This year marks 100 years of Mills and Boon, the famous romance book publishers.

Now a subsidiary of Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., the company has grown to become the UK’s undisputed market leader in romance fiction publishing, with a wide following and readership.

Mills and Boon describes its founding back in 1908 :

Since two dashing young entrepreneurs — Gerald Mills and Charles Boon — launched the company in 1908 with just a modest £1,000 [$2000], millions of women across the globe have been entranced by their books, reaching into their handbags or to their bookshelves to spend a few hours transported into a fantasy world of intrigue, danger, passion and romance.

Such is the strength of the brand that in 1982, a Mills and Boon book was added to a time capsule in the grounds of Castle Howard, Yorkshire, to mark the 60th anniversary of the BBC. The capsule contained ‘vital clues of life in 1982 of generations to come’. Also, in 1997 the Oxford English Dictionary added ‘Mills & Boon’ to its esteemed canon — meaning, ‘romantic story book’.

Mills & Boon’s army of dedicated readers know that once they pick a brightly coloured paperback, they will be taken on an easy, thrilling read - with a guaranteed happy ending. Alan Boon, one of the masterminds behind the stylised romances, once declared that the books “could take the place of Valium” - because they are so well known for their restorative quality.

If you want to know how the company grew into such an epic success story, read it on the M&B website.

There are a lot of reports around that Prince William’s girlfriend Kate Middleton is having second thoughts over their relationship.

The reason is said to be that Kate fears if she becomes a member of the Royal Family in future, she would not be able to live up to the expectations of some of the more snobbish courtiers.

“She and Wills love each other dearly but Kate has just woken up to what the next few years could have in store. She is suddenly realizing the enormity of what could lie ahead if she walks down the aisle with William. It’s one thing having an on-off relationship with Wills, it’s quite another thing becoming Queen,” says one of Kate’s inner circle.

“They are keeping a discreet distance from each other. By no means are they walking round hand in hand,” continued the source.

Another unnamed friend is quoted as saying, “Kate is concerned that those before her who have married into the Royal Family have come from an aristocratic background and are from old money. She has seen how the Royal Family washed their hands with Diana — and the Princess had a privileged background and came from the right breeding.

“Kate is just from a very normal middle-class family who have done exceptionally well for themselves. They don’t live on a huge estate or have titles before their names.”

Kate’s had five years now to come to terms with what must have occurred to her on their first date, so it seems strange that these thoughts are only just surfacing.

Do all great romances include a period of doubt and second thoughts?

Throughout the ages, men have known that the way to a woman’s heart is little gentle flattery. Compliments, they knew, were the lubricants of successful encounters with the opposite sex.

Now, the latest research shows, women need to be complimented five times a day — minimum.

According to a survey carried out by Loire Valley White Wines, nine out of ten women say they love to be complimented. However, only 16 percent thought they received their five a day. Two-thirds thought they were being complimented less than they were five years ago, and believed gentle flattery was becoming a lost art.

Modern feminism seems to have a lot to answer for, because 21st-century men assume a compliment will cause offence. On the other side of the track, most women are highly likely to suspect the motives of anyone offering an admiring comment.

Relationship expert Christine Webber says, “In my experience, women do care a great deal about what people think about them. A compliment massively boosts self-esteem. And while it may seem frivolous, it is in fact a vital ingredient for well-being.”

She adds that many men are terrified of an innocent remark being wrongly interpreted. “I think political correctness and fear of saying the wrong thing is the main cause of men failing to compliment women who are not their partners.”

As many as 81 percent wanted to be complimented on their hair or clothing, while 79 percent longed to hear they are stylish, and 73 percent that they looked slimmer.

Webber added, “We have busy lives and people tend to assume a lot and forget to say things. And yet compliments can act like oil in an engine — they help everything to run smoother. Couples who give frequent compliments to one another tend to treat each other with courtesy and respect and that helps keep their relationships alive.”

Despite the reported split between the toothsome Kate Middleton and longstanding love, Prince William, it seems Kate spent the night before the Concert for Diana with William at Clarence House in London.

Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Concert for Diana

She is said to have arrived at around midnight, leaving her car at a hotel carpark. It was later collected by an aide and driven to Clarence House.

Intriguingly, at the concert, she sat two rows behind William, out of shot of cameras focused on him. This ensured she wasn’t generally included in the TV pictures unless they focused primarily on her — which they did. In the one shot where she appears with the Prince (above) she seems to be glaring at the picture-taker.

Meanwhile, Chelsy Davy — longstanding love of Prince Harry — was in the front row next to her man, conspicuously kissing and cuddling.

It was distinctly a tale of two Princes and their different reactions to the media.

A number of sources are now saying that the Wills / Kate romance is definitely on again, but that the couple want to play it down to avoid press attention.

This is confirmed by a quote from a “senior Royal source” who said: “They are of course close friends and have remained so since April. But they both want space and do not want to conduct their friendship with the added attention and pressure of more speculation. They particularly did not want their friendship to be the focus of media attention. Yesterday was about Diana and celebrating her life and work.”

The public loves a cloak and dagger romance — Prince Charles famously hid in the boot of his car when visiting Camilla at Raymill House. It’s doubtful these two lovebirds will succeed in fooling the press and paparazzi of their intentions, especially when the public has an insatiable appetite for Royal romance tittle-tattle and gossip.

It also helps if it’s true, of course.