The Rumored Reasons Kate & William Have Stayed Together So Long
If you believe the rumors, then Prince William and Princess Catherine’s marriage ought to be in real trouble — so why are they still together? From a certain perspective, Prince William and Princess Catherine’s 2011 wedding marked the beginning of a marriage like any other. Sure, the bride wore a tiara, and Queen Elizabeth II had a privileged view of the ceremony. But, at the end of the day, William and Catherine seemed as joyful and hopefully in love as any non-royal couple — leading countless publications to declare that they are “just like us.” In the end, though, the
Waleses are not “just like us,” and neither is their marriage. While most commoners get hitched based on some combination of love, passion, and affection, the same is not true of the British upper crust. Princes and princesses face a tremendous amount of pressure to choose partners who will reflect well on the crown. As royal expert Peter Conradi writes in his book The Great Survivors: “Traditionally, royal marriages were not about love, lust, or friendship — they were instead about producing heirs and cementing alliances.” Of course, as modern-day royals, William and Catherine hardly cemented any political alliances through
their union. However, they still had to live up to certain expectations, both to protect the monarchy’s image and to produce an heir. What’s more, the couple had
opposite effect. Because of this, high-ranking royals such as Prince William and Princess Catherine are encouraged to stay together no matter what comes their way. In The Great Survivors, Peter Conradi explains just how seriously most princes and princesses take this obligation. Describing the attitude of European royal families to divorce, Conradi writes: “Marriage is an institution to be entered into for life. Whatever the ups and downs they have experienced during married life, divorce has never seemed a realistic option.” This is perhaps even more true for William and Catherine, whose marriage has been described as a pillar of
the modern monarchy. According to Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, this means that, for the couple, the pressure is seriously on. Commenting on this issue to Slingo, Burrell said: “The future rests on Kate and that’s an enormous responsibility, because if she decided that she didn’t want to be a part of her marriage any more then I think the royal family would collapse.” Burrell went on to compare Catherine’s position to Diana’s, noting the way that the public has looked up to both women. He added: “It’s not an enviable position to be in.” It might sound like
an exaggeration to say that Prince William and Princess Catherine’s marriage is essential to the monarchy’s future. However, this argument may not actually be so far-fetched. Royal divorces bring a great deal of scandal to the throne, and scandal has a direct impact on the popularity of the monarchy. This was certainly the case back in the 1930s when King Edward VIII fell for Wallis Simpson. At the time, this match was considered unseemly on account of Simpson’s status as a divorcée. In the end, Edward abdicated the throne to marry Wallis, generating a constitutional crisis that put the entire
British monarchy at risk. Six decades later, history seemed to repeat itself when King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, was granted a divorce from his wife, Princess Diana. The scandal of the couple’s split rocked the country, especially as details of Charles’ extra-marital affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles became public knowledge. “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” Although Charles did ultimately become king, a survey by Newsweek found that 58% of Brits would have rather seen him abdicate so that William could reign instead. For William and Catherine, this perhaps stands
as a strong warning that the public will not support another royal divorce. The late Queen Elizabeth II has largely been credited with saving the British crown after the troubles of the early 20th century. Because of this, the complex dynamics surrounding divorce and monarchy were not lost on her. As one royal source told The Sunday Express in 2006, Elizabeth inherited many of her views from her mother, who had been “scarred” by the Wallis Simpson scandal. The insider went on to add that the queen’s position in the Church of England reinforced her opinions. They said: “The queen
is the head of the church and so from a point of principle, she is opposed to royal divorces.” Interestingly, the same source claimed that Elizabeth was so worried about the way that past divorces had impacted the monarchy that she confronted her grandchildren about the issue. At one point, she was even said to have cautioned Prince William and Princess Catherine, warning them not to split. According to the insider: “She has witnessed the divorces not just of her sister Princess Margaret, but also those of her three eldest children. She now feels, to put it bluntly, that enough
is enough. She does not want to name names, but she is adamant that there are going to be no further royal divorces during her reign.” Apparently, this sentiment applied to both of her grandsons, with the source claiming that William and Harry were told to marry “for keeps.” Of course, being told to do your duty and support the monarchy is one thing, but actually doing it is something else entirely. The case of Prince Harry most obviously illustrates this reality. After all, Harry has repeatedly demonstrated that he will always prioritize his family’s happiness over the monarchy’s image.
