The incident is said to have happened right after he broke off his long-term relationship with Kate Middleton - who is sadly now receiving treatment for cancer - whom he met while both were studying at St Andrews University in Edinburgh.
To the public eye, William and Kate's bond appeared to be solidifying post-university.
William even introduced Kate's parents, Carole and Micheal Middleton, to the Queen during their graduation, and the Middletons were present at his military graduation in 2006. The press was abuzz with talk of Kate becoming his future bride and Queen consort, reports the Mirror .
Yet, despite these outward signs, William, as noted by a royal biographer, hesitated to propose, harbouring doubts about committing to his university sweetheart.
In his latest book, Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography, Robert Jobson claims that Kate had a feeling something was amiss when William unexpectedly missed a 2006 New Year's Eve party hosted by her parents.
After he didn't show up at the event, he called Catherine and ended their relationship in "an emotionally charged 30-minute conversation" where they both reportedly agreed they wanted different paths.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Jobson writes: "He celebrated their break-up with an alcohol-fuelled night at the Mahiki nightclub in Mayfair with his close pals. 'I'm free! ' he shouted as he slipped into a drunken version of the robot dance. He then told his friends that they should all 'drink the menu', which they more or less ended up doing."
Kate, according to Jobson, found out about his "juvenile antics" which seemed to signal a humiliating end to their relationship. However, she reportedly chose to keep her dignity.
"Despite being heartbroken, Catherine decided to keep her pain hidden from the public eye," he discloses. "Carole Middleton quickly whisked her devastated daughter away for a break in Dublin , providing a much-needed escape from media attention. William, on the other hand, simply drowned his sorrows at Mahiki and began shouting about being 'free'."
Upon her return, she was determined to show him how it feels. "When Catherine came back, she decided she wasn't going to sit around feeling sorry for herself; what was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander," Jobson penned.
After a lively holiday in Ibiza with a friend, where they celebrated till the early hours, Kate started turning heads with her bold fashion choices at nightspots and dos, often accompanied by her sister Pippa Middleton. She was even seen hanging out with Sir Henry Ropner, who was rumoured to be her new romantic interest at that time.
It might have been the sight of his old flame looking so "vibrant and sociable" that sparked William's realisation of his loss. After an initial bout of "wave of drunken nights" following their split, William's military commitments as an army officer meant he was stuck on base.
He quickly set about trying to win her over again, which he managed to do at a 'Freakin Naughty' costume bash they both got invites to from a pal. Kate showed up dressed as a nurse, a choice that clearly helped rekindle the flame for her former partner.
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