Prince William reportedly had a surprising reaction after learning that Kate Middleton is single.

The Duchess of Cambridge was dating Rupert Finch when she and Prince William first met at the University of St. Andrews. But in their second year, Middleton and Finch broke up.

In an article for The Guardian, journalist Oliver Marre said that Prince William and Middleton were just friends at that time. In 2002, they decided to move into the same apartment with two of their close friends.

After learning that Middleton is newly single, Prince William reportedly thought that he could have a go at the future queen. But before Prince William courted Middleton, the latter first walked on the runway at her friend’s show.

In the documentary “When Kate Met William: A Tale of Two Lives,” royal author Katie Nicholl said that Prince William had another surprising reaction after seeing Middleton on the catwalk.

“[Kate] did the walk, she caught William’s eye and it was like something had just got off in his brain. He suddenly noticed that this rather cute and charming girl who he’d got to know over lectures and breakfast was actually a real hottie,” she said.

Designer Charlotte Todd revealed in the same documentary that Middleton’s attire at the fashion show was designed for the art of seduction. Todd said that the Duchess of Cambridge must have known what she was doing when she agreed to wear the see-through attire.

“It shows confidence to show your underwear in front of people, and knowing that a Prince is there as well, I think that she may have known what she was doing. Whether she did or not, it worked,” Todd said.

After the fashion show, Prince William decided to pursue Middleton. In the book “The Making of a Royal Romance,” author Nicholl revealed that Middleton initially rejected Prince William’s advances. After all, the Duke of Cambridge acted a bit cold towards her while they were in the company of their other friends.

According to Nicholl, Middleton didn’t want to give off the impression that she was too easy for Prince William. But in the end, everything worked out for the best.

After dating for almost a decade, Prince William and Middleton tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011. The royal couple recently celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary at Anmer Hall.

Prince William and Middleton are self-isolating at home with their three children amid the coronavirus pandemic.