Prince William and Kate Middleton, currently, enjoy a happy marriage and family life with three kids. There was a time, however, when the Duke of Cambridge hesitated to take the plunge because of what happened to his father, Prince Charles.
Royal fans discussed on Quora that Prince William did not just have second thoughts about marrying Kate. He had hundreds of doubts about pursuing this relationship into marriage because he carried a lot of baggage.
On paper, it seemed like Prince William was a good catch for any woman. However, fans on the discussion platform think there are plenty of things that hold him back from doing want he really wants in his life. His destiny as the future king, his troubled family life with a mother who died tragically, and the stigma of a broken family loomed over Prince William. He, reportedly, doubted that his relationship with Kate could withstand the pressures of who he is.
Prince William and Kate met in the early 2000s as college students. Their relationship developed into a romance that people thought they would be married right after college. However, the two have broken up more than once in their long-term relationship. In 2007, after calling it quits, Prince William and Kate decided to give their relationship one more try and to see if they will be a good fit as the Duke of Cambridge would soon be taking on more responsibilities for the monarch.
For a while, it seemed things between Prince William and Kate Middleton were moving along fine. However, it took nearly three years to actually pop the question and ask his girlfriend to marry him.
Royal expert Kate Nicholl wrote in her book "The Making of a Royal Romance" that the real reason Prince William had reluctance in getting married was due to his father, Prince Charles. Nicholl stated that, unlike Prince Charles, who had to pick a suitable bride to marry as soon as possible, Prince William didn't want to be pressured into getting married just because he was in the direct line to the throne.
Prince William also said in previous interviews at that time that his ideal age for getting married was 28 to 30 years old. He was 28 when he finally proposed to Kate Middleton. In 2011, Prince William and Kate exchanged vows in Westminster Abbey in front of billions of people watching their televised wedding.
