Prince William’s Fear of Commitment Postponed His Proposal to Kate Middleton, Royal Expert Says

Prince William saw a future with Kate Middleton long before he popped the question — but first had to embrace the idea of settling down, according to a royal expert.

William, 43, “assured Kate she was the one” after the pair rekindled their romance while taking a trip to the island of Desroches on the heels of a high-profile split in 2007.

The revelation was featured in a recent article published by Marie Claire on Sunday, June 29, revisiting author Katie Nicholl’s book The Making of a Royal Romance: William, Kate, and Harry — A Look Behind the Palace Walls.

“William, who had inherited something of his father’s fear of commitment, knew he would lose Kate if he could not give her some form of guarantee,” Nicholl wrote.

“For a young man who has an inherent fear of tomorrow, this was not easy for William, but the tranquil backdrop of the island was as good place as any to discuss it,” Nicholl continued in an excerpt, revealing she learned the duo made a “pact” during their getaway.

“They didn’t agree to get married there and then,” a close friend confided to Nicoll. “William told Kate … he was not ready to get married,” the friend claimed to Nicholl. “He promised her his commitment and said he would not let her down, and in turn she agreed to wait for him.”

The couple met in 2001 while studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and dated for nearly a decade before announcing their engagement in November 2010.

William later discussed his proposal, which took place when they had been vacationing in Kenya with friends.

“As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going. So, I was planning it and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful,” he shared during an interview which aired on ITV.

William surprised his future bride, now 43, with a sentimental ring that once belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana.

“Obviously, she’s not going be around to share in all the fun and excitement, so this is my way of keeping her close to it all,” he gushed of Diana, who tragically died from injuries sustained in an August 1997 car collision.

William and his longtime love wed at Westminster Abbey in London, England, months after his proposal, exchanging their vows on April 29, 2011. They have since welcomed three children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

The pair more recently weathered one of their greatest hardships when Kate discovered that she had been diagnosed with cancer last year.

Fortunately, the Princess of Wales announced in January 2025 that she is in remission.