Kate Middleton & Prince William’s first home together in Scotland, including bulletproof windows and £100-a-week rent
PRINCE William and Kate Middleton fell head over heels for each other back in the early 2000s after meeting in their university halls.
It wasn’t long before William began noticing the “attractive brunette” student Kate, who royal expert Katie Nicholl said was “initially more reserved than many of the other young women, but her natural beauty was apparent.”
In March of 2002 though, she put on a brave face and dazzled the Prince by walking down the runway of a fashion show in a sheer black and gold dress.
From there, their bond grew and they eventually began living together alongside pals Fergus Boyd and Olivia Bleasdale.
They lived in a quaint, two-storey, four-bedroom Edwardian townhouse in the city – 13A Hope Street.
The building was fitted with bulletproof windows and even a bomb proof front door for William’s safety.
It was no free pass for any of them though as the rent cost £100 per week per person.
The house included a small kitchen, where Prince William did his best to impress Kate with his culinary skills.
The kitchen had a single counter top that ran all the way around the room, with a sink underneath a window and a stove on the right hand side. Cupboards could be seen on either side of the small space, too.
William even attempted to whip up dishes like “Bolognese” in this kitchen, according to the Princess of Wales.
She previously joked: “I would have to wander in and save something that was going [wrong]
It’s believed that the couple were keen on avoiding “big parties” and instead preferred “home cooked meals and romantic evenings watching TV together”.
A former student also shared: “Wills and Kate would tell people they were simply housemates and would always avoid any public shows of affection.
“There were of course rumours but they were careful to avoid being the subject of student gossip.”
While their kitchen may have been on the smaller side, the lounge was quite spacious.
The room, which featured a dining table, had two blue sofas with a carpet and coffee table in the middle.
What if I were to tell you that it was Prince William?
Charlotte Smith
It also featured a fireplace and a TV on a small table alongside a bookshelf in the wall behind it.
Despite him being the future king of England, William is said to have pitched in with cleaning duties when he wasn’t studying for his Geography degree.
And though the home is now quite the tourist destination, landlady Charlotte Smith said she nearly refused to allow Prince William to stay there at all.
She explained that prior to this situation, she’d had a “no-boys” policy when it came to renting out her property.
Charlotte said she’d had a previous experience where some boys had “broken furniture, broken windows” and caused a great deal of damage.
When she told Kate that she’d rather not have any boys there, the future Princess of Wales replied: “‘What if I were to tell you that it was Prince William?”
Charlotte then spoke to her husband about the situation and they eventually agreed to let them all stay.
She told ivillage: “We were really quite surprised that they should choose my flat, but it was very nice with ample living space in the centre of town and it had the reputation for being one of the best flats for comfort in St Andrews.”
Following Kate and William’s time at St Andrews, the pair continued to date until 2007 when they briefly split before rekindling their relationship.
They soon married at Westminster Abbey in London on Friday 29 April 2011 and welcomed their first child, Prince George in 2013.
Princess Charlotte was born on 2 May 2015 and their younger brother, Prince Louis, joined the family on 23 April 2018.
The family most recently moved from Kensington Palace in London to their new home, Adelaide Cottage, in Windsor.