The Truth About The First Time Prince William Saw Kate Middleton
Many people around the world are familiar with the exciting details of Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship, but how many know the story of the first time they ever saw one another?
These two both attended St. Andrews University in Scotland, and sometime after they'd met at school, William apparently paid £200 for a front row seat to a student fashion show, in which Middleton was a model (via The Guardian). In 2002, he was said to be moving in with three friends, including "a pretty 20-year-old brunette" (via Hello! Magazine). A couple of years later, the two were photographed together for the first time, and in 2010, he proposed to her with Princess Diana's engagement ring.
They tied the knot on April 29, 2011, they welcomed Prince George into the world in 2013, they had Princess Charlotte in 2015, and Prince Louis was born in 2018 (via Elle). But their very first meeting might surprise the biggest royal fan.
Prince William and Kate Middleton actually first saw one another when he was nine years old
While the relationship between Prince William and Kate Middleton started up in college, they actually met many years before.
In her book "Kate: The Future Queen," author Katie Nicholl shares details surrounding when these two first laid eyes on one another. They were just kids, and their schools' hockey teams were playing against each other, as reported by geo.tv.
"Although she wasn't especially interested in boys, the arrival of one particular young man had caught her attention," Nicholl wrote. "Nearby Ludgrove Prep school would often play matches against St. Andrew's Prep, and there was much excitement when Prince William, a left back on Ludgrove's Colts team, came to St. Andrew's to play a hockey match when he was nine years old. William, like Kate, loved sports and was one of the best hockey and rugby players in his year. Of course, the arrival of the prince generated a flurry of excitement."
In the beginning, Prince William and Kate Middleton were nervous around each other
There are probably those who are not so familiar with the first time Kate Middleton and Prince William spoke to one another, either.
While at St. Andrews University, both studied art history, as reported by Express, and they also lived in the same residence hall and had some of the same classes, as reported by Marie Claire.
Middleton once shared her account about first seeing her future husband while in college. "It did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other. But we did become very close friends from quite early on," she said. "I actually went bright red when I met [him] and scuttled off, feeling very shy about meeting [him]."
William was apparently a little nervous, too, as royal memoirist Tom Quinn has talked about the Duke of Cambridge approaching Middleton. "One of the funny stories is he was so desperate to meet her that, as he walked towards her, he apparently tripped and said, 'Oh that's a terrible start, you're going to think I'm a complete clot'" (via Mirror Online). As time went on, William then apparently tried to woo her with his cooking skills. "In our university days, he used to cook all sorts of meals," the Duchess of Cambridge once stated, as reported by Marie Claire. "I think that's when he was trying to impress me."
Before Will and Kate had their happily ever after, they hit some bumps in the road
While Prince William and Kate Middleton's life can look like a real-life fairytale, it has its ups and downs, just like every other relationship.
The two met as adults in 2001, and they were dating some time before it was confirmed by the media and the public. In 2004, though, they broke up, followed by another split in 2007. That one involved William calling Middleton at work and breaking up with her over the phone, and during both splits, he was spotted with other women.
Since then, both of these royals have spoken out on the topic. "At the time, I wasn't very happy about it, but it actually made me a stronger person," Middleton said, as reported by The Telegraph. "You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn't realized. I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger, and I really valued that time for me, as well, although I didn't think it at the time."
When talking with ITV News, Prince William said, "It was very much trying to find our own way, and we were growing up, so it was just a bit of space, and it worked out for the better."
Plus, a source said that, Middleton "was in touch with William the whole time," as if they knew they would find their way back to one another (via Vanity Fair).