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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Princess Kate "Had a Very Handsome Boyfriend" When She Became Prince William's "Sounding Board" and Close Friend, Says Royal Expert

    "She said, 'Look, if you're not happy...'"

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 26 September 2026 In News

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    Princess Kate wears a navy blue satin dress as she announces her engagement to Prince William, who wears a suit
    (Image credit: Indigo/Getty Images/Chris Jackson)
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    Prince William and Princess Kate first met when they both started attending the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001. After tying the knot in 2011, the pair went on to have three children together—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Reflecting on the start of the Prince and Princess of Wales's romance, one royal expert opened up about the "handsome boyfriend" Princess Kate had when she initially met William.

    During a live episode of Hello! magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast," royal expert and author Ingrid Seward shared, "[S]he and William were very good friends before they became lovers."

    Seward continued, "She was, in a way, his sounding board. During, I think it was their first vacation from university, [William] drove to take Catherine out. He drove to her house in Bucklebury [in England] and he took her to the local pub, and they had a long, long chat."

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    Prince William and Princess Kate laughing in a carriage

    "[S]he and William were very good friends before they became lovers."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Seward explained, "[T]hey were very good friends, and she listened to him and she advised him, and she said, 'Look, if you're not happy doing History of Art, you know, try to do something else. Do Geography or something,' which is what he did. She was such a good friend."

    And according to Seward, William had some competition for Kate's affections.

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    Princess Kate in a red gown and tiara walking with Prince William, with Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie behind them at Windsor Castle

    "[H]e took her to the local pub, and they had a long, long chat."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "At the time [Kate] had a very handsome boyfriend," the royal expert shared. "So, it was very gradual, and I think that was what has really stuck them together. I think she just helped him hugely and, in turn, much later, he was able to help her."

    Clearly, the couple's bond was undeniable.

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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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