The St Andrews catwalk moment that reportedly changed Prince William’s heart

It was a university charity fashion show that cost just £200 a ticket. But one daring, transparent dress is credited with changing the course of history, transforming a firm friendship into one of the world's most famous romances.

A fateful night at St. Andrews

It was March 2002, and the St. Andrews Bay Hotel was hosting the "Don't Walk" charity fashion show, an annual university event. In the audience, sitting front row, was a 19-year-old Prince William. On the runway was his friend and fellow art history student, Kate Middleton.

The pair had met in their first year in 2001 and had become close friends. For those unversed, the now Prince and Princess of Wales lived in the same halls and bonded early on, though Kate later admitted she was initially quite shy. 

"I actually went bright red when I met you and scuttled off," she revealed during their engagement interview. Yet, some mutual friends believe the Prince was captivated long before Kate's catwalk moment. One university friend, Laura Warshauer, revealed to the Daily Mail that William once bid £200 at a Harry Potter-themed charity auction to win a date with Kate.

Warshauer also recalled an incident where Kate deftly helped William escape an unwanted conversation. "All of a sudden Kate walks up from across the room, puts her arms around him," she said, allowing William to tell the other girl he had a girlfriend. He then silently mouthed "Thank you" to Kate. It was clear, she noted, they already had a connection.

'Wow, Kate's hot'

But the fashion show is widely seen as the moment everything changed. William had reportedly paid £200 for his prime seat, and as Kate strutted down the runway, his reaction was unmissable.

She was modelling a sheer, knitted dress worn over a black bandeau bikini. The garment, which was actually designed to be a skirt, was the creation of fellow student Charlotte Todd for a project aptly named "The Art of Seduction". According to reports, William was mesmerised. He leaned over to his friend Fergus Boyd and said, "Wow, Fergus, Kate's hot!"

Another classmate who was there backed this up, telling reporters years later that William was sitting front row and "his eyes were like stalks".

A spark at the after-party

The energy between them continued after the show. Friends of the couple recalled that William approached Kate at the after-party, telling her she was a "knockout," which reportedly made her blush.

What happened next is a matter of some debate. An insider told one publication, "There was definitely chemistry between them, and Kate had really made an impression on William." The source added that while the Prince seemed to lean in for a kiss, Kate played it cool. "She pulled away. She didn’t want to give off the wrong impression or make it too easy for Will." At the time, both were believed to be seeing other people, which might explain her hesitation.

Regardless of whether they kissed that night, the platonic friendship had shifted. Within a few months, their other relationships had ended and they began dating.

A piece of fashion history

The dress that started it all has become an iconic piece of royal history. It cost its designer, Charlotte Todd, just £30 to create from hand-knitted silk. In 2011, following the couple's engagement, the dress went up for auction. It sold for a staggering £78,000.

"If it is true that my design helped changed the Prince's interest in Kate from platonic to romantic... then I am pleased to have played a part," Todd later said, admitting she never imagined the garment would become so important.

Years later, Kate herself made a light-hearted reference to the infamous look. At a 2012 charity event for her alma mater, she joked with a student, "I hope you weren't involved in the fashion show. You never know what you are going to be asked to wear!" It was a subtle nod to the night a daring dress helped capture a prince's heart.