The Secret to Prince William and Kate Middleton's Strong Marriage Is Surprisingly Simple, Says Close Friend Dame Mary Berry

Even the happiest of married couples will tell you successful marriages require both partners to put in the work. A perfect example of a happily married duo who does just that? Prince William and Kate Middleton. According to close friend Dame Mary Berry, a former judge on The Great British Baking Show and a patron of Child Bereavement UK alongside William, the secret to the royal couple's strong, healthy marriage is surprisingly simple—which means it's something you could do in your own relationship.

According to Hello!, Berry discussed Will and Kate's successful marriage with the Daily Mail, and she attributed much of the couple's marital happiness and success to how thoughtful the Prince of Wales is towards his wife. More specifically, Berry noted that Will is very "encouraging" of Kate—both physically and emotionally. "There's always a little arm around the back, encouraging her," she noted. "Early on when she started doing public life, he would chip in and say something really nice and encouraging, you know?"

Mutual respect is also something that helps the couple's relationship thrive, and Berry noted that Will shows lots of admiration toward his wife. "He's obviously immensely proud of her," she said. "They give us—well, they give their life to all of us." Berry also noted that Will is "such a wonderful man," who "sets an example" for the rest of the country.

Something else that likely keeps their relationship strong? Learning from their parents—both in terms of successes and mistakes. According to Marie Claire, Will opened up to Eugene Levy on his new Apple TV+ series, The Reluctant Traveler, about avoiding the marriage pitfalls his own parents, King Charles and the late Princess Diana, had to deal with. "You take that and you learn from it and you try and make sure you don’t do the same mistakes as your parents," Will said. "I think we all try and do that and I just want to do what’s best for my children, but I know that the drama and the stress when you’re small really affects you when you're older."

He said he also makes a concerted effort to maintain boundaries for his family, particularly when it comes to the media. "If you let that creep in, the damage it can do to your family life is something that I vowed would never happen to my family," he added. "And so, I take a very strong line about where I think that line is and those who overstep it, I’ll fight against."