Why We're Worried About Prince William & Kate Middleton's Marriage

For as long as they've been married, William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have had to deal with intense public criticism and rumors about their relationship. Things have only gotten more intense over the years, and the pair have been made to weather several storms — including William's painful rift with his brother, Prince Harry, and Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis. Rumors of their supposedly impending divorce have proliferated, alongside wild, seemingly unfounded accusations of infidelity on William's part.

William made things a bit worse when he seemingly snubbed Kate on her birthday in January 2026 by not posting a sweet celebratory message, as he has in the past. This came shortly after Kate herself fanned the flames of divorce rumors when she made a public appearance sans engagement ring earlier that month — despite the fact that she still wore her wedding band, it sparked quite a bit of speculation. The pair quietly hiring a crisis management expert additionally seemed to be cause for concern.

However, Prince William has seemingly been trying to ensure his marriage doesn't end up like the relationship between his mother, Princess Diana, and his father, King Charles III. Their marriage came to an end amid a slew of infidelity speculation and tabloid scrutiny, and eventually ended in tragedy with Princess Diana's untimely death. When speaking about how he raises his family in comparison, William explained on an episode of "The Reluctant Traveler" from October 2025, "You have to have that warmth, that feeling of safety, security, love" (via Page Six). He also said, " ... you try and make sure you don't do the same mistakes as your parent."

Divorce speculation swirling around William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, is nothing new, and the pair don't seem like they are going to let it get to them — at least not publicly. However, an unnamed source told Radar Online in January 2026 that the constant rumors have started to irritate the couple. According to the source, "Kate and William are going through some challenges, though" — including Kate's health concerns and the pressures of raising three children together. However, the source stressed that, " ... it's nothing like what's being whispered about," referring to breakup chatter.

That being said, the couple's reported decision to hire communications specialist and PR expert Liza Ravenscroft had people wondering if Kate and William were trying to keep their marriage troubles under wraps. Although, there have also been a slew of recent dramas unrelated to Kate and William's marriage that have battered the royal couple. This includes the aforementioned tension between William and his brother, Prince Harry.

According to the unnamed insider for Radar Online, Prince William "is simply covering all bases" by hiring Ravenscroft, to keep from getting caught in a situation that he's unprepared to address publicly. Hiring the crisis manager reportedly isn't directly in response to mounting divorce rumors, with the source telling the outlet that, " ... William and Kate simply want to ensure they have the best advice available, should any further drama erupt."