Kate Middleton pretended to be William's girlfriend before they started dating

Kate Middleton pretended to be Prince William's girlfriend before they started dating in 2001.

The Duke of Cambridge was ‘too polite’ to shake off a girl coming his way when he was studying at St Andrew's University in Scotland but Catherine reportedly helped William.

The royal couple’s mutual friend Laura Warshaur told Katie Nicholl: “Will was getting really hit on by this girl at a party and it was getting quite uncomfortable because he couldn't shake her off.”

Nicholl’s book The Future Queen read: “He was being really polite, but this girl just didn't get the hint. All of a sudden Kate came up behind him and put her arms around him. He said 'Oh, sorry, but I've got a girlfriend', and he and Kate went off giggling."

Laura further recalled that William was grateful to Kate as he mouthed “thanks so much” to her afterwards.

“Kate was the only girl in the room who could have done that. And that was just a month after we started university,” she added.