Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson: A Look Back at Their Romance

USMagazine, Friday, July 27, 2012, 7:40am (PDT)

Even after dating for more than three years, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have been notoriously reluctant to open up about their relationship.

But back in 2010, sources told Us Weekly this stubborn approach was all Stewart -- had Pattinson gotten his way, the duo would have gone public with their romance early on.

"It's sad for him because he's ready to admit his love to the world, and she's not," one insider said at the time.

VIDEO: Kristen and Rob in happier times

Indeed, it wasn't until October 2011 that the actress, 22, finally confirmed their relationship -- by accident. Speaking to a British GQ writer, she commented that, while in the U.K. for Snow White and the Huntsman shooting, she hoped to explore the country more "because my boyfriend is English." (When the reporter called her out on her admission, Stewart's teasing reply was, "I never would have said that if I knew you were interviewing me," before adding, "Come on guys, it's so obvious!")

The most revealing of Stewart's admissions about Pattinson to date comes on the heels of a betrayal that may mean the end of their fairytale romance: in a Wednesday statement, she apologized for cheating on Pattinson with her Snow White director Rupert Sanders -- a married man 19 years her senior.

PHOTOS: Rob and Kristen's relationship

"I'm deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I've caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected," the actress said. "This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I'm so sorry."

Despite their overall emphasis on privacy, both Pattinson, 26, and Stewart have given fans the occasional glimpse into their dynamic during interviews over the years. Below, Us Weekly rounds up a few of the most telling:

-In 2008, Stewart boasted to Vanity Fair she had "basically cast" Pattinson in Twilight. "We did one day of auditions and a bunch of guys came in. Catherine Hardwicke, the director, afterwards was like, 'What do you think? This is such a hard choice.' I was like, 'Are you kidding me? It's such an obvious choice!' It couldn't have been better. It was sort of perfect."

PHOTOS: Kristen's sexy evolution

-For his part, Pattison says he was a fan of Stewart's long before they ever met. "[Kristen is] cool. Even before I knew her I thought she was a really good actress. Like, I saw Into the Wild, and I thought she was really good in that. I still think there are very few girls in her class that are as good as she is," he told the March 2011 issue of Vanity Fair.

-Much like his Twilight saga character Edward Cullen, the generally easygoing Pattinson has said he'd have no qualms about going after someone who talked badly about his loved ones. "I'm protective of anyone close to me. If people say anything about my family or friends, I feel protective and that's the one time I feel like I really have to do something about it," Pattinson explained at a Breaking Dawn: Part 1 press conference in July 2011.

PHOTOS: Twilight stars' love lives

-Though she was pretty intent on not talking specifics, Stewart did dish on her relationship philosophy more generally during her November 2011 interview with Glamour. "Good relationship advice for me tends to be being honest and knowing yourself," she shared. "Don't be an a--hole. That's my advice. Don't be mean. Don't take sh-t. Don't settle."

-During her May interview with ELLE, Stewart got caught up in the moment while browsing through a bookstore with the article's author. After coming across a copy of Bel Ami, she exclaimed, "Oh my God, my f---ing boyfriend just did this movie!"

-When asked about his girlfriend's image in a June Vanity Fair interview, Pattinson shot down claims Stewart is shy or awkward. "If's funny knowing her," he told the mag. "It's the absolute opposite of what people think. She's insanely confident."

PHOTOS: Rob and Kristen strip for their final Twilight scene

-Last week, a Blackbook magazine interviewer asked Pattinson about reports the two were planning to tie the knot -- reports the actor's own mother believed. "There was a magazine, with these pictures, saying I was getting married. No one ever knows what is true or what isn't," the Cosmopolis star explained. "Even my own mum called to ask me if it was true."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson: A Look Back at Their Romance