“Kate was always the one.” Those six words, spoken by former royal butler Grant Harrold, capture the emotion and unshakable connection between Prince William and Kate Middleton—even during the brief but turbulent chapter in 2007 when their relationship fell apart, however temporarily.
Ahead of the September 23 release of his memoir, The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service, Harrold has opened up about what it was really like behind palace walls during that time—and how the future king was “not himself” without Kate by his side.
A Prince Changed by Heartache
In 2007, after years together, Prince William and Kate Middleton split shortly after graduating from the University of St. Andrews, where they had met in 2001. The world may have seen polished headlines and paparazzi photos, but behind the scenes, those who worked closest to the prince witnessed a very different story.
Harrold, who began serving the royal family the day after Princess Diana’s death in 1997 and remained in royal service until just after William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, recalls a marked change in the young prince during those months apart.
“He went very quiet. He became a little bit withdrawn,” Harrold told InStyle. “I didn’t see a huge amount of him. I didn’t ask him—I didn’t say anything. I just knew he wasn’t himself 100 percent.”
A Breakup… or a Strategic Pause?
Harrold wonders if the breakup wasn’t entirely what it seemed. At the time, the media had become relentless in their pressure for a royal engagement, and Kate—then a private citizen—struggled under the glare of the spotlight.
“I wondered if it was to give a breathing space,” he said. “That’s just my view. I had no information. But I kept hoping they hadn’t really split up. When they did get back together, I was thrilled.”
Whether a real separation or a needed pause, Harrold always believed they would reconcile. He had seen enough behind the scenes to know their connection ran deeper than most.
The Kate Behind Closed Doors
As someone who saw both William and Kate away from public view, Harrold paints a warm, down-to-earth portrait of the future queen. Far from aloof or shy, Kate was kind, approachable, and completely unpretentious.
“She was lovely, very bubbly, very talkative. People think she’s shy—she’s not shy at all,” he said.
She also never leaned into royal formality. While Harrold, as a butler, was expected to offer drinks or set a plate, Kate often beat him to it.
“‘Can I get you a drink?’ She’s already at the fridge. ‘I’ll get you a plate.’ She’s already got it. She did everything herself.”
From Pain to Partnership
Their brief time apart in 2007 was just a bump in the road to what would become one of the most admired royal partnerships in modern history. William and Kate reunited later that year, and on April 29, 2011, they were married in a globally watched royal wedding.
Harrold, who left royal service shortly after their nuptials, says he looks back on his time in the royal household with deep gratitude. Reflecting on his upcoming memoir, he simply says:
“I was lucky. It was a really good time to be there.”
The Love Story That Endures
Today, Prince William and Princess Kate remain united in both duty and affection. Nearly two decades after their university romance began, their bond continues to serve as a foundation for the modern monarchy. And as Harrold says, no matter the bumps in the road along the way:
