Prince William Had a "Passionate Romance" With Arabella Musgrave Before Meeting Kate Middleton, According to a Royal Biographer
Before he met his future wife, Kate Middleton, Prince William dated Arabella Musgrave. The two had a passionate romance the summer before he started at the University of St. Andrews, according to royal biographer Katie Nicholl.
The fairytale romance that is Prince William and Kate Middleton's love story has not been without its share of bumps—even though (thankfully) those bumps all seemed to happen early in the relationship, way before they tied the knot in 2011.
Yeahhhh. Take a seat and pour some tea because this bit of Prince Will backstory is intense.
The revelation comes courtesy of royal biographer and expert Katie Nicholl, who wrote about the love affair in her 2010 book, William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls. According to Nicholl, just prior to meeting his future wife at the University St. Andrews, Will was all kinds of in love with a woman named Arabella Musgrave.
According to Nicholl (via quoted excerpts in The Sun), Arabella was part of the "Glosse Posse," the name given to Will and his younger brother Harry's inner circle. As a member of the Glosse Posse, Arabella was invited to parties that Will used to throw in the basement of Prince Charles' manor, Highgrove (teenage royals, really are just like us—throwing parties in their parents' basements and giving their friend groups ridiculous nicknames).
Will and Arabella (whose dad managed the Cirencester Park Polo Club) had known each other since they were kids, but, like the jock in a '90s teen movie, Will hadn't really noticed her like that until she "blossomed." Per Nicholl:
Mmkay. So then what?
Apparently, things were so serious that Will had talked to Charles about the relationship and gotten his dad's blessing. When he started at university that fall, Will missed Arabella terribly and even considered dropping out of school to go be with her. He even did that very college-kid-in-a-long-distance-relationship thing and drove home on Friday nights to see her.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
This is where Kate comes in. After the couple met during Will's freshman year, she "encouraged him to give St Andrews a second chance," according to The Sun.
Don't feel bad for Arabella though, because she is doing amazingly well herself post-Will. She married George Galliers-Pratt in 2014 (in a lavish wedding that was featured in Vogue, no less) and she has an amazing gig as Gucci's head of PR.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Prince Harry Reveals How Meghan Markle Is Different From Other Royal Women in Viral TikTok
The Duke of Sussex is always ready to defend his wife.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Do Princess Kate and Prince William Take George, Charlotte, and Louis Trick-or-Treating?
Here's how the royals celebrate Halloween.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Is Kaia Gerber Hiding a Halloween Costume Under Her Chic Black Blazer?
The model attended Billie Eilish's Halloween party in a seriously sleek outfit.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Do Princess Kate and Prince William Take George, Charlotte, and Louis Trick-or-Treating?
Here's how the royals celebrate Halloween.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Shares Rare Comments About Princess Diana and Prince Harry in New Documentary
"She took Harry and I both there... And I was a bit anxious as to what to expect."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Prince William Is Unlikely to Leave the U.K. While King Charles Is in Australia
"That might not be wise at this particular juncture."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium Takes Inspiration from Princess Kate in 23rd Birthday Snaps
The royal, who is heir to the Belgian throne, recently enrolled at Harvard.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate and Prince William's Uncut Podcast Interview "Would Have Blown the Public Away"
Mike Tindall teases the juicy details that were cut from his chat with the royals.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Lady Kitty Spencer Reveals How Her Cousin Prince William "Inspires" Her
"His efforts have made a significant impact."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate Is Preparing for a Halloween Break With Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
The Princess of Wales is spending some quality time with her kids this spooky season.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Originally Bonded Over Their "Naughty" Sense of Humor
"They've certainly cleaned up their act for the children's sake, but they can still make each other double over laughing."
By Kristin Contino Published