The Gist
After dating for about five years, Prince William and Kate Middleton briefly broke up in 2007 before reconciling a couple of months later.
Former royal butler Grand Harrold told Us Weekly that William’s brother Prince Harry and Kate were so close that he thought Harry might try to date her after the split.
Instead, William and Kate reunited, ultimately getting engaged in 2010 and marrying in 2011.
It sounds a bit preposterous—especially in light of relations between Prince Harry and his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton at present day—but former royal butler Grand Harrold told Us Weekly that at one point Harry and Kate were so close that he thought the two might date after Kate’s brief breakup from William in 2007.
“They got on so well,” Harrold, author of the new book The Royal Butler, told the outlet. “I remember, when [William and Kate] separated—and I think I said this—you know, [Harry and Kate] got on so well that even I thought that maybe Harry and her would get together.”
Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, and Prince William
“They were that close,” he added. “They were best friends, and I wouldn’t have put it past Harry thinking, ‘Well, she’s a pretty girl. My brother didn’t want her. I’ll have her.’ That wouldn’t have surprised me at all. So it could have been Harry and Catherine easily, I would have thought. But, you know, thankfully [William] got her back.”
“What I’m trying to say is, that is how close they were,” Harrold continued.
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Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry
William and Kate had already been dating for five years when they briefly split in 2007; they reconciled a couple of months later and have been going strong ever since. In her 2010 engagement interview, Kate said of the breakup, “At the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but it actually made me a stronger person. You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn’t realized. 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.”
When William and Kate did break up, Harrold is confident that the Duke of Sussex “definitely would have said to his brother, ‘You’re crazy,’” Harrold said. “I’m sure. I’m convinced of it. We all thought it, you know. We were all thinking, ‘This is mad.’ Because they were such a good couple together.”
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Kate Middleton and Prince William at the Royal Charity Polo Cup 2022
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Prince William and Kate Middleton on May 20, 2025
“And, you know, when they separated in 2007, you know, we all wanted [them] to get back together,” he continued. “I was thrilled when they did.”
Currently, Harry is in the U.K., roughly eight miles from where William and Kate are. The two brothers have no plans to meet, though there is talk that Harry could possibly meet up with his father, King Charles, when he is in his home country this week. Harrold weighed in to Us Weekly about whether he thought Harry reached out to Kate last year after her shocking cancer diagnosis, to which Harrold said, “I’d like to think he did. I would like to think that.”
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Prince Harry and Kate Middleton at the Garter Day Service on June 16, 2008
“He’s not a bad guy,” Harrold said of Harry. “I’d be horrified if he didn’t reach out to [Kate], especially after the cancer diagnosis.” Kate announced in January that she is, thankfully, in remission from the disease.
Read the original article on InStyle