It’s hard to imagine a time before Kate Middleton and Prince William, who have been happily married for over 12 years. However, back in 2007, they had a brief split.
The couple, who met at university, sparked up a romance before temporarily calling time on their relationship. During this challenging time, Kate’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, stepped in to support his niece.
The royal couple briefly split in the spring of 2007 as they were “finding themselves.” During this period, Kate spent partying with her sister Pippa Middleton in London and jetted off for a sun-soaked getaway at her uncle’s £6 million pad called La Maison de Bang Bang.
For the lavish trip in June 2007, Kate was joined by Pippa and their brother James Middleton. Gary, Carole Middleton’s younger brother and a self-made millionaire, spoke about his niece’s trip, revealing that Kate “was very low.”
In an interview with HELLO! in 2013, Gary said: “Carole asked if the children could use the villa to get away from everything. [My wife at the time] Julia’s visit overlapped with Kate’s and she said Kate was very low, spending a huge amount of time on the phone, walking around the pool.
It’s a very relaxing place with a very nice vibe. At night, you can hear the sea. So, in some small way, I just hope that being there helped [Kate].”
The following month, Kate and William reconciled their romance, much to the delight of royal watchers. When asked if the stay at his villa had anything to do with the couple getting back together, Gary replied: “Wouldn’t that be brilliant?”
Kate and William have been together ever since and tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in April 2011. They share three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and are key members of the Royal Family.
Reflecting on the early days of meeting William during a family dinner, Gary told HELLO!: “He was so relaxed in his skin, but he does try very hard to be a real gentleman.
He leaves a massive impact on you. He was incredibly charming and engaging. It was a very funny supper, and everyone was just cracking jokes.”
Kate’s uncle is now participating in Celebrity Big Brother, having entered the house on Monday, 4 March, where he joined the likes of Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.
It wasn’t long before Gary dropped some royal insider information as he told viewers the vital seven words that William said to him when they met for the very first time.
He revealed that while “Catherine was cooking,” William simply asked him: “Do you want a cup of tea?” Gary added: “All very normal.” As the show continues, fans will be hoping for more secret revelations from royal life, and Gary settles into the famous house.
