William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, have been married since 2011. On one hand, William and Kate have displayed many PDA moments that demonstrate their strong bond as a couple. However, like any other married pair, they’ve also had their moments of friction. In public, sharp eyed observers have witnessed uncomfortable interactions between William and Kate. According to royal author Tom Quinn, there’s even more drama involving William’s behavior behind the scenes.

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In his book, “Yes, Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants,” Quinn spoke to royal staffers who claimed seemingly trivial incidents could elicit William’s ire, making his purported reactions seem even more childish. One ex-employee praised Kate for dealing with these tense situations. They appreciated Kate’s ability to tap into her pre-royal life and provide with William with a different perspective from a trusted source. “I don’t know where William would be without Kate … she calms him down when he gets a bit fractious,” the former staffer informed Quinn (via The Times). “She said he sometimes has to be treated as her fourth child.”

Kate’s reported parenting strategy when dealing with big emotions is crucial for de-escalating these awkward moments (whether it’s one of her actual kids or possibly her spouse). As former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond related to OK! (via Express), Kate’s behavior includes “never shouting, always listening to their complaints and tantrums, and allowing them to freely express their feelings and anger.”

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Royal author Tom Quinn and his interview subjects sometimes conjectured that William, Prince of Wales’ reportedly immature behavior was the product of people tending to so many facets of his daily life. Even so, Quinn also took an empathetic view, and he believed that the tragedies William experienced contributed to his actions. “William tended to have tantrums if things didn’t go his way because he was still this emotionally needy child who grew up into an emotionally needy adult,” Quinn theorized to Fox News.

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Fortunately, Quinn asserts that this relationship red flag is no longer as much of an issue. Quinn believes that William’s learned from Catherine, Princess of Wales’ example. In addition, parenting their children together has likely changed William’s outlook. After over a decade of marriage, the prince is less likely to let his emotions overwhelm him. Unfortunately, his past actions remain a persistent rumor that William can’t escape.

However, William and Kate have weathered some much more significant issues, like Kate’s 2024 cancer diagnosis. While William may have reacted disproportionately to the small stuff (especially perhaps in the past), he’s demonstrated that he can show up for Kate and their three kids in what he later confessed was a “brutal” year. Based on Kate and William’s public interactions in 2025, royal experts believe the couple has emerged with an even stronger bond. “There is a sense of protectiveness and partnership,” Amanda Foreman, a royal historian explained to People.

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