Prince William's blossoming romance with Kate Middleton "happened very naturally" during their university years, a friend said today.

Jules Knight, who studied alongside the pair at St Andrews said they fell in love away from the limelight after being "really good friends".

Speaking about the future king and his bride-to-be on BBC Breakfast, he said: "It was very odd really, we went to the first lecture at the beginning of term and there he was and I met him straight afterwards, he happened to be with a group of people who I knew.

"Really he was just like any other person and I met Kate on that day as well. Who would know that after eight or nine years they would actually be married.

"It's a lovely thing. They had the time to be really good friends, they had no pressure really on them, it happened very naturally and they really fell in love."

Mr Knight, who is part of the classical vocal quartet Blake joked: "We haven't got a booking, I think Ladbrokes are probably already taking bets on who is actually going to perform at the wedding. Obviously we would absolutely love to perform, we probably wouldn't even charge them."

Describing Miss Middleton, he added: "She came across so well in the interview that they did. I know that they are probably not that comfortable doing interviews like that. Actually she came across as herself, a very sweet, mild mannered, incredibly polite, intelligent girl.

"She's just fallen in love with a guy who happens to be Prince William and be in an extraordinary position."

Talking about the worldwide interest in their wedding and media glare on Miss Middleton, he said: "It's going to become very international. I think lots of Americans are absolutely fascinated by the whole thing.

"You saw those pictures of Kate walking to her car and I really hope that's not going to be able to happen again because that was almost the worst time when she was the girlfriend of Prince William.

"Now she will be afforded the protection and she will be in that kind of bubble. I am sure it will get pretty intense for her. She's had to deal with a lot of pressure already and over the years has learned to cope with it."