How Kate Middleton’s 3-word response silenced royal doubts

Before she became the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton showed early signs she was more than prepared for royal life — and one moment during her 2007 breakup with Prince William said it all.

Kate and William first met at the University of St. Andrews, and their romance quickly captivated the public during the height of “Willsmania.”

While they started out as friends, the couple made things official — until a brief 2007 split sparked headlines, with many speculating that William wasn’t ready to commit.

But according to Daily Mail royal expert Richard Eden, it was during that breakup that Kate revealed her steely royal composure. Appearing on the Palace Confidential podcast, Eden recalled a chance meeting with Kate and the late socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

Eden claimed Tara gently brought up the split, asking how Kate was coping. Initially, Kate replied, "It's fine." When Tara pushed further — "It must be so hard" — Kate shut it down with three cool, composed words: "Really, it's fine."

“She made clear with her body language that she didn't wish to discuss the subject, and the conversation moved swiftly on to happier and less fraught matters,” Eden wrote.

“At that time, Catherine was seen as a party-loving girlfriend of William, but my first encounter with her taught me that she was a tough cookie who wasn't going to be inveigled into saying something she didn't want to say.”

He added, “Indeed, she reminded me of members of the Royal Family, much older than herself, who have the uncanny ability to make small-talk with anyone without giving anything anyway.”

Kate later reflected in their 2010 engagement interview: "I think if you can come out of that stronger and learn things about yourself."