St Andrews University could be coined as the place where the Prince and Princess of Wales first fell in love, with them choosing to live together in a house share in their second year alongside two of their friends, Fergus and Olivia. They both graduated with 2:1s in their respective subjects: Kate reading History of Art and William studying Geography. Now, the iconic institution has been named Scotland's best university in the prestigious Sunday Times guide.
The university was ranked number two overall in the list, even beating icons Cambridge and Oxford, which came in joint fourth place. The London School of Economics and Political Science was the establishment bagging first place, but St Andrew's has been applauded for its second place. The report also revealed that 90.6 per cent of the graduates leave with a first or 2:1 grade, a statistic both William and Kate contribute to. The piece also commends the "supercharged sports centre" and "thriving sports programme" as well as its academic success.
Alice Hodges, Students' Association president of union affairs at St Andrews, said: "St Andrews is proof that excellence doesn’t have a single definition. Every student here shapes a different experience, from world-class teaching and research to unique traditions, creativity, and community within our union. What makes us special is that these experiences don’t compete, they build on one another, and together they push all of us to achieve more. This recognition is a reflection of that shared spirit of collaboration and ambition – what our motto Ever To Excel truly means."
Prince William and Kate Middleton's uni halls
© AlamyBoth Prince William and Kate lived in St Salvator's Hall of Residence, affectionately known as Sallies, during their first undergraduate year. Of course, the rooms are a far cry from any regal home, but these are no ordinary student halls – the £8k-per-year halls even serve hot meals in the Hogwarts-style dining room. Lady Louise Windsor is now following in their royal footsteps and is studying at St Andrews and she even lived in the same hall block during her first year too.
© Getty ImagesIn the second year of studies, the pair moved out of halls and into nearby 13A Hope Street, along with their close friends. At the time, they rented the Victorian townhouse for £100 per week each (a total rent of £1,600 per month), but it would now set tenants back around £3,500 per month.
Did you know Kate Middleton had a uni job?
During A Berry Royal Christmas TV special with the British Queen of Cakes, Mary Berry, the Princess of Wales made a surprising revelation. When asked to carry drinks after prepping them on the show, Kate said: "Reminds me of my university days when I did a bit of waitressing." Mary then asked, "Were you good?" to which the Princess replied, "No, I was terrible!"
It turns out William was perfecting his skills during this time as he used to cook Kate up a storm. "In university days, he used to cook all sorts of meals,” Kate told the baker. "I think that's when he was trying to impress me, Mary! Things like Bolognese sauce, and things like that."
