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If the royals did the 'How it started. How it's going' challenge

One royal worked as a TV anchor!

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kate then now© Photo: Getty Images

The "How it started. How it's going" trend is the latest social media challenge that everyone is jumping on, with people sharing some hilarious and sweet updates about how far they've come in their lives.

At HELLO! we've decided to take a look back at those who have married into royalty and how different their lives were before they walked down the aisle. Take a look at some of our favourites.

READ: 17 fabulous photos of Kate Middleton you may have forgotten about

The Duchess of Cambridge

Kate Middleton met the love of her life Prince William when they were just students at the University of St Andrews. After years of proposal rumours, the Prince popped the question to his royal girlfriend during a trip to Kenya in November 2010 and the couple were married the following April.

In what will be Kate's tenth year as a member of the royal family, we've seen her transform from the shy girl-next-door to a confident mum-of-three. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were born in 2013, 2015 and 2018 and the Duchess of Cambridge juggles family life with her royal engagements.

meghan 2020© Photo: Getty Images

The Duchess of Sussex

American actress Meghan Markle starred in US legal drama Suits for six years before she became engaged to Prince Harry. The pair tied the knot in May 2018 and their first child Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor arrived the following year.

The Sussexes made the decision to step back from royal duties in January 2020 and are currently carving out a new life in the US, with plans to launch their own charity Archewell.

Meghan has also long been involved in humanitarian and philanthropic work and continues to speak publicly about issues such as girls' education, women's rights and mental health.

MORE: 19 of the royal family's sweet and unusual nicknames revealed

sophie 2020© Photo: Getty Images

The Countess of Wessex

Sophie Rhys-Jones, as she was known before her wedding to Prince Edward, began her career in public relations. She worked for different agencies, including four years at Capital Radio, before setting up her own firm, RJH Public Relations, with her business partner Murray Harkin in 1996.

Shortly after her marriage to Edward in 1999, Sophie became a full-time working member of the royal family and is renowned for being one of the hardest-working. The couple also welcomed two children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn in 2003 and 2007 respectively.

Keep clicking for more photos...

sarah ferguson 2020© Getty / Instagram

Sarah, Duchess of York

Before becoming a member of the royal family, Sarah worked for an art gallery, two PR firms and a publishing company. She married Prince Andrew in 1986 and despite their divorce in 1996, they remain the best of friends and are close with their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Sarah is a successful author and has written children's books, including Budgie the Little Helicopter, as well as setting up her own YouTube channel Storytime with Fergie and Friends.

She's set to become a grandmother for the first time when her youngest daughter Princess Eugenie gives birth to her first child in early 2021. The Duchess told HELLO!: "Soon to be Grandpa and Granny are absolutely overjoyed."

MORE: 7 bridal beauty secrets from Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

crown prince daniel© Elisabeth Toll, The Royal Court of Sweden

Crown Prince Daniel of Sweden

Daniel was employed as Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's personal trainer when he met his future wife in 2001. He ran a company named Balance Training with three gyms in Stockholm, but stepped down as its CEO when he became a prince in 2010.

The couple celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in 2020 with a stunning photoshoot and are parents to Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

MORE: Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's royal romance in photos as they celebrate 10th wedding anniversary

letizia 2020© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Letizia of Spain

Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano worked as a newspaper journalist and then a TV anchor for Informe Semanal, Telediario Matinal and Telediario 2. Some of her biggest reports included broadcasting live from Ground Zero following the 9/11 attacks, and filing reports from Iraq post-war.

In 2004, she married Prince Felipe, heir apparent to the Spanish throne, and the couple became king and queen in 2014, following King Juan Carlos' abdication. As well as carrying out royal duties all over the country and globally, Felipe and Letizia are the proud parents of daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.

mary 2020© Photo: Getty Images

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

Australian-born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson worked in advertising and marketing before she met Crown Prince Frederik in a Sydney hotel pub during the 2000 Summer Olympics.

The pair married in Copenhagen in 2004 and now have four children, Prince Christian, Princess Isabelle and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

With a wide-range of patronages under her belt, the crown princess also set up the Mary Foundation in 2007, which aims to improve the lives of people who find themselves socially excluded or excluded from society.

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