Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton are to return to St Andrews just two months ahead of the royal wedding at Westminster Abbey, a Valentines Day announcement by St James Palace confirmed today.
William, who met Kate while they were studying at St Andrews University, will visit the university on Friday, February 25, as patron of the institution’s 600th anniversary appeal.
It will be the couple’s first official engagement in Scotland and will be seen by many as the couple poignantly saying ‘thank you’ to the town.
The royal couple will attend a reception, view the surviving Papal Bull that was issued by Pope Benedict XIII in 1413, launch a university patronage scheme and meet a selection of the university’s current staff and students to mark the anniversary.
Prince William and Miss Middleton met at the university and graduated in 2005. William graduated with an honours degree in geography and Miss Middleton with an honours degree in history of art.
Today’s news of their impending visit was welcomed on the streets of St Andrews. One resident said, “What a fitting way for the couple to say ‘thanks’ to the town for their time together there.”
Confirmation of the royal visit came as it was revealed that the close-knit community of St Andrews helped Kate keep her university romance with William a secret.
But the “discreet” royal bride-to-be never let the fact she was dating the future king go to her head and remained “very modest”, said her former lecturer Professor Peter Humfrey.
The academic was also impressed by the ability of Prince William’s fiancee to focus on her studies at St Andrews despite the unusual romance.
Professor Humfrey, who was head of the university’s school of art history when the prince and his fiancee where students, praised Miss Middleton’s discretion.
He said, “I think it’s to her credit that she very deliberately kept a low profile about this. She was very discreet about this and very modest and I think took great care to continue to be a student like everybody else and certainly her relationship with William did not affect her studies at all.
“She obviously remained completely focused on her work and obviously very dedicated to her work.”
In their first year, William and Kate lived a few doors apart at St Salvator’s hall of residence and became friendly, socialising together and playing tennis. They began sharing an elegant four-bedroom Edwardian townhouse with two friends at the start of their second year.
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At the time Miss Middleton was dating another student, Rupert Finch. By the following year the foursome moved into a secluded rented cottage outside St Andrews.
It is not known exactly when William and Kate became an item but it is rumoured to be around Christmas 2003.
The professor added, “The fact that they managed to have a relationship together in, I don’t know, their last year maybe last two years without many people knowing about it certainly not me does reflect the rather close-knit community of St Andrews.
“I think within the school of art history we’re very pleased for them.”
The special nature of the St Andrews community was also mentioned by another academic, Professor Brendan Cassidy, the current head of the school of art history.
He said the secluded nature of St Andrews and its lack of clubs and bars meant students organised their own informal get-togethers and so formed closer bonds.
But the royal engagement may be down to the fact the couple went to what is believed to be Britain’s top match-making university. At St Andrews students have around a one in 10 chance of meeting their perfect partner and getting wed.
Talking about what might have sparked William and Kate’s relationship, Professor Cassidy added, “Students are thrown together in ways that are unusual I think, so they have to make their own entertainment.
“And I think that probably brings people together in a much closer way (than) were they to be living in Edinburgh, Glasgow or London.
“So although art history can probably take a little credit because they were doing the same subject, I think ultimately it was really St Andrews and the kind of student experience they have here which is lovely.”
St Andrews University is aiming to bolster its future, using the 600th anniversary as a springboard to launch a £100 million philanthropic fund-raising appeal. A substantial focus of the appeal will be to generate new funds for scholarships, to ensure that a St Andrews education is accessible to all bright students, regardless of background or circumstance.
Welcoming the announcement of the visit, St Andrews principal and vice-chancellor Professor Louise Richardson, said,”I am delighted that Prince William has agreed to be patron of our 600th anniversary appeal. Anniversaries are a time for reflection, celebration, and for action. St Andrews has much to celebrate and so much still to achieve.
“We are Scotland’s first university, among Europe’ most research-intensive institutions and one of the world’s top 20 arts and humanities universities. Our anniversary offers a wonderful opportunity to join with our alumni and friends to ensure we have the resources to continue a tradition of academic excellence.
“We hope that Prince William and Miss Middleton are the first among many who will reconnect with St Andrews and join in the celebrations.”