<p id=”par-1_41″>After almost ten years as a couple, Prince William decided it was time to propose marriage to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/kate-middleton/”>Kate Middleton</a>. However, he likely didn’t expect the perfect five-word reaction her father, Michael Middleton, would give to the press after the news broke.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-michael-middleton-revealed-how-he-felt-about-prince-william-in-just-5-words”>Michael Middleton revealed how he felt about Prince William in just 5 words</h2>
<p id=”par-2_43″>Kate Middleton’s dad Michael was very familiar with Prince William when he <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-sneaky-way-prince-william-proposed-to-kate-without-upsetting-the-queen.html/”>proposed marriage</a> to his eldest daughter in 2010. He had gotten to know him well over the past decade and appeared delighted at the prospect of welcoming William to his family.</p>
<p id=”par-3_26″>Per <a href=”https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1976829/princess-kates-dad-gives-five-word?utm_source=daily_express_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lunch_royal_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=97f9eb10-b203-4b41-b82a-b42e4c98a45a” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Express</a>, Michael Middleton and his wife Carole spoke to the press in front of their Berkshire home. He shared an official statement with the press.</p>
<p id=”par-4_36″>Michael said, “We all think he’s wonderful.” He added, “I would just like to say that Carole and I are absolutely delighted by today’s announcement and thrilled at the prospect of a wedding sometime next year.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-did-prince-william-ask-michael-middleton-for-kate-s-hand-in-marriage”>Did Prince William ask Michael Middleton for Kate’s hand in marriage?</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/prince-william-michael-middleton.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Prince William and Michael Middleton photographed in 2024″ class=”wp-image-3743245″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Prince William and Michael Middleton photographed in 2024 | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-5_37″>During a sit-down with ITV to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/nervous-kate-middleton-wanted-engagement-interview-move-along-1-subject-came.html/”>discuss their engagement</a>, Prince William and Kate Middleton answered questions about their relationship. It was then that William revealed he did not ask Michael Middleton for permission to marry his daughter.</p>
<p id=”par-6_23″>William revealed that he had a reason for not asking Michael first. And it had a lot to do with his potential reaction.</p>
<p id=”par-7_41″>“I was torn between asking Kate’s dad first, and then the realization that he might actually say ‘no’ dawned upon me,” he told<em> </em>Tom Bradby during his <em>ITV News</em> interview. “So, I thought if I ask Kate first, then he can’t really say ‘no.’”</p>
<p id=”par-8_20″>That doesn’t mean that William didn’t share the news with Michael himself. After asking Kate, William contacted her parents. </p>
<p id=”par-9_20″>“I managed to speak to Mike soon after it happened really. Then it sort of happened from there,” he revealed.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-where-did-kate-middleton-and-prince-william-get-engaged”>Where did Kate Middleton and Prince William get engaged?</h2>
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<iframe title=”In full: William and Kate’s 2010 engagement interview | ITV News” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/2hPi38x90ks?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-10_36″>Kate Middleton and Prince William got engaged on Oct. 20, 2010, during a trip to Kenya. The couple stayed at the Rutundu Log Cabins on the slopes of Mount Kenya, surrounded by stunning natural scenery. </p>
<p id=”par-11_68″>It was during this trip that William popped the question with a special heirloom: Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring. “It’s my mother’s engagement ring, so I thought it was quite nice because, obviously, she’s not going to be around to share in any of the fun and excitement of all this,” William said. “This is my way of keeping her sort of close to it all.”</p>
<p id=”par-12_37″>William reportedly planned every detail of the proposal to make it perfect for Kate. He later shared in an interview that carrying his late mother’s ring around Kenya was nerve-wracking, as he was terrified of losing it.</p>
<p id=”par-13_47″>The engagement was publicly announced on Nov. 16, 2010, during a press conference at St. James’s Palace. During the announcement, the couple spoke about their happiness and shared how they kept the news secret from even close friends and family until they were ready to go public.</p>
<p id=”par-14_25″>Their engagement marked the beginning of an exciting chapter for the royal family. It led up to their <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/william-and-kate-wedding-fun-facts-may-not-know.html/?swcfpc=1″>Westminster Abbey wedding</a> on Apr. 29, 2011.</p>