The Shady Way Prince William's Ex Reportedly Outed His Kate Middleton Romance

Party games are all good fun until someone takes things too far. Back in the day, William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales were keeping their relationship a secret and hadn't let people in their friend group know they were dating. Reportedly, while playing a drinking game, a former flame of William's set him up to have to reveal the secret.

Carly Massy-Birch was William's reported first love, and reports regarding how she got along with Kate vary depending on who is asked. At the very least, according to "Catherine, the Princess of Wales" by Robert Jobson, people could tell that Kate and William liked each other. "Among the student community, it was an open secret that they were a couple," Jobson said (via People). However, it wasn't until the couple and Massy-Birch were at the same dinner party that the future king confirmed his and Kate's relationship. It happened while they were playing a round of "Never Have I Ever" and sharing secrets.

"Perhaps unwittingly," Jobson continued, "Carly exposed William's secret love affair with Catherine, much to the prince's chagrin."

An attendee who was there for the fateful dinner party and drinking game (also called "I've Never") was interviewed by Katie Nicholl for her book "The Making of a Royal Romance." They gave their perspective on the events of William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales' relationship being outed thanks to Carly Massy-Birch's question. It happened in 2002, and the source said, "When it was [Massy-Birch's] turn to play she announced, 'I've never dated two people in this room,' knowing full well that William was the only one who had because Kate was sitting next to him."

Neither William nor Kate were too happy about what Massy-Birch did, and reported William responded, "I can't believe you just said that." The source continued, "We knew they were together but it was the first time William confirmed his and Kate's relationship in public."

Two years after then, something similar happened — but instead of just bringing attention to William and Kate's relationship in their friend group, it made their relationship a public spectacle.

In 2004, William, Prince of Wales along with his brother Prince Harry and their father King Charles III (then Prince Charles) took a ski trip in Switzerland — one of the luxury vacation spots fit for a royal. The royals posed for an official photo-op since the media agreed to give William privacy if they did so. However, one photographer snapped a photo of William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who joined William on the ski trip. That photographer previously took many photos of William's mother, the late Princess Diana. Although he did not work for "The Sun," the outlet published his picture of William and Kate.

The royal family was not too happy due to the previous agreement, and they did not confirm whether or not William and Kate were in a romantic relationship. However, a friend said to People that they had been dating for a while and added, "She is his girlfriend." Their relationship was no longer secret.

"The Sun" tried to justify their publishing of the picture. After the fact, they said, "One of William's girlfriends could become Queen one day. Her subjects will be entitled to know all about her" (via E! News). The publication of that photo was the beginning of Kate's somewhat fraught relationship with the British media.