“I will always protect my family, and now I have a family to protect.” As for Prince William and Princess Catherine, there is technically nothing preventing them from doing the same thing. If the couple really wanted to separate from the monarchy — or each other — they probably could. Nonetheless, William and Catherine will likely never do either one of these things, and the reason is simple: The couple feels a strong sense of duty toward the crown. And, experts believe that they are willing to do what is necessary to ensure the survival of the monarchy. As royal
expert Nick Bullen told Fox News: “I think it’s no mistake that the Sussexes are seen as living this showbiz, celebrity life in Montecito, and the Waleses want to be seen as living a very serious life dedicated to duty and service.” According to Bullen, this sense of commitment to the crown has only grown over time. In his view, William was always serious about his sense of duty. He added: “He always knew what his destiny was, but now it’s there.” Chances are, there’s more keeping Prince William and Princess Catherine together than mere politics. The couple likely have
personal reasons for maintaining their marriage. Chief among these is perhaps William’s own history as a child of divorce. “And, I suppose, in love.” “Of course.” “Whatever ‘in love’ means.” After all, the prince was said to have suffered tremendously during his parents’ separation — and he likely does not want Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to endure the same traumas as he once did. Speaking with OK! Magazine, royal expert Jennie Bond claimed that William knew many of the details about his parents’ split. Bond said of Diana: “As her marriage collapsed, she would lean on William
for support and he would famously pass her tissues and a note under the bathroom door to try to comfort her when she was crying.” For the young prince, witnessing his mother’s pain probably served as a warning of just how challenging a divorce can be. Bond added: “William probably knew more about marital problems than any young boy should have to know.” To make matters worse, William had to face the press explosion that surrounded his parents’ marital issues. Bond told OK!: “I remember talking to the princess during a trip to Japan. The biography of Charles by Jonathan
Dimbleby had just been published. She told me the headlines it spawned had been incredibly hurtful for William and Harry and she didn’t want them to see the book.” It is very possible that Prince William and Princess Catherine have stayed together as a way to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. However, there is another reason the pair remain married — they seem to work very well together. Indeed, William and Catherine’s marriage is not just a romance but also a business partnership. They work together to make sure that their royal tours and public appearances go smoothly.
And, based on the rock solid image that the prince and princess project to their fans, the two make a really great team. Commenting on this matter in an interview with Fox News, royal expert Nick Bullen said: “I think the secret of the Wales’ marriage is that it is very much a partnership.” In his view, this is key to the couple’s future success. As Bullen noted, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were able to be effective monarchs because of their collaborative marriage. He added: “Prince Philip and the queen were a partnership. She might have been the woman
on the stamps and the coins and the head of state, but they worked together.” According to Bullen, Catherine supports William’s work, and William knows it. The expert explained: “The Princess of Wales is very good at managing the Prince of Wales. It’s a partnership, and he knows how good she is and what a useful tool she is for the royal family.” Prince William and Princess Catherine project a powerful image to the public, but they’ve also had their fair share of troubles. This was especially true in 2007, when the pair were still dating — or, rather, not
dating. Indeed, it was reported at the time that William broke up with Catherine, supposedly over concerns that she was not a good fit for palace life. During the time that they were apart, both the prince and his ex-girlfriend were separately spotted at a number of London nightclubs. Each had the chance to show the other what they were missing, and it was not long before the pair reconciled. Although this breakup may sound insignificant, one royal expert believes that it will prevent William and Catherine from splitting again. Speaking to OK!, Jennie Bond explained: “The short time they
spent apart made them see what life would be like without one another. Being dropped must have hit Catherine’s self-confidence at the time, but she has since grown as a woman, as a wife, a mother and as a future queen.”
