Prince William saw Kate Middleton in a different light after one moment changed the trajectory of their relationship. The pair were casual friends at St. Andrews University in Scotland until a headline moment forever changed how William saw Kate. The Prince of Wales tried and showed his affection for him, but his attempts at him were rebuffed. Here’s the reason why.
Kate Middleton caught Prince William’s eye as a student model
The now-Princess of Wales and William got to know one another while university students. However, William reportedly did not envision Kate as anything more than a friend. After he attended a student fashion show, William saw Kate in quite a different light.
In 2002, Kate participated in a university charity event, where she confidently walked the catwalk in various ensembles. But the vision of Kate in a see-through mesh dress designed by student Charlotte Todd, caught the future king’s attention.
Todd made the dress for her coursework titled “the art of seduction.” As reported by Express, Todd later stated that Kate “knew what she was doing” by wearing that outfit in front of Prince William. In the documentary When Kate Met William: A Tale Of Two Livesroyal expert Katie Nicholl revealed that the move might have been entirely calculated on Middleton’s part.
“She [Kate] did the walk, she caught William’s eye, and it was like something had just got off in his brain,” alleged Nicholl. “He suddenly noticed that this rather cute and charming girl he’d gotten to know over lectures and breakfast was a real hottie.”
Kate Middleton reportedly rebuffed Prince William’s romantic advances
Royal expert Katie Nicholl discussed the night of the fashion show in her book “The Making Of A Royal Romance,” as excerpted by Express. Following the event, William reportedly told a friend: “Wow, Kate’s hot!”
The author wrote, “William leaned in to kiss her. Kate pulled away, momentarily stunned that he had been so cold in a room full of strangers. Nicholl continues, “It was clear to us that William was smitten with Kate. He told her she was a knockout that night, which caused her to blush.
“She played it very cool, and at one point, when William seemed to lean in to kiss her, she pulled away. She didn’t want to give off the wrong impression or make it too easy for Will,” the passage concluded.
The couple dated for eight years before he proposed marriage
Prince William proposed to Kate in 2010 following an eight-year on-off relationship. In their official engagement interview, William revealed why he didn’t propose marriage sooner. “It’s been a good, how many years?” Kate laughed, referring to their long-term relationship, and William replied: “I’ve lost count!”
“We’ve talked about this happening for a while, so Kate wasn’t in the dark. We’ve been planning it for a year, if not longer. It was just finding the right time. As most couples say, it’s all about timing,” the Prince of Wales explained. “I’m trying to learn from lessons done in the past. I just wanted to give her the best chance to settle in,” he said.
“I had my military career; I wanted to concentrate on my flying. However, I couldn’t have done this if I was still doing my training. Kate’s in a good place in terms of work and where she wants to be. We just decided that now would be a really good time.”
The couple married in 2011 in a lavish royal ceremony held at Westminister Abbey.