Kate Middleton Wasn't Impressed By Prince William's Status When They Started Dating

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It's easy to fantasize about a prince sweeping you off your feet and welcoming you into his royal family. After all, this exact scenario is the premise of not one, but several date night-approved Hallmark romcoms. However, it seems as though when Kate Middleton began dating Prince William during their college days, she wasn't particularly impressed by his status as the future king of England. Maybe it was because their cringey first date proved that even royals struggle with romance, or maybe it was because she already lived a lavish life long before she married William and became a royal herself, but regardless, she apparently didn't let being linked to a prince go to her head.

"According to one of her friends at [the University of] St. Andrews, Kate remained level-headed and kept both feet on the ground during the early months of their courtship," Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl wrote in her 2010 book "William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls," adding, "She never got above her station, and even though she had secured the most sought-after boy at St. Andrews, she never gloated."

Nicholl's book hints that this partially stemmed from Kate's own shyness at the time. But even so, although things would obviously change, Kate was reportedly rather unmoved when she first learned she'd likely be sharing space with William. "She certainly wasn't going to St. Andrews with the intention to snare him or anything like that," one of Kate's friends told OK! magazine (via Marie Claire UK).

Of course, having a college romance with a prince is one thing, but actually becoming a princess is another beast entirely. And although Kate Middleton managed to stay cool, calm, and collected during the early days of her romance with Prince William, she later confessed that marrying into the royal family was more than a little intimidating. "It's quite a daunting prospect but hopefully I'll take it in my stride, and William's a great teacher so hopefully he'll be able to help me along the way," Kate said while taking questions from the press after she and William announced their engagement in late 2010. This particular soundbite eventually resurfaced on TikTok in 2024.

Now that Kate has settled into her royal role, however, it seems as though she's more or less managed to stay true to her roots and keep herself grounded. At least, Kate's close friends seem to feel that way, with one citing the fact that she isn't generally one to fall into the stereotype of spoiling or being overly permissive with her royal children. "It's a normal, busy family home with kids running around and knocking things over. There's no airs and graces," the friend told People in 2020, adding that Kate is a "very confident mom, and she's no pushover. The children get told off if they act up. ... It's the life of a working mom with three young children — just a different sort of day job to most."