It’s nearly impossible to look at Prince William without comparing him to his younger brother, Prince Harry. This is largely because the two are so different, especially when it comes to relationships. By all accounts, marriage to Meghan Markle has turned Harry into a figure of controversy even as it alienated him from his family. Meanwhile, marriage to Kate Middleton helped make William a steadfast leader and the most popular living member of the Royal Family.
And when you see how happy William and Kate are, you can’t help but ask: just what is their secret? Recently, one royal expert figured things out, and her conclusions will change how you see the future King of England as well as the woman who helped him become so regal. Keep reading to discover the real secret to William and Kate’s happy, rock-solid marriage!
William’s long and happy marriage to Kate
In order to really appreciate the strength of William and Kate’s marriage, it’s important to first understand just how long the two have been together. According to Us Weekly, the two began dating way back in September 2001. They ended up getting married in 2010 and have managed to genuinely live happily ever after, eventually having three lovely children together.
In other words, these two lovebirds have been together for over two decades and married for 13 years. For perspective, Charles was only five years into marriage with Diana when he began cheating on her with Camilla. And Harry was only about two and a half years into marriage with Meghan when she caused him to step down from most royal responsibilities and outright flee the country while burning bridges with his family.
Meanwhile, William and Kate continue to be loyal, free of controversy, and doing their best to lift each other up. And while their marriage is a success for many reasons, much of it comes down to the special determination of Kate Middleton.
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Kate’s secret: giving William the love and support he missed as a child
They say that behind every great man is a great woman, and we can generally agree that as the future King of England, great man William has one hell of a supportive wife. And royal expert Jenni Bond thinks she might have figured out what makes their particular so strong: the fact that Kate consciously and deliberately set out to give William the kind of care and support he may have missed out on as a child.
According to the New York Post, Bond said that gives William what “was lacking in his own family life” and “everything he didn’t have with Charles and Diana.” William was likely traumatized by the breakdown of his parent’s marriage, and that could have forever altered the way he looked at relationships. But Bond says that Kate is here to offer the future king a “loving, deep partnership, founded on friendship, passion and mutual respect, plus a broader, settled and happy relationship with his in-laws.”
William proved to be a big hit with the in-laws
More than a few people reading this have a complex relationship with their own in-laws, so it may be difficult to understand William’s awesome relationship with his wife’s parents. However, Kate Middleton’s mother and father, like Kate before them, are capable of giving William something he never really had. And that’s the chance to truly be himself.
As reported by the Mirror, Kate Middleton’s mom and dad “welcomed William into their home and treated him like one of the family.” Because of this, the prince “can relax with them, trust them, and be himself in a way he can do with only a very few others.”
Compared to Prince Harry’s nightmare in-law, Thomas Markle, the Middletons sound downright chill. Along with Kate, they have helped William achieve his true potential, both as a future monarch and as a man.
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William: proof that women maketh a man?
Over the years, many have joked about what qualities truly make someone very masculine. “Clothes maketh the man,” for example, is a tacit acknowledgment that you should always look your best because people do, in fact, love to judge a book by its cover. And while wealthy William has never had trouble dressing to the nines, his life has led to an interesting royal revelation: in William’s case, it’s fair to say that women maketh a man!
According to the Daily Star, Jenni Bond said that it was Diana “who first showed her sons the plight of homeless people,” which resulted in William saying “he wants his own children to be fully aware of how privileged they are and how other people may sometimes need a little help.” Now, William has known Kate longer than he ever knew Diana, and his wife “has won not only his deep love, but his respect.”
Between this and how close William was to the late Queen Elizabeth, Bond could only reach one conclusion. As reported by Yahoo!, she said that “it’s the women in his life who have helped make him the man he is.” And judging from how frequently the happy prince smiles, we doubt he’d have it any other way.