Kate and William are considered by many royal watchers to have a fairytale marriage. They started dating at St Andrews University in 2003, and aside from a temporary split in 2007, the couple appear to be in an idyllic relationship. However, despite dating for the best part of the decade they did not get engaged until 2010.

The big day was highly anticipated — and the invite list for the second-in-line’s wedding did not go unnoticed.

A month before the 2011 wedding, The Telegraph reported: “While Prince William’s first university girlfriend, Carly Massy-Birch, is still waiting for her invitation to his royal wedding, Kate Middleton’s former beau, Willem Marx, has had more success.

“Mandrake [Telegraph insider] hears that Marx is the only male chum from Kate’s schooldays to have been invited to the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.”

His invitation became a topic of contention. When asked about it, he reportedly replied: “Who told you I had been invited?”

When the publication refused to reveal its sources, he responded: “I’m shocked that you try to make such high brow assertions about protecting sources.”

He added: “[It is] a false assertion that you are obliged to protect these sources.”

While he was reluctant to confirm his attendance, one of Kate’s close friends explained: “Willem means a lot to Kate.”

Mr Marx attended Marlborough College along with the Duchess of Cambridge — it was to be a brief relationship but they remained on good terms afterwards.

Back in 2008, Mandrake first revealed Mr Marx’s identity as Kate’s ex-boyfriend when they were spotted leaving a London nightclub together.

The Oxford graduate has gone on to be a journalist for the business channel CNBC and still lives in London.

Mr Marx was not the only man the future Duchess of Cambridge dated before settling down with William.

Kate also dated Henry Ropner when she briefly broke up with William back in 2007 — he was reportedly a mutual friend.

She was in a brief relationship with Rupert Finch, a law student, too, although it is believed that their romance lasted less than a year.

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William also played the field before asking Kate to be his wife in 2010.

A 2005 Sunday Express report revealed that at a friend’s wedding, William walked both Kate and his ex-girlfriend Jecca Craig up the aisle.

He was an usher to his best friend, Hugh van Cutsem, who was marrying Rose Astor, and therefore had to escort both women to their seats.

It has been speculated that the Duchess of Cambridge may have felt some jealousy over Ms Craig ever since she sat at William’s right hand side during his 21st birthday in June 2003.

Yet, the report explained: “If there was any tension between the two women they did not show it.”

One guest even told the paper: “Kate looked as pleased as punch as she arrived at the church.

“She was smiling enigmatically as though she had a secret.

“She looked really happy.”

Apparently, William’s feelings for Ms Craig may have influenced his decision to break up with Kate back in 2007.

However once they got back together, they made a secret promise to one another to eventually settle down.

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