Royal author Ingrid Seward has shared what she claims is the secret behind Prince William and Princess Catherine's enduring marriage. Speaking on the live recording of A Right Royal Podcast at Quaglino's, Seward revealed that the couple were close friends before they became romantic partners.
Friendship before romance
“I think what the great thing was that she and William were very good friends before they became lovers,” Ingrid told the audience. She described Kate as William's sounding board during their early days at university.
“She was, in a way, his sounding board. During, I think it was their first vacation from university, he drove to take Catherine out,” Seward explained. “He drove to her house in Bucklebury and he took her to the local pub, and they had a long, long chat.”
Advice that shaped his studies
Seward added that Kate listened to William and offered guidance about his academic path. “I can't remember the exact timing. But they were very good friends, and she listened to him and she advised him, and she said, 'Look, if you're not happy doing History of Art, you know, try to do something else. Do Geography or something,' which is what he did. She was such a good friend.”
According to Seward, this foundation of friendship was key to the success of their marriage. The couple, who met at university, wed in April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace, with around one billion people watching the ceremony on television and streaming worldwide. There were 1,900 guests inside the Abbey, and over a million people lined the streets between Westminster and Buckingham Palace.
The couple share three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
