News of the Duchess of Cambridge’s engagement to Prince William was met with huge excitement from royal fans.
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's engagement was announced on November 16, 2010.
- A source has claimed that one aspect of the announcement left Duchess Catherine 'deeply saddened'.
- In other Royal News, Prince William reveals which of his children is the cheekiest.
The future Duchess of Cambridge, then known as Kate Middleton, and Prince William are understood to have become engaged a few weeks prior to the official autumn announcement. Prince William proposed to his girlfriend of nine years whilst the long-term couple were on holiday with friends in Kenya in October.
For the romantic proposal, the prince used the stunning sapphire engagement ring that once belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana. The couple then made the official announcement on 16th November.
But whilst the news marked the next exciting step in their lives together, it seems that there was one aspect which Duchess Catherine may have regretted.
What was Duchess Catherine’s engagement regret?
A source has now claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s decision to keep news of their engagement to themselves for a little while lead to sadness for the Duchess. According to Mirror.co.uk, the couple had initially planned to make the official announcement of their engagement on November 3.
However, devastatingly, the Duchess’ grandfather Peter reportedly passed away suddenly before she was able to tell him their wonderful news.
In her book Kate: Our Future Queen, royal expert Katie Nicholl writes that: "Kate was deeply saddened not to have had the chance to tell her grandfather that she was engaged to William” adding that, “She knew he would have been delighted for her."
When was Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s engagement announced?
On November 16, the couple went on to reveal to their loved ones that they were getting married, before making the official announcement soon after. As a senior member of the Royal Family, Prince William first had to legally ask for the Queen’s consent first.
Katie reportedly suggested that the Queen was having breakfast with Prince Philip when she got the call from her grandson. She claimed that the monarch was "thrilled to receive William's call, albeit a little surprised at the suddenness of the announcement".
A source allegedly told her: "The Queen had no idea that there would be an announcement that morning.”
"It was rather hurried, because William was apparently worried about it leaking out."
However, Katie writes: "William enjoyed outfoxing the media, and this was one announcement he wanted to make himself. The last thing he wanted was a newspaper getting the scoop, as had happened with his father's engagement to Camilla."
It’s believed that Prince William then also informed his father and stepmother, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, before calling his brother Prince Harry, who was in Hampshire at the time and was delighted at the news.
Prince William and Kate Middleton went on to marry in a beautiful ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. The couple received the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from the Queen.
This year will mark their tenth wedding anniversary.
