Kate Middleton ‘bonded’ with mum who also waited 9 years for husband to propose – just like Prince William
WHEN Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot in 2011, the couple had known each other for 10 years - so it's safe to say the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge didn't rush into marriage.
Earlier this week, Kate visited the Evelina London Children's hospital where she "bonded" with a mum over how long it took her husband to propose.
During their discussion, mum Sarah Ibendahl told the Duchess it had taken her husband Ralph almost nine years to propose - which he eventually did in Kenya in October 2010.
Recalling her chat with Kate, Sarah - whose three-year-old son Benjamin is being treated on the ward for an auto-immune condition - said: "We bonded over the fact it took our husbands like nine years before they asked us to marry them.
"When I mentioned it, she laughed politely and gave me a knowing smile."
Kate and William first met when they were students at St Andrews University in 2001.
Six years into their relationship, the pair briefly split up - but fortunately, this only lasted a matter of months and Kate later admitted the time apart made her a "stronger person".
In 2010, Prince William popped the question and the pair's fairy tale wedding took place a year later.
The Duchess happily chatted to the mum during a visit to the hospital where the National Portrait Gallery runs workshops for young patients.
Sarah's son Bejamin lost use of his legs after a slight cold developed into an auto-immune disease.
She said: "He's having ongoing treatments, it takes them a while to stop the pain, stop the disease progressing and for them to remember how to walk.
"Almost everyone makes a full recovery, it just takes time."
Following her whistle stop tour of the UK last week, Kate - who is a patron of the National Portrait Gallery - visited the hospital to learn how the creative arts can support children's health and wellbeing.
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