She didnt think she was a star: the surprising job Kate Middleton had before joining the royal family

Kate Middleton was not born a princess. Before becoming the most scrutinized personality in the British monarchy, Prince William’s wife was a completely normal person. She even had a job. A real one. Well, she didn’t keep it for very long, that’s true (barely a year), but this professional experience served her well in the future.

Kate Middleton: her first steps in the working world If she got engaged to Prince William in 2010, she waited eight long years before he finally decided to ask her to marry him. Kate did not immediately dive into the royal world. After finishing her studies at the University of St Andrews in 2005 and with her romantic future still uncertain, at the end of 2006, she landed a part-time position (three days a week) at the luxury British ready-to-wear company Jigsaw – whose founders, Belle and John Robinson, are acquaintances of the Middleton family. Quite a coincidence (or maybe not).

There, Kate worked as an accessories buyer. In reality, the young woman had a very versatile role, similar to that of a junior assistant. And it wasn’t easy juggling between her work and… her status as William’s girlfriend. At the time, Kate was relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi. When she applied for a job with Belle Robinson, she had one requirement: she made it clear that she needed a certain flexibility to continue her relationship “with a very prominent man” and to lead a life she couldn’t control.

Between media pressure and disarming simplicity “I really was impressed by her,” Belle Robinson recounted in 2008 to the Standard. “There were days when TV crews were waiting at the end of the alley. They would say to her, ‘Do you want to go through the back?’ And she would reply, ‘Honestly, they will harass us until they get their photo. So I might as well go, let them take their snapshot, and then they will leave us alone.”

During those few months, Kate made a strong impression on everyone. Snobbish? Not at all! “At lunchtime, she would sit in the kitchen and chat with everyone, from delivery drivers to accountants. She wasn’t the type to act like a star,” Belle Robinson continued. A truly royal attitude. This first job, held for about a year starting in 2006, allowed Kate to gain solid work experience before gradually integrating into royal circles. And she has remained loyal to the brand, regularly wearing their outfits.