A Look Back At Kate's Sad 2023 Valentine's Comment Amid Prince William Divorce Rumors

As divorce rumors plague William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, previous insights into their relationship that at first seemed benign are now being called into question. Scrolling all the way back to 2023, what once looked like Kate Middleton keeping her expectations in check for Valentine's Day now suggest trouble in paradise. It's possible that the royal duo have been in marital trouble for longer than realized, as was evidenced during Kate's visit to a flower shop in Leeds. According to People at the time, florist Neil Ashcroft did his best to charm a sale out of the Princess of Wales, to no avail. "No doubt William will be buying you some red roses," he said to Kate, to which she responded, "I don't think he will."

While this admission might speak to the distance and duties required of the royal couple, causing them to be busy for major holidays, what came next for Prince William and Kate could be considered troubling. In early 2024, Kate's health crisis came into focus in a rather chaotic way. Taking a step back from royal duties to focus on her health and recover from a cancer diagnosis sent many into a frenzy over how the royal family was handling the news that Kate was ill. Though Kate has since returned to the public and admitted her cancer is in remission, there is a glaring trend of Prince William dropping the ball when it comes to sentimental exchanges.

According to People, after William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, got married in 2011, they spent their first Valentine's Day apart. Though he came through with flowers on that occasion, Prince William has continued neglecting Kate on major holidays. In January of 2026, Prince William didn't find time to make a birthday post for Kate, ramping up divorce rumors.

This coincided with viral video footage of their children, Prince George of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales, apparently being dropped off at their dad's house for what looked like a long weekend. Many assumed this meant that Kate and William have been living separately, and his silence on her birthday isn't helping the theory.

Of course, there are other concerning divorce rumblings. Not only did Prince William hire the same divorce lawyers that represented his mother, Princess Diana, in 2025, but both he and Kate have made a rather strange move together. In early 2026, it was revealed that William and Kate hired a crisis PR firm, leading many to suggest a divorce is imminent. While the jury is still out on what, exactly, is going on with the two, William's inability to show up for Kate on her birthday — coupled with her admission that she doesn't expect much on Valentine's Day — is rather telling. However, perhaps they're simply not into roses and they have something private planned.