Kate Middleton and Prince William have been married for a decade now, and they seemingly could not be any happier with their lives with their three young children. However, things have not always been smooth sailing for them as a couple.

Kate and William met back in 2001 when they were both students at the University of St. Andrew’s, and they quickly began dating from there. The Express reported that in 2007, the couple broke up in a situation that was widely reported on by the press at the time.

While it was claimed at the time that William had broken up with Kate because he felt “claustrophobic” in the relationship, royal expert Judy Wade said that it might actually have been Kate who ended things because she “realized the awful burden she would have taken on” after marrying him.

“It’s a life sentence marrying a royal,” Wade added.

Royal expert Richard Palmer also said that the couple only broke up because Kate needed time to reflect as she started to garner more media attention. He claimed in 2007 that during the breakup, Kate was “still wearing the friendship ring William gave her more than two years ago.”

“They were very lovey-dovey when they went out for dinner with Hugh and Rose van Cutsem at the King’s Head at Bledington in the Cotswolds a couple of weeks ago,” he added. “I’m sure they have split up for now but William’s very good at manipulating the media. This may be about giving her a breather from the royal scene as well as giving him time to go off and do what he wants to do.”

Before the breakup, Kate’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton had started to worry that she was regularly being chased by paparazzi. She looked harassed and tense at times in photos that were snapped by these photographers.

“Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend,” the palace said at the time. “He wants more than anything for it to stop. Miss Middleton should, like any other private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion. The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned.”

Thankfully, the breakup did not last long, and Kate would go on to marry William in 2011. She has since become one of the most beloved members of the British royal family and is admired by millions of people from all over the world.