royal couple met at St Andrews University in 2001 while they were studying history of art. They moved into a shared house with two other friends in 2002 and reportedly became a couple around Christmas 2003.
But, Kate and William briefly split up in April 2007, reportedly because of the strain caused by William’s military career. However, they were secretly back together within weeks.
Now, The Mirror’s Royal Editor, Russell Myers writes in his new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, which is being serialised by the Mirror, that the late Queen had a role in bringing the couple, who have now been married for more than 10 years and share three children, back together.
“The Queen had witnessed at first hand the toxicity that spilled over from Charles and Diana’s relationship and the devastating effect of the Princess of Wales’s tragic death on both William and Harry,” Russell writes.
Kate and William married in 2011(Image: Getty Images)
“And she knew that William was hurting from the attempt to reconcile so many competing expectations, demands and desires. During those initial days of hopelessness after the tragedy of Diana’s death, Elizabeth’s first reaction had been that of a grandmother, not a monarch. She refused to bow to pressure from the press and instead dedicated herself to comforting her suffering grandchildren. Now she would do the same.
“Sensing William was struggling, the Queen invited him to Sunday lunch to judge his mood. William was more than just crestfallen and worried about whether he was throwing away the one constant in his life. He was, according to one well-placed source, ‘completely broken’.
“‘In that moment, the Queen advised her grandson that the only certain path is the one supported by faith. It was all she had to say,’ they said.”
Queen Elizabeth II at William and Kat’s 2011 wedding(Image: Getty Images)
And it seems the Queen’s advice worked. Russell continues: “William and Catherine knew full well the pressures that lay ahead. Getting back together would only intensify the questions over the future of their relationship.
“Whether that meant marriage or just a commitment that they were both in it for the long haul didn’t particularly matter at that stage to Catherine, but William had to at least let her in. A source close to the couple said: ‘They came back clear that they would face the future together. That’s all Catherine had ever wanted and now that William was fully on board and recognised that it was not solely about him, everything seemed to fall into place.;”
Their engagement was announced in 2010, and William and Kate went on to tie the knot at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. They have since become parents to three children – George, Charlotte and Louis.
“In December 2010, Queen Elizabeth invited Catherine to Buckingham Palace,” Russell continues. “Although billed as an informal catch-up, it was the first time Catherine had met the monarch on her own and she was understandably nervous. Even though Catherine had by now met the Queen on several occasions, she sought advice from aides on what to wear and say during the meeting. In the car on the way over to Buckingham Palace, she adjusted her hair and touched up her makeup before being met by the Queen’s private secretary and taken to a room where afternoon tea had been laid out.
William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story Hardcover 26 Feb. 2026
by Russell Myers (Author)
“Her Majesty had requested to be kept up to date with the preparations of the wedding committee. During the light buffet of tea and finger sandwiches, the Queen eschewed questions about the finer details of the production and instead looked to comfort the young woman she hoped would successfully shape the institution for the next generation. According to one former courtier, the Queen offered words of encouragement to Catherine regarding her future role as a senior member of the family, as well as guidance in how to deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands.
“In a lighter moment, the Queen also advised Catherine to not get too bogged down with the details of the guest list, telling her not to worry about how many people would be there. There were many she wouldn’t know and many she wouldn’t see again. In a startling gesture to the young bride, the Queen also generously offered Catherine the opportunity to consult with royal jewellers over borrowing an item from her personal, priceless jewellery collection. The source said: ‘It was a lovely gesture and typical of the Queen to think of how Catherine would be feeling.'”
William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, published on 26 February by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now