Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Sleeping in Separate Beds Now

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge have been visiting communities across the U.K. to personally thank healthcare and other essential key workers and volunteers for all their efforts during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But another story regarding their tour has been making headlines and has royal fans asking: Why are they sleeping in separate beds?

The reason Prince William and Kate aren’t sharing a bed now

For this particular tour, the Royal Train is the method of transportation William and Kate are using. It’s the same train that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex took to a joint engagement with the queen shortly after she and Prince Harry tied the knot in 2018.

This marks William’s wife’s first time aboard the train. It’s not known how many times the Duke of Cambridge has been on it.

What is known is that the couple has not been sharing a bed during their trip. According to People, the pair are sleeping in different beds because their suite on the train has “his and hers” single beds.

Their sleeping arrangements at home

The prince and duchess live in Apartment 1A inside Kensington Palace. They moved to the London residence from Angelsey, Wales, where William was serving with the RAF, and reportedly missed the bed in the cottage they rented. So they decided to purchase the exact model to put in their new space.

The Daily Mail noted: “The bed in question is called Natural Choice 4500 and boasts of ‘sumptuous cashmere, silk, cotton and wool fillings.” One of the descendants of the company’s founder said, “It’s an unusual order because the bed is bespoke and had to be enshrined in a four-poster setting.”

While Will and Kate share a bed when they are at home, not all royals do. Sally Bedell Smith’s biography of Queen Elizabeth II revealed that it’s tradition to sleep separately among the British upper class. Smith stated it’s just a practical arrangement.

The queen’s cousin, Lady Pamela Hicks, elaborated on the reasoning behind it: “In England, the upper class always have had separate bedrooms. You don’t want to be bothered with snoring or someone flinging a leg around. “Then when you are feeling cozy you share your room sometimes. It is lovely to be able to choose.”

Royals who do not sleep in the same bed

So which royals don’t sleep in the same bed?

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall have different sleeping quarters. After they got married, they had three bedrooms at their Clarence House residence refurbished.

“His Royal Highness has a room with a double bed, decorated to his own taste, then Camilla has her own room with a double bed, decorated just the way she likes it,” a friend of the royal couple told the Daily Mail. “In addition, they have a shared bedroom with a double bed that they can use whenever they like.”

The arrangement of sleeping separately is also one that has worked out for Prince William’s grandparents. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip always slept in separate beds and have been married for more than 70 years, which is the longest marriage of any British monarch in history.