Prince William’s fears surrounding Kate Middleton proposal ‘surprised’ Queen

Prince William and Kate Middleton had been dating for quite a long time before they decided to tie the knot.

And despite the years they spent together, their decision to get married came as a surprise to Queen Elizabeth II as the Duke of Cambridge was quite apprehensive about the news leaking out to the media.

In her book Kate: The Future Queen, Katie Nicholl describes how William had qualms about the news of their engagement sparking a frenzy in the media, which is why he had to drop the bomb on the monarch.

As per Nicholl, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were having breakfast when she received a call from her grandson about his engagement .She was "thrilled to receive William's call, albeit a little surprised at the suddenness of the announcement.”

"The Queen had no idea that there would be an announcement that morning. It was rather hurried, because William was apparently worried about it leaking out."

"William enjoyed outfoxing the media, and this was one announcement he wanted to make himself. The last thing he wanted was a newspaper getting the scoop, as had happened with his father's engagement to Camilla,” wrote Nicholl.

William had also called his father Prince Charles and Camilla as well as Prince Harry about the news. In response, Harry was said to have "turned the air blue with a string of expletives", adding that it “took them long enough.”