When Prince William Made a Decision That Turned Kate Middleton's Life 'Upside Down'

Kate Middleton's 27th birthday was reportedly not one of her most memorable because of her boyfriend, Prince William's actions at the time. Many people believed that the Prince of Wales would propose to Middleton on the occasion. Instead, she had to bid farewell to him, forced into spending time apart. Middleton was 'crushed' when William opted to begin his career in the Royal Air Force (RAF), seeking more freedom and time before accepting his role and becoming a full-time working royal.

As reported by The Mirror, a royal analyst, Katie Nicholl, wrote in her book Kate: The Future Queen, "With that single decision, Kate's life was turned upside down. She had expected a proposal once William had completed his military training but instead, she was forced to accept that there would be no engagement any time soon. Kate would have to wait even longer." As part of his new position, William was required to undergo 18 months of intensive training in Shropshire before spending two years at a secret site in the United Kingdom. 

Nicholl stated, "Was Kate prepared to join him? She supported his desires and ambitions, but privately she was crushed. William was asking her [Kate] to be an army wife- without the nuptials. Her frustration was understandable." While her friends were settling down, Middleton was left heartbroken, as argued by the author. Nicholl highlighted that, "For Kate, it was a step backwards. It seemed that everyone was getting married except for her. As she neared her 27th birthday, Kate's plan to be married with children by the time she was thirty was looking increasingly unlikely."

It was in 2010 when William finally proposed to Middleton. He reportedly went all out, getting down on one knee in a Kenyan log cabin, as reported by The Telegraph. There were no paparazzi around; just the two of them and their friends. William chose a massive ring that belonged to his mum, Princess Diana. In his 2020 address at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, he told the crowd, "The African continent holds a very special place in my heart. It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died. And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya."

William during their engagement interview with BBC, also shared, "I had been planning it for a while, but 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 at the time. I just...I had done a little bit of planning to show my romantic side."