In the summer after she turned 21, Kate Middleton's parents planned an elaborate '20s-themed birthday party for her (well, what do you expect when her mom is the party-planning queen herself?).
The invites were sent out, the future duchess' then-boyfriend Prince William was all set to attend and meet the parents, and everything was going according to plan—until one of Middleton's friends, Virginia "Ginny," planned her own 21st birthday for the exact same day.
Now, I don't know the backstory, and it's possible that there was just no other day that Ginny could make it work on—but even then, it feels like she should at least have warned Middleton about it? It sounds like she didn't, because the now-royal was reportedly really hurt over it, with some of her friends having to choose between the two women.
Friends of the Cambridges spoke to royal expert Katie Nicholl about it all for her book, Kate, Our Future Queen. "It caused a real divide and a bit of social rift. Kate was very upset," they said (via the Mirror). Middleton apparently "cut Ginny off a bit after that."
But all's well that ends well, and the party went smoothly after all. Importantly, Prince William made a great impression, too.
"Lots of [the guests] knew each other, and William knew quite a few people there, which made it very relaxed," one guest said.
"We all gave him his privacy, and he kept himself to himself.
"It was a sit-down dinner and dance and William looked very dapper; he seemed to be having a lot of fun—we all were." Phew!
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