Princess Catherine reunited with an unexpected figure from her past at a royal wedding over the weekend. The Princess of Wales attended the nuptials of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling on Saturday, where her former university boyfriend, Rupert Finch, was also among the guests.
A Royal Gathering in Gloucestershire
The wedding took place at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also in attendance. The Prince and Princess of Wales joined the Royal Family for the occasion, which brought together a mix of royals and distinguished guests.
Rupert Finch, now 47, arrived early with his wife, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, a fashion designer and founder of Beulah London. Finch and Princess Catherine dated for nearly a year in 2001 while both were students at the University of St Andrews. At the time, Finch was a fourth-year student and aspiring lawyer, later completing his legal training at the College of Law in Guildford.
A Brief Romance and a Famous Fashion Show
The relationship coincided with Catherine's now-iconic appearance at a charity fashion show in 2002, where she reportedly first caught Prince William's attention. Their brief romance was later dramatised in the sixth series of Netflix's The Crown, with actor Oli Green portraying Finch opposite Meg Bellamy as the young Catherine.
Despite the passage of time, the former couple appear to have maintained a cordial relationship. They have crossed paths at various events over the years, and Finch was even invited to William and Catherine's lavish Westminster Abbey wedding on April 29, 2011.
Finch's Silence on Past Romance
The lawyer has consistently declined to discuss his past romance with the future Queen. "It's not something I'll ever talk about. It's between Catherine and me and was a long time ago," he previously stated.
William and Catherine dated for nearly a decade before their engagement in October 2010, eventually celebrating 15 years of marriage this April. Meanwhile, Finch married Lady Natasha, daughter of the 4th Marquess of Reading, in Cirencester in June 2013.
Lady Natasha and the Princess of Wales
Lady Natasha has her own connection to the Princess of Wales, as Catherine has been spotted wearing designs from her label Beulah London. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Beatrice have also supported the fashion designer. In an exclusive interview with HELLO! Magazine in 2020, Natasha said of Princess Kate: "It's always lovely to see the Duchess in Beulah. She's a wonderful ambassador for British brands and that is more important than ever at the moment."
For Peter and Harriet's wedding, Natasha wore a blue patterned maxi dress from her own collection, which Catherine had previously worn to a polo match in 2023.
