02 March 2024 , 16:03
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The world watched from the outside as Kate and William settled into their romance, from their early days at the University of St. Andrews to their brief split and eventual marriage. However much scrutiny the couple were placed under in the formative years of their relationship, there was still so much that the public could not see, with the vast majority of their lives going on behind closed doors.
However, one former royal butler was behind those closed doors with them and saw it all firsthand. The butler worked for King Charles - then the Prince of Wales - for seven years, and saw the evolution of their romance take place, and has provided some sweet insights into what that time was really like, away from the bright spotlight.
Grant Harrold worked at Highgrove between 2004 and 2011, years where he gained unique insight into the early days of Kate and William's romance, and what the royals were like in private. Surprisingly, he says that the pair were pretty normal, despite their huge public profile, and that the young couple was just "like any boyfriend and girlfriend".
He explained that when it came down to it, Kate and William were not really "any different to anyone else, it's mad saying that when you think about who they are, but there wasn’t anything different.
"What I liked was that Kate, being a girlfriend and obviously not a member of the family, would be with me and the other staff and she was so polite, friendly, and fun and making jokes.
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"I remember there were days I had off where I'd be running an errand or I'd left something up at Highgrove [House] and they were around, so you'd just catch up with them."
The former butler added, "It was always fun and it was always nice that I got on so well with them because they’d then ask me to travel the country with them.
"When my phone used to go off and it was William, all my friends would be like that's so cool, but to me it was normal. That was the relationship I had with them. I think it was really special and not unusual, actually, because in a private home you're expected to get on with the family. As for the younger members of the family, you're not employed by them, but you end up having a relationship with them as well."
Harrold noted that as well as seeing Camilla settle into life as a royal, and getting to witness the early days of "when William first met Kate and they were dating" he was upset when the couple took a short break in 2007.
"Then they stopped dating for a little while which was horrifying to me because I adored both of them, luckily they got back together," he said.
Kensington Palace has been contacted for comment.
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