The moment I wooed Wills in a see-through dress: Duchess of Cambridge recalls infamous fashion show as she returns to St Andrews University for its 600th birthday
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met at St Andrews while studying the same history of art course
- Kate caught Prince William's eye wearing a see through dress at a university fashion show
- Couple tonight attended London gala to celebrate its 600th birthday
- Kate wore the same Temperley dress to War Horse film premiere in January
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The Duchess of Cambridge last night cheekily recalled the infamous moment she caught Prince William's eye in a see through dress at a university fashion show.
Chatting at a reception with a pretty current female undergraduate at St Andrews University, Kate gave her a knowing glance and asked: 'I hope you weren't involved in the fashion show, you never know what you are going to be asked to wear!'
The Duchess and her husband were at a fund-raising dinner held by St Andrews University, the college where they met for the first time in 2001 and, subsequently, fell in love.
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Back to school! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a dinner at Middle Temple Hall in London for the 600th birthday of St Andrews University where they met
Lacy lady: Kate first wore the beautiful black lace Alice Temperley dress at the War Horse premiere in January (right) and recycled it last night at a fundraising appeal for St Andrew's University at Middle Temple, London
The University has launched a £100 million 600th anniversary fundraising appeal to offer bursaries to bright students who would otherwise not be able to afford to study at a leading university.
Last night's dinner was held in the historic Middle Temple Inn in the heart of legal London.
Kate, 30, wore a sexy black and nude lace dress by designer Alice Temperley that she previously wore to the premiere of War Horse.
Kate's hot! The future Duchess of Cambridge strides down the catwalk aged 19 at a St Andrew's University fashion show in a transparent lace dress in 2002. Prince William was in the audience and apparently whispered to a friend 'Kate's hot!'
Pinned onto it was a crystal red poppy given to her by the Royal British Legion.
At a pre dinner drinks reception she and William chatted with huge fondness about their university days.
The prince spoke of his 'happy, happy memories' and described Kate, with whom he studied history of art, as his 'art guru' - 'she was much better at it than me,' he said.
He also chatted with one of the guests, Adrienne Kimball, about how much he and his wife loved their engagement portrait by Mario Testino.
'If we had asked for that picture of us hugging we wouldn't have got it. It was just very natural and summed up how unbelievably happy we were,' he said.
Kate spoke about her regret at not learning to play golf while she was there and recalled being made to dress up as a baby complete with a bib for the Raisin Weekend, the university's version of rag week.
'I think there is a photo of it out there somewhere,' she told Amanda Bradley.
Mrs Bradley said: 'She clearly loved her time at St Andrews and it was obvious the way she and William spoke about each other that they are absolutely besotted with each other.'
William launched and became patron of the university's appeal when the couple visited the university in the run up to their wedding.
Among the guests present tonight were some of those who have already benefited from such financial help as well as supporters and former alumni.
The couple walked into the Inn's Hall with a piper ahead of them, before taking their seats in the opulent Elizabethan banqueting suite.
The university's Principle, Sir Menzies Campbell, sat next to the Duchess at dinner.
The menu included spiced poached pear with roquefort, crown of partridge and rhubarb and ginger crumble washed down with a Middle Temple Claret 2009 and, appropriately, a University of St Andrews Bruichladdich single malt. In a short address, Prince William said his time at university evoked 'the happiest of memories, of cold winters and good friends.'
Post dinner entertainment was provided by a student a capella Group called The Other Guys.
VIDEO: I thank God for St Andrews! Proud husband William addresses St Andrews alumni
Lending their support: The couple met and fell in love at the university while studying history of art
Trendsetter: The Duchess livened up the outfit with an on trend bright red box-clutch bag, pictured right
Frugal: The Duchess of Cambridge may have worn the same lace dress twice but she accessorised it with a different clutch bag
She wears it well: Prince William holds an umbrella over himself and the Duchess at the UK Premiere of War Horse at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square when Kate last wore her Temperley dress
Founded in the 15th Century, St Andrews is Scotland’s ‘first’ university and the third-oldest in the English speaking world.
William and Kate both graduated in 2005 with 2:1 honours degrees.
The Duke studied Art History, Social Anthropology and Geography before switching at the end of his second year to straight Geography, while his future wife initially studied Art History, Social Anthropology and Classics before specialising in Art History.
Reminiscing: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge happily recalled their own days at St Andrews during the gala
Good cause: The reception and dinner was held to launch a £100million fundraising appeal to help offer bursaries to bright students who couldn't afford to study there
Coined ‘Britain's top match-making university’, it has a reputation for students meeting their future husband or wife. As many as one in 10 students marry a fellow graduate from St. Andrews.
William and Kate had a number of history of art and anthropology classes together in their first year, as well as living close by in the same halls of residence, St Salvator’s.
At the time, however, Kate was dating a fourth-year student, Rupert Finch, while William had his own on-off romance with a girl back home to keep him occupied.
Legend has it, however, that the prince suddenly realised the girl of his dreams had been in front of his nose the whole time when in March 2002 he saw Kate strut down the catwalk at a charity fashion show in a see-through dress and stutter: ‘Wow, Kate’s hot.’
Smart and sophisticated couple: The Duke looked smart in a traditional dinner suit alongside Kate
Respect: Kate showed her support of the military with a sparkling red poppy. William is a serving officer in the RAF
The smiling couple depart the celebration and thank VIPs. William said he 'loves' St Andrews in a heartfelt speech
Duchess of Cambridge pictured talking to Sir Ming Campbell, right, at the reception
The see through dress she wore sold at auction last year for a staggering £65,000.
The pair shared a house for the rest of their time at university and, somewhere along the way, friendship blossomed into romance…..and then into the history books.
In his speech William said: 'Tonight is very special for Catherine and me.
'It brings together two institutions that are dear to us: our alma mater, St Andrews University, and Middle Temple, our hosts here tonight. Both are world-renowned. Both are roughly of the same venerable age. We are proud to be so closely associated with them.
'We have been privileged to receive the best of university educations. Secondly, we all love St Andrews. We love it for the academic start in life it gives us.
'We love it for its traditions - traditions that lie at the very heart of Scotland’s history.
'We love it because it made us look beyond St Andrews, beyond the borders of Scotland, to the wide world.
'But perhaps most important of all, we love it for the friendships it has given us.
'As I look around this hall tonight – and even take a peek at the person sitting three from my left – I thank God for those friendships - our friendship - forged in our ancient halls.
'I even include in that one of my alma mater, who shall remain nameless, here tonight who rang me today to say he’d pay good money for me not to speak!'
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