I went on wild night with Kate after William dumped her… it was a reality star's advice over cocktails that won him back

The Sun

29-04-2025

PRINCE William and Kate Middleton are celebrating 14 years of marriage today but if a reality star hadn't got involved and offered her some dating advice, the pair might not have reunited after their split in 2008 - and I witnessed it first hand.
It was like a real life fairytale when Kate, 43 first met William, 42, at the University of St Andrew's in 2001.
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Ten years later, she was walking down the aisle at Westminster Abbey to marry her prince in the wedding that was watched by 2.5 billion people worldwide.
But back in 2007 it had looked like their courtship was over after a rocky period lead to the future king ending things, over fears they were getting too serious.
There was talk of courtiers starting to look for a suitable date for a wedding and china cups being made ahead of a royal engagement- and William who was only 25 at the time had seen first hand the effect a painful divorce had on his parents and was understandably a bit panicked and got cold feet.
As a newly single man, William 'celebrated' being back on the market with a trip to his favourite nightclub Mahiki, a Polynesian themed bar in Mayfair where he apparently leapt up on a table, shouting: 'I'm free!'
While heartbroken Kate was given a week of compassionate leave from her job as a children's accessories buyer for high-street brand Jigsaw.
But rather than eating ice cream on her sofa in her pyjamas watching Bridget Jones' Diary, she kept herself busy.
She was whisked to Ireland by her mother Carole Middleton to attend a family friend's private exhibition. The mother and daughter saw the paintings, attended the champagne reception and then completed a cultural day with a tour of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Without the constraints of dating the future king, Kate was free to let her hair down and accept invites to the numerous events that were sent to her every week.
She had the perfect wing woman in her sister, Pippa, who was relatively unknown at the time.
Pippa had just finished her undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh and moved into Kate's Chelsea flat.
They went out so much that they topped Tatler's Most Invited list that year.
The pair would hit the town immaculately turned out with spray tans and blow dries.
As well as partying in Mahiki, where Wills had been a few days earlier, the two appeared together at a series of upmarket social events - one of which was where I spotted her.
We were both at the launch of the book Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore at luxury jeweller Asprey on 14 May 2007.
Of course being a young plucky journalist, I went over to ask the prince's then ex about the split but Kate, who was even more beautiful in the flesh, was diplomatic in her responses.
She told me: 'I'm here for Simon, I don't really want to talk about anything else because it will take away from his special day. I'm looking forward to reading his book because I studied History of Art at university so anything historical interests me."
At the time, she had been offered a huge payday of £1m by ITV to go into the jungle and compete on I'm A Celebrity but simply smiled when I asked if she was interested in eating kangaroo testicles on live TV.
She also told me that she was planning 'to book a holiday somewhere hot' but added 'I'm sure you understand why I don't want to tell you where I'm thinking of going'.
But while she didn't want to open up to a journalist, she was keen to speak to Tara Palmer Tomkinson, who sadly passed away in 2017.
WILLS 'MISSING OUT'
They had a serious tete a tete in the corner while both sipping on Margaritas. Luckily I remained in earshot of their conversation so was privy to Tara doling out the advice.
While socialite Tara, was famous for appearing on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Celebrity Fame Academy, she was also connected as the then Prince Charles ' god-daughter so she understood how the Royal Family worked.
Tara cornered Kate at the bash and immediately asked her: 'Do you want him back?' Kate of course said: 'Yes. I love him.'
Tara told her: 'Keep your chin up. Say nothing, do nothing and you'll be fine and he'll come back.'
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At the time, William Hill was giving odds of 8-1 that Tara would be William's next girlfriend.
On hearing that people were betting on this, the party girl exclaimed, "That is ridiculous, honestly I've never heard anything like it."
She told me: 'I think William will be back as soon as he realises what he's missing out on.'
Of course, she had known Princes William and Harry since they were children.
'William, Harry and me – we grew up together,' Tara once said. 'They are lovely, naughty boys. There is a complete code of trust there, a code that says, 'Zip it and treasure it'. I have a thing about trust: it is priceless.'
Kate was hanging on her every word and the rest is history.
Shortly after that event William and Kate had a secret meet up at Clarence House and then a pub in Highgrove where the prince confessed he missed her and wanted to get back together.
But Kate had told him that she needed more time as she had been badly hurt by the break up.
In June 2007, mutual friend Sam Waley-Cohen invited both Kate and William to a party at his family's 17th century manor house and according to one guest, they spent hours in deep conversation.
Speaking at the time Sam said: 'There's an idea that I was like Cupid with a bow and arrow. People love the idea that somebody put them back together but they put themselves together far more.'
She was then invited to a party with the theme 'Freakin' Naughty' at The Prince's army barracks in Dorset.
William wore hot pants and a policeman's helmet which must have impressed Kate as she stayed over. They were officially back together but kept their rekindled relationship under wraps.
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In July 2007, Kate helped William make last minute edits to a speech he was giving at a tribute concert at Wembley to honour his mother Princess Diana and mark the ten-year anniversary of her death on what would have been her 46th birthday.
While William sat next to his best friend Thomas van Straubenzee alongside Harry and his girlfriend in the Royal box, two rows back Kate was seated alongside her brother James.
Then two weeks later she was in attendance at Camilla's 60th birthday party at Highgrove.
William and Kate opened up about an earlier split while they were at St Andrew's together during their interview by Tom Bradby to celebrate their engagement in 2010.
"We were both very young," William explained.
"It was at university, and we were both sort of finding ourselves as such and being different characters and stuff, it was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up.
"It was just sort of a bit of space and a bit of things like that, and it worked out for the better."
INSIDE THE SPLIT
Kate added: "I think I... at the time wasn't very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person. You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realised, or I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger and I really valued that time for me as well although I didn't think it at the time. Looking back on it."
Kate never forgot the advice Tara gave her that fateful night. Regular ski trips to Klosters followed and Tara and Kate went on to become good friends. The socialite was there when the pair tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
In 2012 - a year after the couple's wedding - Tara praised Kate for doing 'such a good job'.
'She is beautiful and capable, sort of super-grounded, but really fun too,' she said. 'I think she has done something amazing – I am really proud of her. Whenever I see her on the cover of another magazine I smile."
She also said that Kate made her think of William's late mother, Princess Diana. 'She reminds me of his mother – something about her eyes.'
Of course the pair have gone on to have a happy marriage and three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
It's not been all easy as they coped with the news that the Princess of Wales had been diagnosed with cancer in March 2023 but now she is in remission it seems there is plenty to celebrate.
I hope the pair toast their 14th wedding anniversary today and there are many more to come.
Kate Middleton's love of recycling clothes
KATE Middleton might be a Princess, but that certainly doesn't stop her from rewearing her favourite frocks.
Jenny Packham Gown: She first worn the frock to an ARK Gala Dinner in June 2011, and then rewore it three years later to the National Portrait Gallery in February 2014.
Alexander McQueen Coat Dress: Kate donned the beautiful number for Trooping the Colour in June 2016 and then just a year later, was spotted in it again for the Easter Service, in April 2017.
Temperley London Dress: She first wore the black lace dress at the War Horse Premiere, in January 2012, but then, just months later, donned it again, at the St. Andrews University Gala, in December 2012.
Hobbs Coat: Even Kate is a fan of a staple coat, as she's reworn a classic number from Hobbs, which she first wore on Christmas Day in December 2012, and then again on a visit to Newcastle, in October 2013.
Kate Middleton's sartorial choices continue to inspire many, proving that elegance and sustainability can go hand in hand.