Kate Middleton's stark advice from Camilla on making her marriage to Prince William last

Queen Camilla is said to have given Kate Middleton some words of advice on how to "hang on" to Prince William and make a marriage with him work, back in the early days of their romance. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales's romance famously began over two decades ago when they met as young students at the University of St Andrews in 2001. 

If you're a fan of The Crown, you would be forgiven for thinking that the pair had met prior to university, as the final season of the Netflix smash hit depicts young Catherine and William meeting with Kate buying a Big Issue from him years before they were students. 

However, the couple, who went on to marry in April 2011, first laid eyes on each other in Scotland, going from friends to lovers throughout their time at the coveted St Andrews. 

Kate and William have clearly enjoyed lasting romance since meeting 23 years ago and are now parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, with the Wales family residing in Adelaide Cottage near picturesque Windsor. 

However, it's been claimed by a royal expert that Queen Camilla had some words of advice on how to maintain a marriage with William when they were budding lovers. 

Writing in his biography, Battle of the Brothers, Robert Lacey explained, "Camilla had confided to Kate the secret of hanging on to a busy prince: fit your timetable - well, basically your whole life - around his."

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Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey, £7.18 (was £20 | Amazon

Written by royal expert Robert Lacey, this book gives readers an unparalleled insight into William and Harry’s early closeness and later rumoured estrangement. It asks what happens when two sons are raised for very different futures and explores each of the family's highs, lows and most difficult decisions. 

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Kate and William did actually briefly separate after university. After about five years together, in 2007, the couple called time on their romance - but after around three months apart, they rekindled. 

The royal couple touched on their short split during their 2010 engagement interview with journalist Tom Bradby. 

Future monarch, Prince William, popped the question during a romantic trip to Kenya and they announced the news on November 16th of that year. 

Catherine admitted that the break up was tough for her but was grateful that it had given her a new perspective on the relationship.

"I think I at the time wasn't very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person. 

"You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realised. Or I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger and I really valued that time for me as well although I didn't think it at the time. Looking back on it."