EXCLUSIVE: How Prince William's Shock New Year's Eve Plan Change 'Rocked Kate Middleton to the Core'
Prince William once was unsure of Kate Middleton.
Jan. 2 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Kate Middleton was left reeling early in her relationship with Prince William after a last-minute New Year's Eve change of plan that exposed the pressures of dating a future king and, according to a royal author, brought her close to tears.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the episode took place in 2006, when Middleton, then 24, and William, also then 24, were still navigating how to balance romance with royal duty.
Prince William Had 'Second Thoughts'
Middleton felt shaken after a sudden New Year’s Eve plan change in 2006.
At the time, tradition dictated the couple spend Christmas apart – William with the royal family at Sandringham, and Middleton with her parents at Bucklebury.
That year, they agreed to reunite for New Year's Eve with her family, a plan that appeared to signal a growing commitment for the pair.
According to royal author Katie Nicholl, the arrangement collapsed abruptly.
In her book The Making of a Royal Romance, Nicholl writes: "William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate. Both advised him not to hurry into anything."
She said William ultimately decided to remain with the royal family and delivered the news to Middleton in a phone call on Boxing Day.
Kate Middleton Rocked By Prince William's Call
Prince William informed her of the decision during a Boxing Day phone call.
The reversal proved deeply unsettling for Middleton and raised questions about where the relationship was headed. Within weeks, the strain intensified.
William and Middleton split briefly in 2007, a separation that followed months of uncertainty and intense public scrutiny.
But the breakup was short-lived, and the couple reunited a few months later, having reassessed their priorities.
A source said, "William's brutal call shook Kate to the core."
From Doubt To Devotion
Now, Prince William and Middleton are seen as the royal family’s central partnership.
They went on to build a life together, becoming engaged in 2010 and marrying in Westminster Abbey in 2011.
Now both 43, William and Middleton are parents to three children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 – and are widely seen as the royal family's central partnership.
Prince William Praises Kate Middleton As Equal Partner
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Prince William publicly acknowledged her role as an equal partner.
More recently, William has offered rare public insight into how that partnership functions. During a visit to North Wales, he met Scott Jenkinson, founder of the Youth Shedz organization, and Jenkinson's wife, Sian.
Speaking about the importance of support in overcoming adversity, William told her: "Behind every average man there is an even better wife."
The remark drew attention for its candid acknowledgment of Middleton's role. One royal expert said: "It was a genuinely warm remark that spoke volumes about the balance in their marriage, underlining how much William sees Catherine as an equal partner and relies on her guidance and judgment in all aspects of his role."
William has also spoken openly about family life, joking in an interview with Brazilian television host Luciano Huck: "I'm the taxi driver, Luciano. Taxi driver, sports days, matches, playing in the garden, where I can. School run, most days. I mean, Catherine and I share it. She probably does the bulk of it."
A source said the contrast between the uncertainty of 2006 and William's confidence today shows how a relationship once shaken by doubt evolved into one of the monarchy's most stable alliances.
