Kate Middleton and Prince William were college sweethearts, having met at St. Andrews in 2003. The love-struck Prince and Princess of Wales said their ‘I do’s’ in 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Middleton knew that her life wouldn’t be the same after she married into royalty. Royal author Robert Jobson revealed that she hence set a few ‘terms’ with then-Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth, agreeing to marry William only on one condition.
When Middleton said ‘yes’ to William’s proposal, she knew she would be required to immerse herself in royal duties. As reported by Brides Today, Jobson, in his book Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography, wrote, “[Kate] established some fundamental life rules that she would stick to when she joined The Firm. Her ‘terms’ were in fact presented to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles…She was clear from the outset that she would not be pigeon-holed into carrying out particular duties…her priority, she emphasized, would always be her family.”
Despite 14 long years of marriage, the Princess has upheld her resolve to focus on her family. Before her cancer diagnosis, she was heavily involved in her three children’s lives while attending royal engagements. Jobson penned, “The royal couple will, of course, carry out their fair share of royal duties, but they both believe that being good parents is their most important role.” The author opined that her family-centric approach comes from her own “happy childhood raised in a quiet Berkshire village, surrounded by her mum and dad and siblings.” Jobson argues this makes Middleton want to give her three kids “that same level of security.”
The Princess of Wales wasn’t the only one to set a few ‘terms’ with the late Queen. Prince William had also made a peculiar request to her before his nuptials. Sadly, the Queen ultimately did not grant his request, but instead agreed to Middleton’s. Speaking to the Telegraph, a royal insider dished, “He says he was born Prince William and wants to continue to be known as that. William also had views on the name Kate should have taken on. He wants Kate to become Princess Catherine.” The insider added, “Kate is a commoner and could not be known as ‘Princess Catherine. However, it is up to the Queen what title she gives her, and there have been one or two exceptions.” The source revealed that the monarch did not want to bend the rules for William as it would open the gates to many such future requests.
Coming back to Jobson, he also noted that Middleton, over the years, served as a trailblazer in transforming the monarchy into a relatable identity. He wrote, “Kate will be very important in shaping the monarchy into an institution that’s relevant to modern people and not just looking over its shoulder at past traditions.” Reportedly, during the Queen’s final hours, the Princess decided to ‘stay behind’ to look after her children instead of visiting her.
