The Prince said recently he has to run decisions "by the missus" and now it seems that joke is more telling than realised. Away from public duties, William has always been known for his gregarious nature and sense of humour. But now members of his circle are expressing concern that he is turning down invitations to highlights of the social calendar. One friend even called William a "party pooper", while Kate has almost completely disappeared from the social scene.
In the two years leading up to their engagement, Kate and William went to dozens of weddings together.
But she attended none in the two years after they married, and has appeared at only two since. William, in contrast, has been to at least five weddings on his own.
Kate's absence from William's side was noticed at one event in particular: when he was usher at the wedding of one of his oldest friends, Tom van Straubenzee, in June 2013.
On the day, she was seen out shopping. She was expecting Prince George at the time but had diligently attended a royal engagement nine days before and went to another a month later.
William knocked part of his tooth out at the reception and when he returned home bleary eyed to his wife, he was given short shrift. Many say this was the moment she began to rein him in.
He had also been unaccompanied at the funeral of his childhood nanny Olga Powell in October 2012.
Then, earlier this year, eyebrows were raised when Kate didn't go to the christening of Zara Phillips' baby, Mia -- even though she had just named Zara godmother to Prince George.
There are mitigating circumstances, of course: the Cambridges have a newborn baby girl and a toddler son and William's job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance service takes much of his time.
But Kate's gradual withdrawal has been evident for some time and her absences from shoots, weddings and hunt balls no longer causes surprise.
William's "naughtiest" friends - Tom Inskip, who went on the infamous Las Vegas trip with Prince Harry, and his nightclub owning pal Guy Pelly - have both privately admitted it is "ages" since they saw him "properly".
One close friend of the family said last week: "Kate has basically told him that because of his hours with his new job, any other time has to be spent with her and the kids.
"His friends understand, of course, but they are really missing him. And they suspect he is missing them too.
"William used to be allowed to go to things on his own and he'd always excuse Kate's absence, but she's asked him to avoid going to any social functions for the time being - with or without her."
Now William's social invitations for the winter season are beginning to flood in, and some have already been refused. A friend said: "He used to be allowed to go to things on his own but now it's rather embarrassing. He's turning down invitations without any real excuse.
"Everyone knows it's because Kate won't let him out of her sight."
Having relocated to their Norfolk home Anmer Hall, William has now given up playing weekly football in Battersea Park and the accompanying post-game pub sessions that he loved.
Never one to miss a joke, Prince Harry has been teasing his big brother, mainly via Skype, about being "boring" and "prematurely middle-aged".
The young royals made it clear on Friday that they believe their children should not live a secluded existence behind palace walls.
But for William, it seems the rules are different ...
- Mail on Sunday
