Prince William Didn't Ask Kate Middleton's Father for Permission to Marry Her

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been happily married for over a decade, but before they tied the knot on April 29, 2011, the heir to the British throne never received future father-in-law Michael Middleton’s stamp of approval. According to the couple’s engagement interview with ITV News in 2010, the Prince of Wales eschewed the longstanding tradition of asking the father of his future spouse’s permission to marry his daughter.

The reason? William was nervous about the possibility of Kate’s father rejecting his proposal. To avoid dealing with the hypothetical situation and the anxiety it brought about, he decided to skip the traditional altogether. “I was torn between asking Kate’s dad first, and then the realization that he might actually say ‘no’ dawned upon me,” he admitted to British journalist Tom Bradby during his ITV News interview. “So, I thought if I ask Kate first, then he can’t really say ‘no.’”

While William refrained from having a conversation with Michael before getting down on one knee, he made sure to notify his future father-in-law of the news shortly after the duo got engaged—and before the rest of the public received word. “I managed to speak to Mike soon after it happened really, and then it sort of happened from there,” he explained to the reporter. 

Even though William was worried about asking Michael for his permission to marry Kate, the Prince of Wales noted to Bradby that he has a wonderful relationship with his wife’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and Kate’s siblings. “Kate’s got a very, very close family,” William shared. “I get on really well with them, and I’m very lucky that they’ve been so supportive. Mike and Carole have been really loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me, so I’ve felt really a part of the family.”

Kate’s dad wasn’t the only Middleton family member to hear about the couple’s plans to wed before the public. According to James Middleton’s new book, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, his sister revealed the exciting news to her brother, James, and her sister, Pippa Middleton, a day before the worldwide announcement. That day, the trio took a stroll to their local pub, per the book. While they were sitting in the corner of the room, Kate dropped the bomb. “Pippa and I want to be visibly excited, but we have to tamp down our emotions so no one suspects a thing,” James wrote in his novel, reflecting on their reactions. “We make a quiet acknowledgement that we’ll always be there for each other, look out for one another, support each other. No matter how crazy things get.”