Biographer: Kate ‘Spooked’ by Press With William
Kate Middleton was “spooked” by the intensity of press attention after her relationship with Prince William became public, according to a new account from royal biographer Mr Russell Myers. The claim appears as the Prince and Princess of Wales approach their 15th wedding anniversary on April 29, and revisits the early years of their courtship after they met at the University of St Andrews in 2001.
Writing in InStyle, InStyle reported that Mr Myers said William had tried to prepare Catherine for how the media worked, but that it felt “incredibly different” once she became the subject of paparazzi pursuit, with a former royal courtier quoted as saying she “was spooked by the attention”.
Mr Myers also wrote that William was concerned his girlfriend might struggle to adjust to royal life, describing how he arranged stays at Highgrove and Sandringham when senior royals were not in residence so the couple could relax without worrying about formal family encounters. The biographer argued that once the relationship was widely known, the pair found themselves at the centre of a “media storm” as public curiosity grew about the future king’s private life.
The renewed focus on their university-era relationship follows previous reporting on their time apart, including claims that the couple later reflected on a brief break-up at university before rekindling their romance.
William and Catherine, who married in 2011, have previously spoken about the pressures of public life and the need to protect their family’s privacy. The latest extract underlines how early scrutiny shaped their approach long before William’s role as heir to the throne became central to their day-to-day work.
