When Kate Middleton first saw a young Prince William at St Andrews University in 2001, she was instantly drawn to Britain’s most sought-after bachelor.
The pair quickly became university sweethearts, and their romance captivated the nation — a story that would eventually lead to a fairytale Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey a decade later.
But long before palace protocol and life as a future queen, Kate wasn’t afraid to have fun. One of the most memorable examples came in 2008, when Kate and her sister Pippa — nicknamed the “sizzler sisters” by the media — organised a themed charity roller disco in London to honour their school friend Thomas Waley-Cohen, who died of bone cancer in 2004 at age 20.
Held at the Renaissance Rooms, the roller disco aimed to raise £100,000 for Tom’s Ward at the Children’s Hospital in Oxford, as well as for Place2Be, a charity offering counselling to young people.
Far removed from her later royal image, Kate arrived dressed in a sparkling turquoise top, bright yellow shorts, and pink leg warmers — fully embracing the 80s theme — complete with a claret-red Mulberry Araline purse.
And in a rare glimpse of her carefree side, the future Princess of Wales was seen skating around the venue in light-up roller skates, carrying a bowl of food — no royal aides or butlers in sight.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were among the star-studded guests, with Kate welcoming friends and chatting comfortably in her role as hostess. The event was organised with the help of Thomas’s brother Sam Waley-Cohen and Holly Branson, daughter of Sir Richard Branson.
Reflecting on the disco, Sam later explained that the idea for the neon-themed fundraiser came from wanting something fun and light-hearted to honour Thomas’s personality.
“We wanted to do something fresh and new… something fun and tongue-in-cheek, just like Thomas,” he told The Telegraph.
Sam would also play an unexpected role in Kate and William’s love story. After the couple briefly split in April 2007 — with William struggling under pressure from the public and the Palace — Sam invited them separately to his “Freakin Naughty” fancy-dress party at his family’s 17th-century manor house.
According to royal biographer Robert Jobson, that invitation helped bring the pair back into each other’s orbit — ultimately reigniting the romance that would lead Kate to become Princess of Wales.