Kate Middleton once given chance to ‘back out’ of royal life thanks to Prince William’s selfless choice
Prince William revealed in their engagement interview that he'd wanted Kate to be able to 'back out' if she wanted, before it got 'too much'
![Composite of a picture of Kate Middleton, wearing a dress and blue blazer, at the Fitzwilliam Museum in 2022 and Prince William in a suit at Mosaic Clubhouse in Lambeth on June 26, 2023](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZnSMy4MMYFkaxttqh9xGbD-415-80.jpg)
Kate was once given a chance to "back out" of royal life before it "got too much", thanks to Prince William’s selfless choice.
The Princess of Wales has taken to royal life like a duck to water and she and Prince William have found the perfect balance between enjoying family time with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis at Adelaide Cottage and undertaking the responsibilities of their official roles. This isn’t easy, and Prince William once made a selfless sacrifice for Kate so that she could "back out" of becoming a senior royal before it was too late. It was in their engagement interview in 2010 that the Prince of Wales made this startling revelation. He explained to ITV News’s Tom Bradby that he waited so long to propose partially out of a desire to give his now-wife the time to decide if life as a future Queen was right for her.
Being part of the Royal Family comes with a high level of scrutiny and Tom described Prince William as clearly being very "protective" of his wife-to-be. In response, the Prince of Wales acknowledged that he was "massively so" and how he wanted Kate and her family to know what her being royal would mean for them.
Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Revelatory Biography of the Future Queen by Robert Jobson | Was £22, Now £11.80 at Amazon
This new biography of the Princess of Wales has already become a Sunday Times bestseller. Written by Robert Jobson, who spoke to sources within the Royal Household both on and off the record, it considers how Kate became the woman she is today. It delves into her beginnings, romance with Prince William and royal role.
"Her and her family, I really want to make sure that they have the best, sort of, guidance and chance to see what life has been like - or what life is like - in the family," Prince William disclosed. "That’s kind of almost why I’ve been waiting this long is that I wanted to give her a chance to see and to back out if she needed to before it all got too much."
The senior royal, who is now first in the royal line of succession, also explained that he was "trying to learn from the lessons done in the past". Turning to look at Kate, he added, "I just wanted to give her the best chance to settle in and see what happens the other side."
Prince William’s revelation was incredibly heartfelt and showcased how deeply he’d thought about the proposal and how much he’d wanted Kate to know what her future might look like as a royal before committing to it.
Although Kate was given a chance to "back out", thankfully for fans of the Prince and Princess of Wales, she didn’t take it. That doesn’t mean that she didn’t appreciate having this time to reflect, though, as the Princess of Wales said she was "so glad" to have it.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
"I’m of course so glad that I’ve had the time to grow and understand myself more as well. So hopefully, hopefully, I’ll do a good job," she declared.
It seems that having more time before Prince William proposed was valued by Kate and she has gone on to excel as a senior royal. This time was likely also important for the Middleton family to have too, as Prince William reflected.
Their lives also changed when Kate married Prince William and the BBC’s former royal correspondent Jennie Bond claimed to OK! earlier this year that he once "promised" Carole and Michael he'd look after their daughter.
"[H[e promised Kate’s parents that he would protect and look after her so he’ll feel guilty for any hardships she goes through because all she’s done is fall in love with someone who happened to be a future king. There’s obviously a lot of baggage that comes with this - it’s a unique and different life which you’ve got to have a very thick skin for," she said.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
-
The best beauty advent calendars 2024 that are actually worth the splurge
We've compiled a list of the best beauty advent calendars to buy in 2024, from the likes of Harrods, Liberty, Jo Malone and more...
By Sennen Prickett Published
-
Prince Louis’ hilarious habit revealed by Prince William - and Princess Charlotte probably isn’t a huge fan
Prince William shared a relatable confession about Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte during his visit to a school in Llanelli
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince Louis’ hilarious habit revealed by Prince William - and Princess Charlotte probably isn’t a huge fan
Prince William shared a relatable confession about Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte during his visit to a school in Llanelli
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate and Pippa Middleton upheld sweet family tradition in honour of mum Carole
The Princess of Wales and Pippa seem to have upheld a special tradition when they became mums and it was started by Carole
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton's 'conflicted emotions' over George, Charlotte and Louis' school return - after time that 'can't have been easy'
The Princess of Wales could reportedly have mixed feelings about Prince George, Charlotte and Louis' school holidays coming to an end
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton’s favourite hobby that is ‘less than satisfying’ for King Charles
Kate Middleton's favourite hobby is one her father-in-law isn't a fan of and King Charles took up something else after finding it 'impossible'
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Carole and Michael Middleton’s beautiful home ‘nearly’ had roof ‘blown off’ by Prince William
The Prince of Wales reportedly once almost blew the roof off the Middletons' home and it was revealed in Michael's wedding speech
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton's disastrous gift from Prince William that he'll 'never' be allowed to forget
Prince William once bought a surprising present for Kate that 'didn't go down well' and he has 'no idea' why he thought she'd like it
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton ‘courageously’ made one thing ‘very clear’ about Prince George, Charlotte and Louis to Royal Family
The Princess of Wales balances her royal role with life as a mother-of-three and she apparently made a key decision long ago
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton's off-shoulder maxi dress was a dazzling example of why sapphire blue should be in every elegant wardrobe
We're still inspired by the Princess of Wales's bold blue maxi dress from 2016 and this colour is such a striking choice for special events
By Emma Shacklock Published