Princess Kate ‘frustrated' on birthday after Prince William's big decision

As Princess Kate’s 42nd approaches, a look at the Princess’s past birthday’s brings to light one particular birthday that left her “crushed.”

William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, met back in 2001 at St Andrew's University and the rest is history. Back in 2008, when Kate’s birthday was around the corner, Prince William was faced with a difficult decision.

After completing his assignments with each section of the U.K’s army, the Prince had two options, either quit the forces and begin his royal duties, or return to the Household Cavalry. Around the same time, a young Kate Middleton was looking forward to a proposal from the prince.

However, the Palace then announced that Prince William would join the RAF, leaving Kate shocked. The position required the prince to train for a total of almost four years.

Royal author Katie Nicholl described Kate’s ordeal in her biography, Kate: The Future Queen.

"With that single decision, Kate's life was turned upside down,” she wrote, claiming Kate was "privately crushed" and "frustrated" with the decision.

"She had expected a proposal once William had completed his military training, but instead, she was forced to accept that there would be no engagement any time soon. Kate would have to wait even longer," she continued.

"For Kate, it was a step backwards. It seemed that everyone was getting married except for her. As she neared her 27th birthday, Kate's plan to be married with children by the time she was thirty was looking increasingly unlikely."

However, as fans will know, the now Duke and Duchess of Cambridge worked everything out and tied the knot in 2011.