Kate Middleton’s heartbreaking dilemma before agreeing to marry Prince William revealed

For Princess Kate agreeing to marry her husband Prince William was not just a question of following her heart – she had a complicated dilemma to wrestle with before accepting his mother’s iconic sapphire ring.

The couple met while studying at St. Andrew’s University, and their friendship quickly blossomed into a fairytale-esque romance that would captivate the country. Although it was expected that William would marry a fellow aristocrat, it was middle-class Kate who caught his eye. After realising Kate, now 42, was the woman for him, Prince William proposed in 2010, almost eight years after their courtship began. For ordinary girl Kate, this would mean accepting a royal role that would change her life forever – and it wasn’t a decision she took lightly. In his ‘revelatory’ new biography Catherine, Princess of Wales, royal correspondent Robert Jobson sheds some light on what exactly was going through Kate’s mind as she realised she was following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

In a passage which has now been published in the Mail Online, Robson wrote: “When Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton in 2010, in the wilds of Kenya, he gave her his mother’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Astonishingly, it fit her perfectly, without any adjustments at all.” It seems the ring fit the princess perfectly and she was thrilled, telling crowds she met on the tour it was “very special”.

However, Jobson says Kate did have fears about stepping into such a big role and the inevitable comparisons to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. He wrote: “The similarities and differences between the two women were dissected ad infinitum, and even discussed in the royal household. Kate found all such talk stressful. Indeed, it got to the point where she felt she might follow Camilla (who opted to become Duchess of Cornwall) in refusing — when the time came — to be known as HRH Princess of Wales.”

Kate, says Jobson, did eventually agree “out of respect for her husband and the King”. The author goes on to highlight the differences between the two Princesses of Wales, saying Kate is “better educated, far more stable and less concerned about making a splash as a glamorous icon”. The fascinating biography, which you can buy from August 1, tells ‘the full story of how Catherine, the Princess of Wales, became the widely admired woman she is today, offering a closer look at the ‘modern-day fairytale’ that has gripped the nation.

According to the biography description: “Her self-deprecation, willingness to laugh at herself, solid work ethic – along with her husband, William, warmth, and accessibility – this Royal Family ‘s dynamic duo have become the most popular members of the Royal Family. But it’s not come without its fair share of commentary and scandal, particularly with recent revelations on the relationship of the ‘Fab Four’ with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as well as her own health scares.”