Kate Middleton 'strategically' pursued Prince William in college, reveals source as royal couple celebrates 13 years of marriage
LONDON, ENGLAND: After the Princess of Wales disclosed her cancer diagnosis, 2024 might have been the most trying year for Prince William and Kate Middleton, who have been married for 13 years and together for over 20.
However, a source recently revealed that the fairytale romance between the Prince and Princess of Wales was "strategically" plotted by Middleton when they were in college.
The couple married 13 years ago at Westminster Abbey in a stunning ceremony that attracted the attention of around 163 million people worldwide, according to Daily Mail.
How did Kate Middleton 'strategically' pursue Prince William in college?
Prince William and Kate Middleton—who celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary on Monday, April 29—first met in 2001 while attending St Andrew's University in Scotland, and it was not a coincidence, Elle reported.
Robert Lacey, a royal historian schooled at Cambridge, claimed that Kate, 42, devised a brilliant plan to seduce the future king. It included switching from her university of choice to William's and even luring him in with a dress.
In his 2020 book 'Battle of Brothers: William and Harry - The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult', Lacey portrayed Kate as a "strategic lady" who was willing to make sacrifices to achieve her goals, the Daily Mail reported.
"Kate was very strategic. She gave up her place at one of Britain’s premier universities, Edinburgh, and opted for another one [St. Andrews] that probably didn’t have the same academic standard," Lacey wrote in his book.
"She had already been to Edinburgh to get her flat accommodations sorted out but switched universities and switched her courses to history of art because that was William’s. She delayed her own education by a year and even takes the chance she won’t get into St Andrews," he added.
The historian also revealed how the future Queen intended to amaze William at a charity fashion exhibition for students, which the Prince is believed to have paid £200 ($251) to attend.
Kate, who was 19 at the time, is well known for shocking spectators and the general public with her now-famous outrageous see-through attire. But Lacey clarified that it was a seductive flair that would guarantee she would catch William's eye.
Lacey wrote about Kate in the book, describing her as she walked the runway at the student show, which was appropriately named 'The Art of Seduction' before removing an additional layer of clothing to show off her slender physique.
William would allegedly tell his buddies at the fashion show, "Wow, Kate’s hot."
The couple eventually progressed from being close friends to having romantic feelings for one another after the famous fashion display, hence, it is regarded to be the turning point in their relationship.
Kate's mother Carole Middleton had private meeting with Prince William
According to Royal Editor Katie Nicholl, Kate's mother Carole Middleton met with William in private to inquire about his plans for proposing to her daughter.
William and Kate broke up in 2007 amid rumors that she didn't like his partying habits and his hesitation to pop the question.
After a make-or-break getaway, Kate allegedly threatened to break up with William. The two then agreed, according to the book, to be married and start a family.
But Carole Middleton, Kate's mother, reportedly pulled William away at Christmas 2009 to talk about a potential engagement.
According to a friend, Carole exerted pressure on William to inform the family of where everything was going. William assured her that their relationship was going well and that they would soon get engaged. Carole placed her faith and trust in William.
Kate Middleton and Prince William celebrated 13th marriage anniversary
The two exchanged their vows of love in front of 2,000 guests, including Sir Elton John and David Beckham, in a modest ceremony.
Kate and William, 41, followed the Archbishop's lead and said they would remain husband and wife "in sickness and in health."
Moreover, the future king has shown his wife nothing but support while she continues her cancer treatment, which was discovered after she underwent abdominal surgery in January 2024.
The Prince of Wales was a major factor in his wife's decision to tell the world about her condition. Although he wishes Kate hadn't had to, he understood it was her decision and he stood by it.
