Former royal butler Grant Harrold has revealed the lengths Prince William went to in order to win back Kate Middleton after their 2007 breakup.
Harrold described the move by the future king as a major “reset,” which marked a more profound commitment for the couple.
Grant Harrold believed Kate Middleton was always “the one,” praising her grounding influence on Prince William and likening her elegance and public warmth to Princess Diana’s enduring legacy.
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Prince William’s Romantic Gesture Toward Kate Was A ‘Reset Button’ After Their Breakup, Butler Reveals
After their highly publicized breakup in 2007, William reportedly sought to prove to Kate Middleton that their relationship was meant to last.
Grant Harrold, King Charles III’s former butler, recalls that by Valentine’s Day 2008, the future king wanted to prove his commitment. For the first time, William asked him to prepare a private dinner for him and Kate.
For years, he had suggested preparing a formal dinner, but William and Kate always laughed it off, insisting they didn’t want any unnecessary fuss. That changed in early 2008 when William approached him and said, “OK, let’s do a dinner, if you’re happy to.”
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At the time, William and Kate had been back together for nearly six months following their headline-making split, and according to Harrold, they were “closer than ever.”
He described the dinner as a “reset button,” marking a shift from their carefree boyfriend-girlfriend phase to something more intentional.
“When they got back together, it was fresh, it was like a double boost,” he recalled, per Fox News Digital. “They both were making more of an effort.”
Harrold added, “I felt that [William] was saying, ‘Look, I’m serious. This is going to up a level.’ That’s what I felt.”
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Grant Harrold Recalls Sadness In The Household After Prince William And Kate Middleton’s Breakup
Harrold admitted he was “really gutted” when the couple briefly went their separate ways.
He shared that he had known Kate “from the early days as much as I knew William and got on with both of them.”
The former royal butler stated how he had “selfishly” hoped the pair would always stay together and one day become Prince and Princess of Wales, because I was there in the early days.”
“I wanted them to be the perfect royal couple,” he shared. “So, when they split up, I think the first I knew of it was, well, she disappeared. We didn’t see her. And then I started hearing the news reports.”
The butler said the royal household felt the sadness of their breakup.
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“I didn’t say anything to William because … the whole thing was just awkward,” he admitted. “But she had disappeared, and I hated it. And a few of the household members, we spoke about it. We all thought it was quite sad.”
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Grant Harrold Says Kate Middleton Endured ‘Awful’ Press Scrutiny
In his memoir, Harrold added that the relentless press scrutiny Kate endured at the time was “awful.”
Few within the royal circle were aware that the couple had quietly reunited before the news became public. That’s why the Valentine’s dinner felt especially meaningful.
“I felt truly honored and delighted that William had taken me up on my offer,” he wrote. “Even though it was a typically chilly February evening, we planned for it to be outside the main house, at the top of the Thyme Walk, the stunning avenue of clipped golden yew and herb bushes bound on two sides by a pleached hornbeam hedge that leads down to the lily pond at the bottom.”
Harrold contrasted the romantic evening with a party held just months earlier. At that event, hosted in Highgrove’s Orchard Room, he noticed Kate standing alone.
“It was a time when she and William had just gotten back together, but at the party, no one was taking any notice of her. Not everybody was aware they were back together, so some people didn’t know whether to speak to her or not,” he recalled.
Reflecting on her transformation, Harrold noted, “When you think of the stunning, elegant princess she blossomed into, it was possibly the last time she could have been at an event and remained anonymous.”
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The Former Royal Butler Was Certain Kate Middleton Was Always ‘The One’ For Prince William
For Harrold, it was clear long before their breakup that Kate was destined to be William’s partner.
“I [knew it] before the breakup,” he recalled. “They were so sweet together. I remember thinking I couldn’t see William with anyone else. I couldn’t see them with anyone else. It wouldn’t feel right, it was with anyone else.”
Harrold observed that Kate’s steady presence gave William the grounding he needed. He said he saw “qualities” that suggested she would excel at royal obligations.
The former royal butler noted that Kate was a “very focused” person who was good at keeping William “right.”
“When he used to go off and do stuff, she would give him the once-over and give him encouragement. I’m thinking that’s amazing because that’s exactly what I imagine you want your future wife to be like,” Harrold shared.
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Kate Middleton’s Personality Reminded The Former Royal Butler Of Princess Diana
According to Grant Harrold, Kate’s demeanor reminded him and others in the royal household of the late Princess Diana.
“Now, they always say that you marry your mother, don’t they?” he said, per Fox News. “That’s what they say. They always say you marry the mother from the man’s point of view.”
Harrold continued, “I didn’t know Diana, but what I’ve been told and what I’d seen of her … you’d see that shyness, that softly spoken voice, and a very elegant, gentle way of doing things.”
The former noted stated that just like Princess Diana, the public had also taken a significant liking to Kate, adding that “Thankfully, history is very different this time around.”
