Prince William has privately vowed that divorce "will never be an option" in his marriage to Kate Middleton, according to a source cited by Radar Online, a stance shaped in part by his experience watching the highly publicized breakup of King Charles and Princess Diana. The commitment reflects a broader effort by the future king to avoid repeating the emotional turbulence and institutional fallout that marked his childhood.
During a conversation with actor Eugene Levy on The Reluctant Traveler, Prince William recalled the impact of witnessing his parents' separation in the 1990s. "I know that the drama and the stress when you're small really affects you when you're older," he said.
At the time, public scrutiny surrounding the marriage was heightened by reports of King Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles and Princess Diana's own romantic associations. Months after the divorce was finalized in 1996, Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris, intensifying the emotional strain on Prince William, who was then 15.
A source quoted by Radar Online said the experience left a lasting impression. "William vowed from a very young age to spare his own children the trauma he went through. From his perspective, divorce will never be an option." The source added, "It hit William extremely hard and took him a long time to recover."
The concern extends beyond personal conviction to public responsibility. As heir to the British throne, Prince William has become increasingly protective of the monarchy's public image. The source said, "The chaos that ensued during his parents' breakup was very damaging in terms of public perception and family morale. As future king, William is fiercely determined to avoid that at all costs."
Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship began while they were both students at St. Andrews University. They briefly separated early in their courtship before reconciling. Before their wedding, William said the couple had already spent time living together, noting in a previous interview, "When I was trying to impress Kate, I was trying to cook these amazing fancy dinners, and all that would happen was, I would burn something, something would overspill, something would catch on fire, and she'd be sitting in the background just trying to help and [then] taking control of the whole situation."
The couple married in 2011 and have three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis - whose upbringing William is said to guard closely in light of his own.
