Prince William's First Words to Kate Middleton Were Hilariously Awkward

Prince William and Kate Middleton (opens in new tab)'s relationship had an ever so slightly awkward start, according to a new documentary about the couple. The future Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001, where they lived in the same halls of residence and often shared classes together, as the Mirror reports. But William's introduction to Kate didn't go as smoothly as he might have hoped; in fact, it was kind of hilarious.

According to royal memoirist Tom Quinn, who spoke in the British documentary William & Kate: Too Good To Be True?, the future Duke came close to hitting the ground as he approached Kate for the first time. "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,'" Quinn said (opens in new tab). How quaint! 

Evidently, Kate was charmed by William all the same—and he went on to impress her with his student cooking, as People reports. Speaking to Mary Berry in their holiday special A Berry Royal Christmas (opens in new tab), Kate said (opens in new tab), "In our university days he used to cook all sorts of meals. I think that’s when he was trying to impress me." And his dishes of choice? "Things like bolognese sauce and things like that." 

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here (opens in new tab)