As the saying goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And it appears Prince William flipped the script on the proverb when he was trying to win the heart of his then-girlfriend, Kate Middleton.
It's been known that the Duke once tried to impress Kate in the kitchen, and, now, the prince has revealed what that recipe was and how to prepare it for yourself!
Prince William's recipe to impress Kate Middleton
The recipe is for a special spaghetti Bolognese, which the prince unveiled through a new charity cookbook titled A Taste Of Home. It contains 120 recipes from both great chefs and UK celebrities.
"I am the first to admit that I am not an excellent chef," Prince William wrote in the cookbook, as reported by Daily Mail. "The last time I was allowed into the kitchens at The Passage I made a spaghetti Bolognese."
However, when the time came to win the heart of his beloved, Prince William put on his chef's hat and hit the kitchen. Kate herself had previously referenced the story during the BBC Christmas special A Berry Royal Christmas, reflecting on how William tried to win her over.
"In university day he used to cook all sorts of meals," Kate said in the special. "Bolognese and things like that. I think that's when he was trying to impress me." So, the recipe has roots in William and Kate's student days at the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland.
Make Prince William's spaghetti Bolognese recipe at home
According to Daily Mail, these are the ingredients Prince William used in his special spaghetti Bolognese dish, prepared to impress the future Duchess:
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 30g butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, washed and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 350g lean meat of the best quality
- 250ml dry white wine
- 120ml milk
- A pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1 400g can of Italian tomatoes, chopped
- 1 TSP tomato puree
- 250g spaghetti
- 50g freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 TBSP freshly chopped parsley; salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you already knew the spaghetti Bolognese story, test your knowledge of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's relationship in our quiz.