Friendship First: The Secret Behind William and Kate's Marriage

They were very good friends before they became lovers.

That is the secret behind the marriage of The Prince of Wales (Prince William) and Catherine, Princess of Wales, according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward. Seward shared her view during a live recording reported by HELLO! on 26 September 2026.

Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, was speaking at Quaglino's in London. The venue hosted a live recording of HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast. She appeared to promote her new book Catherine & Diana, about Diana and Catherine, the two women to hold the title Princess of Wales.

William and Catherine first met while studying Art History at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Seward said Catherine advised William to leave History of Art for Geography. He made that change of degree subject in his second year.

It is a small detail with a long backstory. St Andrews is where their relationship began, and where Catherine's appearance in a student charity fashion show is often retold as the moment William noticed her. Seward has said the pair had already been on a private date months before that runway walk, as reported by IBTimes.

William and Catherine married in 2011. Fifteen years on, they are among the most visible working members of the Royal Family, the family headed by the monarch and carrying out public duties on behalf of the state.

What makes this stand out is its simplicity. No grand gesture. No rulebook. Just friendship first, then romance.

Seward knows the territory. She has written widely on the Royal Family and spoke at a separate HELLO! live event about Diana's feelings for Charles and Catherine's quiet resilience. For this couple, her verdict was plain. Start as friends, and the rest follows.