Kate Middleton had an unexpected blast from the past at Peter Phillips’ royal wedding.
The Princess of Wales crossed paths with her college ex-boyfriend, Rupert Finch, when they both attended Phillips’ wedding to Harriet Sperling in the Cotswolds in June 2026.
Kate, 44, was there with her husband, Prince William, who is Phillips’ cousin. Finch attended with his wife, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs.
The reunion was no scandalous showdown, but it certainly raised eyebrows among royal watchers who remember Finch as one of Kate’s early romances before she became the future queen.
Kate and Finch met at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she was a freshman and he was a senior.
The two reportedly dated for almost a year in 2001, before Kate’s relationship with Prince William became the love story that would eventually lead her straight into the royal family.
At the time, Finch was said to be an aspiring lawyer and was reportedly viewed as quite the catch among Kate’s friends.
Their romance was described as casual, and there does not appear to be any bad blood between them. In fact, Finch was even invited to Kate and William’s royal wedding in 2011.
Finch went on to build a successful career as a lawyer after graduating from the College of Law.
According to his professional background, he has worked across industries including advanced materials, chemicals, automotive, batteries, fuel cells, life sciences and medical components. He has also had experience with social impact businesses in the luxury retail world.
But Finch’s connections to Kate did not end with their college romance.
In 2013, he married Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, an English aristocrat and fashion designer. She is the daughter of Simon Rufus Isaacs, the 4th Marquess of Reading, and Melinda Victoria Rufus Isaacs.
The couple tied the knot at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cirencester.
Natasha is also well known in royal fashion circles. She co-founded Beulah London, a British luxury fashion brand with a mission to support vulnerable and trafficked women.
Kate has worn Beulah designs over the years, giving the label major royal exposure.
Natasha has spoken warmly about the Princess of Wales in the past, calling her a wonderful ambassador for British brands.
Finch and Natasha now have three daughters together: Georgia, born in 2015, Cienna, born in 2017, and India Grace Albertine, born in 2020.
So while Kate’s run-in with Finch may sound like the setup for royal drama, it appears to have been nothing more than a polite society reunion.
Still, for royal fans, the moment was a rare reminder that before Kate became the Princess of Wales, she had a normal college life — and a boyfriend before William.