A FURIOUS Prince William had to step in and protect Kate Middleton after the Duchess of Cambridge was “harassed” on the day of her birthday, a documentary reveals.

In 2007, rumours began spreading that Prince William might finally propose to his university sweetheart, Kate Middleton, on her 25th birthday on January 9. Portrait tea towels of the royal couple were already being printed and, as Kate walked to her car to set off for her work morning, around 30 paparazzi gathered outside her Chelsea flat. Photographers and journalists were desperate to get pictures or statements from Prince William’s girlfriend because they all thought that was going to be the announcement day.

Some lenses were reportedly thrust less than a foot from her face and her car was blocked.

According to 2011 documentary “Chasing the Royals”, the frightening scenes angered Prince William.

The narrator said: “An angry Prince William issued a statement to the press, to stop harassing his girlfriend.

“Both he and Kate eventually moved to a remote corner of Wales.”

Around 30 paparazzi gathered outside her Chelsea flat (Image: AMAZON)

Some lenses were reportedly thrust less than a foot from her face (Image: AMAZON)

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

A spokesman for the Prince said at the time: “Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend.

“He wants, more than anything, for it to stop.

“Miss Middleton should, like any other private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion.

“The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned.”

Prince William had to step in and protect Kate Middleton after the Duchess of Cambridge was harassed (Image: GETTY)

The frightening scenes angered Prince William (Image: GETTY)

Kate Middleton and Prince William (Image: GETTY)

Although the photographer’s presence was unprecedented, Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole, were also reportedly incredibly worried that her daughter was regularly being followed by up to half a dozen paparazzi on a daily basis.

In 2009, The Daily Telegraph reported that Queen Elizabeth II finally “authorised a crackdown on the paparazzi” amid intrusions into the private lives of the royal family.

The monarch and Prince Charles instructed Gerrard Tyrrell, a senior lawyer specialising in privacy and media law, to mastermind the privacy strategy.

Mr Tyrrell is known to have briefed senior royal aides on a series of options in the event of photographers continuing to take photographs of the royal family in “private” situations.

It was not the first time the royal family had intervened on Kate’s behalf, either.

After she was photographed on a bus in 2005, an angry Prince William sent a letter to newspaper editors to protect her.

Despite the rumours prior to Kate’s 25th birthday, William decided against proposing to his long-term girlfriend.

Appearing on 2011 documentary “Kate Middleton: Biography”, royal expert Katie Nicholl claimed the Duke of Cambridge was “feeling the pressure” and was keen to slow things down.

She said: “What I was hearing from my sources in the inner circle was that actually the relationship was coming unstuck.

“Prince William was feeling the pressure from the press and from everyone around him to settle down.

“He was totally wrapped up in his military career, he wanted to do other things apart from being with Kate all the time.”

On April 11, 2007, Prince William phoned his girlfriend and told her it was time to “take a break”, according to Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer.

He said: “She [Kate] was devastated, she was really upset about it.”

However, on June 9 that year the couple “secretly got back together” when Kate attended a party at his barracks to celebrate the end of training.

William and Kate on their wedding day (Image: GETTY)

Kate and William with George, Charlotte and Louis (Image: GETTY)

Prince William and Kate Middleton with Prince Louis (Image: GETTY)

According biographer Katie Nicholl Kate and William secretly agreed to marry right after their second major break-up, three years before the official engagement announcement.

The royal couple married in 2011 at Westminster Abbey as millions of TV viewers around the world tuned in to watch the spectacle.

They are now the parents of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.