While news of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement was well-received, the Queen was thought to have had some reservations.
Royal author Katie Nicholl wrote in her 2011 book The Making of a Royal Romance that the Queen wanted the Duke of Cambridge to pop the question when Kate had established a career.
“Privately she [the Queen] had grave concerns and believed that Kate needed to have a job and identity in her own right before an engagement was announced.
“She [the Queen] is one of the hardest working royals, despite her age, and that a future member of the royal family was without a full-time job was unacceptable to her.”
A source told the royal author: “Swanning from one five-star holiday resort to another is not the prerequisite for a young woman possibly destined to be Queen.”