Prince William's fear after Kate Middleton proposal sparked move that 'surprised' Queen

William and Kate kept the quality of their engagement a concealed for a fewer weeks earlier deciding to stock it with the satellite - astatine which point, William picked up the telephone to his grandmother

Prince William amazed the precocious Queen with an important telephone telephone pursuing his connection to Kate.

William popped the question to his semipermanent emotion aft astir 10 years together. He got down connected 1 genu during a backstage vacation to Kenya. But the mates knew that arsenic soon arsenic they shared the quality they would go the centre of a media frenzy - truthful they decided to support it concealed for a small while. In her publication Kate: The Future Queen, royal adept Katie Nicholl revealed the aboriginal royal adjacent enactment her caller engagement ring - which had antecedently belonged to Princess Diana - successful a harmless to support it distant from nationalist view.

Then, aft a fewer weeks of enjoying their breathtaking quality privately, they decided it was time to archer the world connected November 16, 2010. But William had a precise important occupation to bash first, due to the fact that arsenic a elder subordinate of the royal family, helium legally had to inquire for the Queen's consent first. According to Nicholl, the Queen was having meal with Prince Philip erstwhile she got the telephone from her grandson. She was "thrilled to person William's call, albeit a small amazed astatine the suddenness of the announcement".

A root told the author: "The Queen had nary thought that determination would beryllium an announcement that morning. It was alternatively hurried, due to the fact that William was seemingly disquieted astir it leaking out. William enjoyed outfoxing the media, and this was 1 announcement helium wanted to marque himself. The past happening helium wanted was a paper getting the scoop, arsenic had happened with his father's engagement to Camilla."

William made the telephone from his level astatine Clarence House, with an excited Kate sitting astatine his side. The mates besides called Prince Charles and Camilla, earlier picking up the telephone to talk to Harry, who was successful Hampshire astatine the time. Kate, meanwhile, told her ain 2 siblings, James and Pippa, successful person. In his 2024 book, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, serialised successful the Daily Mail, James recalled the infinitesimal Kate shared the large news.

The entrepreneur told however he, Kate and Pippa went retired to a "local pub" successful a colony adjacent their home, wherever they spoke successful hushed tones. He said: "Catherine, Pippa and I spell retired for a locomotion with Ella and Tilly to our section pub successful a colony adjacent to Bucklebury. We beryllium successful a corner, chattering quietly.

"Catherine whispers the quality and says it volition go nationalist successful the adjacent time oregon so. Pippa and I privation to beryllium visibly excited, but we person to tamp down our emotions truthful nary 1 suspects a thing." He continued: "We marque a quiescent acknowledgement that we'll always beryllium determination for each other, look retired for 1 another, enactment each other. No substance however brainsick things get."

James sweetly added that, by that time, William had surely earned his approval, and helium knew the royal was the close antheral for his older sister. "It was beauteous to spot however he brought retired her confidence. She'd blossomed. I knew he'd look aft her, and helium does to this day."