Prince William Won Kate Middleton Back With Secret Valentine’s Day Dinner, Royal Butler Says

Prince William won Kate Middleton back after their 2007 split with a secret romantic gesture that, according to royal insider Grant Harrold, signaled a renewed, long-term commitment. The couple had publicized their relationship in 2004, but by mid-2007 their partnership fractured, drawing intense media scrutiny and private heartache for both. Harrold, who served as butler in the king’s household from 2004 to 2011, recounts that by Valentine’s Day 2008 William was determined to show Kate he was serious about their future.

The couple had been back together for nearly six months at that point and were “closer than ever,” Harrold said in a Fox News Digital interview. He described a Valentine’s plan that would have once seemed out of character for them: a formal dinner, prepared by Harrold himself, at Highgrove House, the royal family’s country retreat. The evening took place on a typically chilly February night, at the top of the Thyme Walk, overlooking the lily pond and framed by clipped yew and hornbeam hedges. Harrold recalled that William and Kate had previously resisted elaborate gestures, preferring simpler evenings; the move, he said, felt like a clear signal that William intended to elevate the relationship.

William, Harrold explained, wanted to demonstrate to Kate that he was “serious” about their life together. The butler recounted that this dinner represented a shift from the earlier, more casual courtship to a partnership with a defined, long-range plan. “This was not just a romantic evening … it was a reset button,” Harrold said. “The first time around, it was boyfriend-girlfriend, ‘Let’s eat here, let’s chill here.’ Suddenly, it was, ‘I’m serious, and I’m going to show you I’m serious.’” The couple’s renewed bond would endure for years and culminate in their marriage in 2011.

The Valentine’s Day dinner occurred after a period of upheaval and public attention that masked the private decision to reconcile. Harrold noted that the couple’s attempt to carve out intimate time away from public life came after a year in which the press scrutinized Kate’s every move. He recalled thinking at the time that protecting their relationship from overexposure would be essential to its longevity. As Harrold put it, “The press scrutiny Kate faced in those early days was awful.”

The romance—and the high-profile romance’s challenges—drew attention onlookers might not have anticipated. Harrold said he had grown close to Kate from their earliest days together, and his role in supporting them during the reconciliation period gave him a front-row seat to the evolution of their dynamic. He noted that the couple’s private reunion remained largely under wraps until it resurfaced publicly later. The memoir in which Harrold recounts these events, The Royal Butler: My Remarkable Life in Royal Service, is now available, and it includes a candid portrait of the butler’s time with William and Kate.

From the outset, observers noted Kate’s poised, protective influence on William. Harrold said she had the “once-over” that helped keep William grounded, and he observed that Kate’s calm, focused approach to duty reminded him of the late Princess Diana. “You could see what she would bring to royal duties,” Harrold said, adding that she helped William navigate public life with discernment and steadiness. He also drew a parallel between Kate’s temperament and Diana’s, describing Kate as having a similar blend of shyness, elegance, and quiet resolve that the public embraced.

As their relationship progressed, William and Kate faced the inevitable glare of scrutiny that accompanies two young royals entering the public eye. Harrold said the couple’s early romance had its share of difficulties, including the stress of living under the media microscope and the pressure to project a perfect image. Yet the Valentine’s Day dinner—along with other unannounced, intimate moments—was part of a broader pattern: William’s deliberate efforts to show Kate that he valued the partnership beyond the romance.

Harrold’s reflections extended to the public’s reaction to Kate’s privacy. He recalled a moment at a party in the Orchard Room at Highgrove when Kate, newly back together with William, appeared alone and largely unrecognized. “It was a time when she and William had just gotten back together, but at the party, no one was talking to her,” he said, highlighting how moments of anonymity could be precious for someone about to assume a central role on the world stage. The anecdote underscored the contrast between the private and public lives of the couple and reinforced Harrold’s view that their eventual union would be built on mutual respect and a shared sense of purpose.

The couple’s trajectory toward marriage became visible in later years, with their public wedding in Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Harrold attended the ceremony and left Highgrove in part because his role as their staff member was evolving with the couple’s transition to the next phase of their lives. In reflecting on the years since, Harrold said he was grateful to have witnessed a relationship that not only endured but grew into a long-term partnership that the public continues to follow with affection. He described the pair as “the perfect royal couple” and noted that their bond reminded him of the enduring, partnership-centered dynamic he observed between Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip—a pairing built on companionship, support, and a shared commitment to royal duties.

Today, William and Kate remain central figures in a modern monarchy that seeks to balance tradition with transparency. They have faced new challenges and opportunities, including health moments that have resonated with the public. Harrold acknowledged Kate’s recent health battles and the overwhelming public support that has accompanied them. He suggested that public sympathy for Kate has reflected a broader recognition of the pressures she has faced since joining the royal family. In reflecting on their journey, Harrold said the love and partnership between William and Kate endure, describing their relationship as a long-term commitment, “literally till death do them part completely.”

The public timeline continues to unfold with frequent royal appearances and charity engagements. In 2025, the Prince and Princess of Wales remain active in public life, balancing official duties with private life in a way that reflects the modernization of royal service that Harrold’s memoir touches on. The couple’s story—marked by a high-profile breakup, a decisive, intimate reconciliation, and a public affirmation of their shared life—has become part of the royal narrative that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Harrold’s account, while personal, is anchored in a broader historical arc. He draws a line from the early days at St. Andrews, where William and Kate first met, through the trials of early public life, to the stability they have found as a married couple and parents. He emphasizes that their relationship’s strength lies not only in romance but in the steady collaboration that underpins royal duty. He notes that the partnership has drawn favorable comparisons with past royal generations, while also reflecting the unique pressures and opportunities faced by contemporary royals.

For readers and royal watchers, the tale of the Valentine’s Day dinner offers a window into how William and Kate navigated a difficult moment and chose a course that would define their lives for years to come. It also provides a rare glimpse into the undercurrents of royal life—the quiet, private gestures that can have outsized significance for those who bear public responsibilities. The memoir’s publication gives fans and historians alike a detailed account of a moment in a story that continues to unfold, with the couple’s ongoing work shaping the future of the crown and the monarchy they represent.