Before meeting 'the one', most famous faces started just like us! Ladies like the Princess of Wales, Queen Camilla and Meghan Markle were climbing the corporate ladder, balancing budgets and earning regular salaries before meeting a royal partner who changed their life forever.
Princess Catherine, 44, was once quizzed about royal life during one of her public engagements. Asked if she wanted to be a "royal" by one pupil at a Dame Kelly Holmes Trust event, Catherine replied it was something she had not expected, but she "fell in love" with Prince William. Aww!
We've taken a trip down memory lane to see what the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex, Queen Camilla and more got up to before they found their Prince or Princess and had their fairytale weddings...
The Princess of Wales
© GettyCatherine, who married Prince William in 2011, is known for being a loving mother to three children while managing a busy work calendar as a senior member of the British royal family. But back in the day, the Princess had a normal 9-to-5 job.
After working for her parents' hugely successful party supply company, Catherine became an accessories buyer with the British clothing chain Jigsaw. However, the public attention that came with being the girlfriend of Britain's future King became too great for Catherine, and in 2006 she quit her job.
The Duchess of Sussex
© Photo: Getty ImagesMeghan Markle, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in theatre and international studies from Illinois' Northwestern University in 2003, may have gained fame from being on Suits from 2011 to 2018, but she was on the Hollywood scene for years before landing her big break.
During her acting career, she appeared on Deal or No Deal as a suitcase model, and also had roles in 90210, Without a Trace, Castle and Horrible Bosses. In 2016, she became the Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada, and she also once ran her own lifestyle blog, The Tig, which she shut down after her romance with now-husband Prince Harry went public.
The pair married in a stunning ceremony at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in 2018 and are the proud parents to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Sussexes lived in Montecito, California for six years before moving back to the UK in August 2026.
Queen Camilla
© GettyCamilla was first educated at Dumbrells School in Sussex and then attended Queen's Gate School in South Kensington. She travelled abroad to go to Mon Fertile finishing school in Switzerland and after completing the course, she studied French and French Literature at the Institut Britannique in Paris.
After her education, Camilla worked as a secretary for a variety of firms in London's West End and later, was employed as a receptionist for the decorating firm Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler in Mayfair.
The then-Prince Charles was married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall in April 2005, when she became the Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla became Queen Consort when Charles ascended the throne in September 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Charles and Camilla's joint coronation ceremony took place on 6 May 2023.
The Duchess of Edinburgh
© GettyThe Duchess of Edinburgh started a successful career in public relations at London's Capital Radio. From there she went on to work in different firms before opening her own, RJH Public Relations, in 1996. A short three years later she married into the British royal family.
Jack Brooksbank
© GettyBefore he married Princess Eugenie in 2018, Jack started as a bartender before he became the general manager of Mahiki – one of William and Harry's go-to clubs in their youth.
He then worked as a brand ambassador for George Clooney's alcohol company, Casamigos Tequila, before landing a similar role at CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club, a luxury resort in Portugal, in 2022.
The couple shares three children: August Philip Hawk Brooksbank, five, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank, three, and recently they welcomed daughter Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank, who was born on August 3, 2026. The couple reportedly split their time between Portugal and the UK.
Queen Letizia of Spain
© Photo: Getty ImagesQueen Letizia was once a highly respected journalist. Her dedication to news even took her to the front lines of the Iraq war. And while she is no longer a reporter, she credits the job for introducing her to the love of her life. It was during a work visit to northern Spain in 2002 that the Spanish beauty caught the eye of her now-husband King Felipe of Spain.
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
© GettyQueen Máxima enjoyed a variety of careers in economics and education before meeting her husband, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, in Spain back in 1999. The couple married in 2003.
Queen Rania of Jordan
© GettyBefore she became Queen Rania in 1999, the beautiful royal worked in marketing. Having graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo, she briefly worked for Citibank, before taking a job in the marketing department at Apple Inc. in Amman.
Princess Charlene of Monaco
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrior to her wedding to Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene was a professional swimmer. She won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1999 All-Africa Games, and later competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics, where she came fifth with the South African medley team. The stunning royal also finished sixth in the 2002 World Championships.
The sport is particularly close to Princess Charlene's heart, as it was during a swimming meet in Monaco that she met Prince Albert.
Queen Mary of Denmark
© GettyQueen Mary of Denmark, who was born and raised in Australia, received a degree in commerce and law at the University of Tasmania before completing a graduate degree in advertising. She climbed the ranks within the advertising community before that life-altering day in 2000 when she met Prince Frederik at a Sydney pub and her life changed forever.
Princess Marie of Denmark
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Marie was born in Paris and raised in Switzerland. She studied all over the world, including Babson College in Massachusetts and Marymount Manhattan College in New York. During her college years, she worked in the public relations department at Estée Lauder.
After graduating, she returned to Europe where she worked for a variety of marketing firms in France and Switzerland.
Empress Masako of Japan
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe wife of Naruhito, the Emperor of Japan, initially refused to marry the then-prince, reluctant to give up her freedom and independence. But she finally accepted Naruhito's third proposal in December 1992 and the engagement was officially announced one month later. The couple have one daughter, Princess Aiko.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium
© Photo: Getty ImagesQueen Mathilde of Belgium received a degree in speech therapy from Belgium's Institut libre Marie Haps. She went on to open her own practice in the early 1990s before royal life came calling.
Queen Silvia of Sweden
© GettyQueen Silvia worked across various roles before she married the King of Sweden and became a full-time royal. Working at the Argentine Consulate in Munich, she went on to be an educational host during the 1972 Summer Olympics, as well as serving as the Deputy Head of Protocol in the Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
Her CV also boasts a brief stint as a flight attendant, as well as training in Swedish Sign Language. The elegant royal can also speak six languages and is a trained interpreter.
Princess Sofia of Sweden
© GettyPrincess Sofia of Sweden came from a very humble upbringing before catching the eye of Sweden's handsome Prince Carl Philip in 2010. She dabbled in modelling and reality television before moving to New York to study accounting while working part-time as a yoga instructor.
Prince Daniel of Sweden
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Daniel worked at retirement residences during his summer breaks before moving into sports leadership. He developed a love for fitness which led to the opening of his own gym, Balance, in 2006.
Even though he became a senior member of Sweden's royal family upon his marriage to Crown Princess Victoria in 2010, Daniel continued his education in a variety of subjects, including physiology, physical activity, and health.
Grace Kelly
© Bettmann ArchiveLong before Meghan Markle, Grace Kelly was a Hollywood star who ended up swapping the silver screen for royal responsibilities.
The Philadelphia-born actress was critically acclaimed, winning an Academy Award for The Country Girl in 1954 and starring in Alfred Hitchcock classics such as Rear Window and Dial M for Murder.
However, she famously retired from acting at the age of 26 when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, beginning her new life as Princess of Monaco. Sadly, she died at the age of 52 in a Monaco hospital following a car crash.
