Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton

Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Once upon a time, hadn’t yet picked his future Queen.

As the future heir to the British throne, ‘ eldest son’s dating history made headlines around the world. And although he proposed to in 2010, his future with the now-Princess wasn’t always a sure thing. Royal author details in his book Catherine, the Princess of Wales, William met Kate during his time at St Andrews University, but the Prince of Wales had a few flings before settling down for good. When discussing the early days of Kate and William’s romance, Jobson recalled their 2007 breakup, which took place during a 30-minute phone call.

“Seemingly out of the blue, William telephoned to initiate a split, telling her that he felt they needed ‘a bit of space’ to ‘find our own way,’” the author recalled, noting they were on “different pages” at the time. Namely, Kate wanting an engagement and William having difficulty settling down.

While they briefly parted ways, the pair found their way back to each other and became a model couple. Keep scrolling for a breakdown of William’s dating history:

Related: Kate Middleton's Love Life Before Marrying Prince William: Dating HistoryKarwai Tang/WireImag Princess Kate Middleton had a few romances before getting married to Prince William. Some of the now Princess of Wales’ past relationships went down as she was on and off with William. Royal expert Robert Jobson broke down the highs and lows of Kate’s love life in his August 2024 biography Catherine, the […] Davina Duckworth-Chad Indigo/Getty Images

Duckworth-Chad reportedly went on “a cruise along the Aegean Sea in 1999” with William, per Jobson’s book.

Jecca Craig Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

During William’s gap year at Eton, which he spent in Kenya, there were whispers of some romance between the two.

Olivia Hunt David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Jobson also mentioned Hunt in his book, sharing William’s rumored history with the former “Edinburgh university student.”

Rose Farquhar James Whatling/MEGA

While it was not written about in Jobson’s book, William reportedly dated Farquhar during his late teen years — before going to university.

Carly Massy-Birch

William’s most notable romance before Kate might just be with Massy-Birch.

“The two met when he auditioned for the role of Zooey in a play based on ’s Franny and Zooey,” Jobson wrote, noting that they kept the romance “low key” and clicked “straight away.”

Related: Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Relationship TimelineThe world watched in awe as Prince William and Princess Kate wed at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011, and years later, commoners still stand impressed with the couple. Though they didn’t tie the knot until 2011, Kate and William first met 10 years prior while studying history at Scotland’s University of St […]

However, the introduction of another woman in William’s life caused some apparent drama.

Arabella Musgrave Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Things between Massy-Birch and William were “fleeting” and William felt torn between her and Musgrave. The prince ended up having a “passionate summer romance” that only lasted before he went to St Andrews.

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When discussing William’s love life, Hanbury’s name comes up often. Especially as she and William were rumored to be having an affair amid his marriage to Kate. However, in March 2024, Hanbury’s lawyers addressed cheating allegations head on. “The rumors are completely false,” they told Busniess Insider at the time.

Kate Middleton Samir Hussein/WireImage

William and Kate’s relationship is a tale as old as time, kicking off in 2002 after they were friends for a few years. The couple briefly split and got back together during the early days of their romance. William called things off again in 2007, but their time apart didn’t last long.

By October 2010, they were engaged and married the following year. William and Kate now share three kids together: Prince George, born in July 2013, Princess Charlotte, born in May 2015, and Prince Louis, born in April 2018.

In this articlePrince WilliamPrincess Kate

Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton

Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton

Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton

Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton

Look Back at Prince William's Dating History Before Kate Middleton