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Robyn Morris

William and Catherine have ’terrific rows’ - 'it's not a perfect marriage'

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrive in Whitehorse during the Royal Tour of Canada on September 27, 2016 in Whitehorse, Canada. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are visiting Canada as part of an eight day visit to the country taking in areas such as Bella Bella, Whitehorse and Kelowna.

Prince William and Princess Catherine's rows are 'terrific' but they 'don't escalate' and are always 'kept under control,' a royal author has said.


Prince William and Princess Catherine are much-loved by the public for being a relatable couple, often thrilling royal fans with their competitiveness or little touches of affection.

But a royal author has claimed that their marriage, like the rest of us, does consist of arguments behind closed doors. However, William in particular uses advice taken from his late grandmother the Queen to keep things from escalating.

Tom Quinn, author of Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, revealed, "Someone who worked for Kensington Palace told me they do have rows. It's not a perfect marriage. They have terrific rows."

He added that William and Kate even 'throw things at each other', but they always make sure it's something soft.

(Image credit: Getty)

Tom said, "Where some couples have a row and throw heavy vases at each other, William and Kate throw cushions at each other. It's always kept under control."

The royal author attributes the couple's measured and controlled approach to the late Queen's legacy of 'Never complain, never explain.'

Tom explained, "Because William adopts the manners and ways of behaving of his grandmother and Kate is very good at not complaining, both of them have stuck to the thing that made Queen Elizabeth II such a remarkable monarch. They very rarely complain and when they do it's always in measured terms."

Tom recently revealed how the Wales' often "row" and that their marriage is "not all sweetness."

He said, "They have terrible rows where they throw things at each other. Kate might seem to be a very calm person, and William also. But it’s not always true. Because the big stress for William and Kate is that they’re constantly surrounded by [palace aides]. It’s like a Jane Austen novel."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In his book, Quinn also documents royal family nicknames with a passage from a former member of palace staff revealing that Kate calls William "babe," when all is good between the pair, but when he fusses over her "endless mane of hair," she turns to jokingly calling him "baldy."

William, according to Quinn's reports, often calls his wife "Babykins," "Duchess of Doolittle," or the shortened version of "Duchess of Doolittle," "DoD." It has long been alleged that "Duchess of Doolittle" is a "gentle dig" made at Kate, referencing the criticism she reportedly faced from Queen Elizabeth II for not having a full-time career before marrying Prince William in 2011. 

Something that is likely to have caused a row between the pair is the fact that Kate is thought to be upset that William "didn't stick up for her" after Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, came out.

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