Interest in Kate 'will not go away'

The public’s interest in Kate Middleton will not disappear even though she is no longer Prince William’s girlfriend, PR Guru Max Clifford has warned.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday urged people to let William and Kate get on with their lives, claiming most of the coverage about their shock break up would be “nonsense”.

But Mr Clifford said it was unlikely the public would quickly lose interest.

He said: “Everybody will be trying to find out why it happened. Her friends will be approached by everybody asking how does she feel, what’s gone on, what do you know?

“And it will be the same for her and everybody she’s seen with. The next boyfriend will get a massive amount of attention.”

He predicted Prince William would now find himself “in an impossible position” as women – some genuine, some not – line up to be his next girlfriend.

Speculation about the break-up prompted Mr Blair to call for the pair to be left alone.

Theories about the split include Kate’s background, William’s Army career, the Royal Family and the pressure of intense media attention.

But Mr Blair, speaking on the BBC’s The Politics Show yesterday, declared that most of what was written, based on his own experience of royal stories, would be “complete nonsense”.

He said: “I think, in respect of Prince William, they are a young couple. We have had the announcement. Fine.

“They should be left alone now without reams of stuff being written that I can assure you, from my experience of royal stories, most of which will be complete nonsense.”

It is understood lawyers acting for Kate’s family have already asked for the press to leave her and other family members alone and said they will not be making any comment.

She spent the weekend at her parents' home and was spotted leaving there briefly yesterday, while William was pictured apparently drowning his sorrows.

The revelation the couple were no longer an item stunned royal watchers because it had been widely thought they were preparing to announce their engagement.

Woolworths had even begun designing a full range of wedding memorabilia in order to satisfy those wanting a souvenir of the big day, but luckily had not moved into the production stage.

A source has said they split “amicably” but, ironically, the same word was used when John Major announced the separation of Prince Charles and the Princess of Wales in 1992.

It has been reported that Prince William felt too young to settle down and held a summit with senior Royals to discuss the situation before having a crunch talk with Kate last weekend.

Other suggestions are that Kate had complained about William’s recent rowdy behaviour and pictures of him with other women, and was feeling neglected because of his dedication to the Army.

Inevitably some have also cited the incredible pressure on Kate because of the intense media scrutiny she has experienced in recent months.

Kate is expected to hold her tongue about the relationship, but royalty expert Ingrid Seward – editor of Majesty magazine – believes she will not continue to hide away and is now in a very good position to launch a fashion career.

She said: “I think she would rather get on with her life and be around her friends. She does not seem like the running type… it would only be delaying the inevitable.

“I am sure she will get herself together, she doesn’t really have much choice. I think now will be the moment for her just to think really about what she wants to do. She is in a really powerful position.”

Kate was first photographed alongside William on the slopes of posh Swiss ski resort Klosters in March 2004, but it was really when she moved to London that she moved into the public eye.

On her 25th birthday earlier this year she faced a media scrum as she left for work and her lawyers revealed she was being followed on a daily basis.

Her treatment has led to comparisons with that of William’s mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales, who was being chased by paparazzi when she died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Kate later made her first complaint of harassment to the Press Complaints Commission about an image used by the Daily Mirror, settling the matter after the paper apologised.