So much for that December royal wedding some were predicting… British tabloids took a hit today after several media outlets confirmed that Prince William and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton decided to call it quits.
According to The Sun newspaper, the couple reached an “amicable agreement” to separate, though a spokesman at the prince’s office refused to comment on the break up.
The 24-year-old prince and his 25-year-old girlfriend met as students at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland in 2001 and first started dating in 2003. They briefly split for about five months a couple of years ago, but got back together and lived in the same house during their time in college.
However, according to some royal watchers (yes, the same ones who predicted the couple would be engaged by the end of the year), the prince and Middleton had grown “increasingly independent” of each other since their university days.
One royal watcher said the couple’s relationship had reached an impasse.
“They can’t go forward because William is in the army and he’s dedicated the next few years of his life to that, so he’s not in a position to get married,” the editor of Majesty magazine said.
Prince William is currently enrolled in an armored corps commander course about 125 miles west of London, the city where Middleton recently moved to take a job as an accessories buyer for the British fashion chain.
While some speculate the distance did in the relationship in others contend that it was the media pressure, which dashed hopes of a royal union. According to British newspapers, Middleton was having difficulties with the constant media scrutiny. One of Middleton’s friends told a news reporter the attention from the press “was an ongoing source of trouble.” In fact, just a few weeks ago, Middleton received a public apology from a British newspaper after it printed a photograph of her heading to work.
Frankly, I was surprised to hear about the split. After all, a few months ago, it seemed everyone was convinced the two were headed down the aisle (the engagement talk peaked in December when Middleton appeared at Prince William’s graduation—she later scored an invite from the Queen to join the royal family for Christmas). What’s more, their relationship seemed solid (but what do we know)—four years is a long time to remain in relationship, especially when you are so young (then again, I dated a guy for four years in college and broke up with him two years after graduation—so I guess you just never know).
Perhaps, they will get back together. I’m sure that will make some British bookmakers happy—especially the one who was so certain the prince and Middleton were going to tie the knot he had stopped taking bets on it.
Related Articles:
A Busy Week For The Royal Family
Prince William’s Girlfriend Gets a New Gig
Princess Diana’s Sons Plan Memorial Concert In Her Honor