What became of Kate’s mates who walked the catwalk at the fashion show that wowed William and set a royal love story in motion? Meet the models who DIDN’T become princesses

Short in length, long in symbolism, it was the £30 sheer dress that may have changed history.

Netflix drama The Crown has recreated the moment Kate Middleton walked the catwalk at a charity fashion show at St Andrews University on March 27, 2002, with Prince William watching from a £200 front row seat and remarking: 'Wow! Kate's hot!'

At the after-show party, William, then 19, complimented Kate effusively and made an awkward pass – either a kiss on the hand or 'leaning in' for an amorous 'smacker', according to conflicting accounts.

Either way, the dress, designed by fashion student Charlotte Todd, is said to have sparked a royal romance. Charlotte said: 'I made it as a skirt but others pulled it up on Kate and she wore it as a dress. If it hadn't been transparent, William might not have noticed her.'

One of the other models that night, Rachel Hollon James, now 44 and living in Texas, told the MoS: “It was a very special moment” and acknowledged “this legend that surrounds the night.”

The dress hung in the wardrobe at Charlotte's mother's home for years, but was auctioned off in 2011 for £78,000. The buyer, Nicky Roberts, a property developer, calls it 'a symbol of hope and inspiration'.

But what happened to the rest of the other models that night? Those smart, cosmopolitan young women who want to have fun while getting their degrees? We discovered…

The yoga and pilates guru

Friends have been known to remark that the half-English, half-Dutch Nadine Graves bears some resemblance to Kate.

She studied art history – just like the future princess – and Spanish and taught English in Argentina.

Years later, she worked as a personal assistant to a CEO. Four years ago, she left the corporate world to become a yoga instructor and pilates teacher in Geneva, Switzerland.

Now she teaches online classes via Zoom, telling students, “I believe yoga has the power to transform lives… Life is beautiful and we just have to stop every now and then to be present, to be grateful for the simple things in life and feeling connected again. for ourselves.'

Colleagues describe her as sensitive and friendly.

In 2002, her parents Terry and Else traveled from Geneva to Scotland for her catwalk debut. Nadine spoke at the time about a desire to start acting. saying, 'I love everything that has to do with singing and dancing.'

The labor expert

Born into a wealthy Brazilian banking family, Ana Martiningui read international relations at St Andrews and appeared on the catwalk in little more than a pair of silk panties and high heels.

Friends is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese and describes her as “whip smart” and “someone who was always destined for great things.”

She has held a number of high-profile jobs, including a stint as PR advisor to the former president of Costa Rica and head of communications at a pan-European think tank.

She grew up in an upscale suburb of Sao Paulo and her neighbors included Gisele Bundchen, the ex-girlfriend of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

She is now CEO of Education for Employment-Europe, a Madrid-based non-profit organization that helps young people find training and employment in the Middle East and North Africa.

The fashion show, she says, “was just a bit of fun… a break from my senior year of college.”

The conflict defuser

The daughter of a school principal, Rebecca Emerson-Keeler, organized the fashion show and also took part, showing underwear under a sheer skirt during her catwalk appearance.

She noted at the time: 'The image is of vital importance here, everyone takes care of his or her appearance.'

After completing her studies in philosophy and literature, she expressed a desire to travel and work in the aid sector – and all her early ambitions came true.

Now an expert in conflict resolution and strategic communications, she has worked around the world for the UN, the BBC and the Foreign Office, among others.

Reflecting on her career two years ago, she said: 'I have advised on governance issues in Libya, trained police in Palestine, [fought] extremist online content… and now run projects on gender and cyber security.”

The high-flying triathlete

Julia Kadioglu, an accomplished triathlete, has represented Great Britain and now runs a sports nutrition company.

After St Andrews, where she studied economics, she worked as an analyst at HSBC. She later moved to New York, where she became a vice president at the bank and married investment banker and racing driver Till Bechtolsheimer, from one of Britain's wealthiest families.

In 2016, she founded Rising Start, a nonprofit that supports “schools in high-poverty communities” while spotlighting the rising stars of the New York arts scene.

She was pictured with William and Kate in Switzerland at the 2013 wedding of her sister-in-law Laura Tomlinson, who won a dressage gold medal for Britain at the London Olympics.

The artistic designer

Now an art director, designer and photographer, Jenny Lederer is originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and divides her time between Miami and Brooklyn.

On the night of the fashion show, she presciently said, “A lot of girls here say, 'I'm here to meet the prince and marry the future king of England,' and that's basically their whole purpose for being here. .'

She added that she was “fortunate” to share her readings on social anthropology with William.

She earned a master's degree in fine arts from the University of Memphis and founded her own design company in 2016, working with clients such as Converse trainers, Guardian Life Insurance and activist group Occupy.

• Additional reporting by Sam Merriman