Prince William and Kate Middleton have had quite a rollercoaster of a year, what with Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" bringing yet more skeletons under their wings. A recent report has pointed out similarities between its struggles and those faced by King Charles III during his marriage to Princess Diana, indicating a recurring pattern in the history of the royal family.

Some media outlet reports about the strain in the union of the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the suggestion that they've been severely tested by the pressures on their roles within a scaled-down monarchy. It is said to have reached a point where they didn't speak for about two weeks, with palace aides stepping in and organizing separate engagements so that at least they could get some space and cool off. So it seems that's helped defuse the situation.

The couple, known for their popular joint appearances together, are now more often seen doing separate engagements. An insider told Woman's Day magazine that constant work together took its toll, especially on Prince William, who was allegedly becoming very resentful of the limelight being taken off him by Kate during their joint public appearances.

Reports had suggested Prince Charles was unkind to Kate in public earlier this year, with him making derogatory comments about her or ignoring her during public engagements. These included incidents that depicted a strain in their relationship and fueled the hopes that solo engagements might give some relief to Prince William.

However, it is suggested that Prince William may be forced to accept the fact that Kate may, indeed, be more popular than he is within the royal family, no matter what his feelings are.