Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton's Relationship

Katie Nicholl's "The Making of a Royal Romance" chronicles couple's courtship.

ByABC News via logo
March 4, 2011, 2:05 PM

March 7, 2011— -- Prince William and Kate Middleton's romance may seem like a fairy tale, but their story has "the same ups and downs as every love affair," writes Katie Nicholl in her new book Using her eight years of experience as royal insider, Nicholl gives readers all the details on Prince William and Kate Middleton's "modern royal romance" in her new book "The Making of a Royal Romance: William, Kate and Harry: A Look Behind the Palace Walls."

Nicholl's career as a royal writer began when Prince Harry invited her to join a private party and she was struck by how "normal" he was. Since then, she's gotten to know both princes and describes William as "determined to do things his way," pushing royal boundaries like his late mother Princess Diana was known to do.

In her latest project, a revised and expanded version of her book "William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls," Nicholl redirects her attention to chronicling Prince William and Kate Middleton's eight-year relationship, starting from the moment William saw Kate in that famed see-through dress and leading up to their upcoming wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29.

Read the Preface from the book below, then check out some other books in the "GMA" library.

Preface

"Modernisation is quite a strong word to use with the monarchy because it's something that's been around for many hundreds of years. But I think it's important that people feel the monarchy can keep up with them and is relevant to their lives. We are all human and inevitably mistakes are made. But in the end there is a great sense of loyalty and dedication among the family and it rubs off on me. Ever since I was very small, it's something that's been very much impressed on me, in a good way."------Prince William on his twenty-first birthday

It was an unexpected encounter with Prince Harry at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London in April 2003 that lit the touch paper for my career as a royal writer. At the time I was working as the show business correspondent for the Mail on Sunday and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Prince Harry was enjoying a private party in the VIP room and invited me to join him. He should have been revising for his A-levels, instead the prince was drinking vodka Red Bulls and enjoying the company of a group of pretty young girls. Gregarious, vivacious and most of all normal, I was struck by how warm and charming the handsome young prince was. When I met his brother at a polo match shortly afterwards I was equallyimpressed. These are two young men born into extraordinary lives, with no choice but to live under the scrutiny of the public eye. Having overcome the greatest tragedy – the loss of their beloved mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at such a tender age – they are now forging their own lives and careers.