Kate and William’s relationship is often perceived as one of marital bliss. With three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — the couple’s private life is kept under lock and key, but they always appear very content in one another’s company. They will be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary next year, too. However, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s romance was not always so plain sailing.
She and William broke up in April 2007 when they were on holiday in the Swiss Alps.
Kate had been looking for more commitment from her boyfriend of three years, but the 24-year-old royal was hoping to spend his Twenties without anything tying him down.
They split up — although it was Kate who was first to hit the nightclub scene and show William what he had been missing, reports show.
After a few months, reports that the couple were reuniting began to surface.
They both attended the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium to mark 10 years since William’s mother’s death, but were pictured sitting rows apart and claimed to just be “good friends”.
However, journalist John Walsh claimed: “The turning point in Kate Middleton’s life was the weekend she joined a royal deer stalking party in Scotland in October 2007.”
The two had reportedly been considering getting back together, but relations were still a little shaky by that autumn, making the deer stalking a pivotal moment for the two of them.
Mr Walsh continued: “She had never, before that weekend, been seen with a gun in her hands.”
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Although it’s not clear why this would have won William over, it may have been knowing that Kate would be comfortable with his lifestyle.
One of the many interests the couple shares is a love of the countryside and sports.
After that key trip to Balmoral, Kate had moved into Clarence House with William by that December.
Deer stalking marked another crucial moment in Kate and William’s romance when three years later, Kate’s parents were invited to attend a royal house party.
Michael and Carole Middleton went to the “country pursuits” gathering hosted by William at Birkhall, where they too were taught how to shoot.
Writing in The Independent in 2011, Mr Walsh added: “They were, it was popularly understood, being instructed, groomed and blooded in the dark arts of royal fun.”
Interestingly, neither Princess Diana nor Meghan Markle were interested in the countryside pursuits which are famous for being popular with the royals.
Diana was known to dislike many of the countryside estates belonging to the Firm, especially Balmoral, while keen animal activist Meghan allegedly encouraged Harry to give up hunting.
