Princess Kate’s eye-catching early fashion won praise on TikTok, where one fan noted Prince William’s “eyes say it all.”

The Princess of Wales met Prince William at St Andrews University, in Scotland, and turned the future king’s head in a see-through dress at a London.

The moment was recreated using actors in Netflix series The Crown and has gone newly viral after it was posted alongside other examples of Kate’s pre-royal fashion and a real image of a young William.

Why It Matters

A TikTok post celebrating the moment was liked 15k times and viewed 147k times after being posted with the message: “His eyes say it all.”

Fashion has always been a key part of Kate’s appeal to the British public and has contributed to her being one of the country’s favorite royals.

What to Know

The video begins with Meg Bellamy playing Kate in the final season of The Crown, strutting down the catwalk as Ed McVey, playing William, watches in awe.

Royal author Robert Jobson, in his book Catherine: A Biography, wrote: “Though they were good friends, Catherine surely stirred stronger feelings in William after she strutted down the catwalk as a model in the now-infamous charity fashion show, held at the Fairmont Hotel on 27 March 2002.

“Dressed in a daring, black-lace ensemble by designer Catherine Todd, she captivated him. ‘She wore a risqué sheer black-lace dress over a bandeau bra and black bikini bottoms,’ he recalled.

“As she moved with grace along the runway, William found himself unable to look away. He had secured a front-row seat at the ‘Don’t Walk’ event, paying £200 for the privilege.”

The look was a world away from palace protocol but in step with a raucous student fundraiser. The dress fetched more than $125,000 at auction, cementing its status as a totem of the couple’s early years.

The other clips in the TikTok post were real images from Kate’s early relationship with William and included Kate joining him at the Sovereign’s Parade, at Sandhurst Military Academy, for the passing-out parade on December 15, 2006.

Another was from a visit to the Central Flying School at RAF Cranwell to see Prince William receive his R.A.F. wings, in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, on April 11, 2008.

What People Are Saying

Robert Jobson, author of Catherine: A Biography, wrote: “If her idea was to catch his attention, she succeeded admirably.”

Charlotte Todd, who designed Kate’s dress, later told People: “Everyone says that the fashion show was when the romance started, so a small part of me will always be part of royal history. It’s madness.”

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