The curtain fell on the Netflix original, The Crown. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s romantic tale has always been a staple on the front pages of royal family reports. However, with the release of the final fragment of the monarchic series, another royal love affair has stepped into the spotlight yet again. While the first part of the concluding season of The Crown orbited around Princess Diana’s final months, the latter part highlighted Prince William’s serendipitous discovery of love with Kate Middleton during their university years. 

Here are the top three highlights from the showdown that underscored the story of the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

Willsmania followed the demise of Princess Diana

The first time royal observers caught a glimpse of the charismatic Prince William was during his teenage years in the public spotlight after his mother’s tragic passing. This phase was aptly depicted in the fifth episode of the sixth season. The episode showcased the global admiration of teenage girls for the handsome Prince as he reengaged with life at Eton. Young girls from across the globe wrote letters of condolences to him and even screamed for the young prince’s attention in crowds. 

This burgeoning teenage infatuation with Prince William earned the fitting moniker “Willsmania”. Many voiced their criticism of the shift in attitude of the British public. They expressed their discontent with how quickly the attention shifted from grieving for Princess Diana. Prince William himself was averse to the unwanted attention that intensified with the widely-circulated pictures of him. 

The genius behind Prince William falling for Kate Middleton in The Crown

Episode seven finally introduced fans to the woman who would eventually capture Prince William’s heart—Kate Middleton. While Cupid may have pulled some strings in their coming together, the true wizard behind the scenes was Kate Middleton’s mom, Carole Middleton. This episode, titled Alma Mater, marked the beginning of the romantic journey between Prince William and Kate Middleton during their time at St. Andrews in the early 2000s. 

According to The Crown, Carole Middleton influenced her daughter to embark on the same gap year trips as Prince William. She also persuaded her to choose St. Andrews over the University of Edinburgh. And that was not all. She even asked Kate to ditch her college boyfriend, to pursue a relationship with the future King of England. While Carole Middleton’s well-executed strategies hit the bullseye, it sure created some awkward moments between the future Wales.

Everything changed, however, after Prince William laid eyes on Kate Middleton during a charity runway show in March 2002.

Kate Middleton’s see-through dress that went right through Prince Williams’ heart

It has been over two decades since the future Duchess of Cambridge stole Prince William’s heart by walking the catwalk in a stunning see-through dress. Reportedly, this marked the moment when Prince William decided to pursue a courtship with Kate Middleton. He even paid £200 for a front-row seat at the fashion show. The unforgettable episode unfolded in the ninth installment of the final season, titled Hope Street. This iconic see-through lace dress, showcasing black briefs later auctioned for a whopping £78,000. 

As per Mirror, following the ramp walk episode, Kate Middleton and Prince William shared a four-bedroom Edwardian townhouse. And soon they moved to a secluded rented cottage just outside of the town with their two other friends. After a relationship of eight years, the couple finally walked down the aisle in the year 2011 and eventually became the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

What do you think about the portrayal of Prince William and Kate Middleton in The Crown? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!