It’s hard to talk to your crush when you’re a regular, everyday person. Imagine how awkward things get when you’re, uh, literal royalty! Needless to say, Prince William’s first words to Kate Middleton did not go over so smoothly. The Duke of Cambridge was unbelievably nervous to meet her—so nervous, he tripped both over his words and his own feet. Good thing Kate had a sense of humor!
A new British documentary, William & Kate: Too Good To Be True, recalls the whole situation in vivid—and yes, awkward—detail. With commentary by royal memoirist Tom Quinn, we learn that Prince William, 37, and Kate, 38, met for the first time at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001. The pair lived in the same residence halls and even attended some of the same classes. But it took a while for William to work up the courage to formally introduce himself to her. When he finally did, it didn’t go quite as planned.
“One of the funny stories is he was so desperate to meet her that as he walked towards her, he apparently tripped,” explains Quinn. According to the memoirist, the young prince acknowledged the awkward fall “and said, ‘Oh that’s a terrible start, you’re going to think I’m a complete clot.” Nice one, William.
Apparently, Kate played it cool. For starters, she was reportedly dating someone else at the time, so she kept things casual with the prince. “When they were at university at St. Andrews, I have it on good authority that one of the few girls not chasing William or trying to catch his eye was Catherine,” said Simon Vigar, a royal correspondent for 5 News, in the documentary.
That didn’t stop Prince William from trying to “impress” Kate, though. According to the Duchess of Cambridge, her now-husband once used to “cook all sorts of meals” to get her attention during their university days, she said in A Berry Royal Christmas cooking special. Persistence pays off, people!