Breakup and reconciliation

On 14 April 2007, The Sun newspaper broke a "world exclusive" suggesting that Prince William and Catherine had split up.[46] Other media outlets, such as the BBC, confirmed the story as the day progressed. The couple decided to break up during a holiday in the Swiss resort of Zermatt.[47][48] Clarence House made only one comment about the relationship's end, according to The Times, stating, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life".[49] Newspapers speculated about the reasons for the split, although these reports relied on anonymous sources.
The original report in The Sun quoted a "close friend of the couple" as saying that Catherine felt William had not been paying her enough attention. The paper highlighted reports that William had been spending time with other young women and said the Prince, aged 24 at the time of the split, felt he was too young to marry.[50] A report in the Daily Mail blamed a desire by royal courtiers not to "hurry along" a marriage announcement, and William's desire to enjoy his bachelor status within his Army career. The Mail also suggested that a friend of William encouraged the Prince to take a "careless approach" to relationships. The same article suggested that Catherine had "expected too much" in wanting William to demonstrate his commitment to her.[51]
In June 2007, Catherine and William insisted they were "just good friends" following reports of a reconciliation.[52] Catherine and her family attended the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium, where she and William sat two rows apart.[53] The couple were subsequently seen together in public on a number of occasions and several news sources, including the BBC and the Daily Mail, stated that they had "rekindled their relationship".[54] Catherine also joined William and Charles on a deerstalking expedition at Balmoral[55] and attended the wedding of William's cousin, Peter Phillips, even though William, due to a prior commitment, did not. In April 2008, Catherine accompanied William when he was awarded his RAF wings at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[56] On 16 June 2008, Catherine attended William's investiture into the Order of the Garter, along with the Royal Family.