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Royalty is usually associated with fine clothing and expensive accessories, but Kate Middleton has proven that you don’t have to break the bank to look like a princess. Before marrying Prince William in 2011, the Princess of Wales worked at the British luxury clothing retailer Jigsaw. And with an affinity for the store’s clothing, she continues to wear the brand today.

Kate Middleton worked for the British label Jigsaw

Kate and William started dating while attending St. Andrews University. Shortly after their graduation in 2005, Kate was offered a job at the British brand Jigsaw by company owner Belle Robinson. 

She accepted the position. And as an assistant buyer, Kate was responsible for buying accessories and clothes for the label’s stores. She worked part-time at the company’s London head office from November 2006 to March 2007. 

After her four-month stint at Jigsaw, Kate left to pursue other interests. In April 2007, she briefly ended her relationship with Prince William and moved to Scotland to work with the charity, Children in Crisis. 

She went on to marry Prince William in 2011. And she’s worked on several charitable projects since, including her new initiative, the Royal Foundation for Early Childhood. 

Kate Middleton’s boss at Jigsaw was ‘impressed’ by her

In a 2008 chat with Evening Standard, Robinson detailed how Kate approached her for the job at Jigsaw. She revealed that the soon-to-be royal needed a position that could accommodate her relationship with Prince William. 

“She genuinely wanted a job but she needed an element of flexibility to continue the relationship with a very high-profile man and a life that she can’t dictate,” Robinson said. “She’s going to be dictated to when she’s needed and not needed.” 

Robinson recalled an incident when Kate was hounded by the press while at work. She was surprised at how gracefully Kate handled it. 

Kate Middleton wearing white and smiling
Catherine, Princess of Wales | Samir Hussein / Contributor
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“I have to say I was so impressed by her,” Robinson recalled. “There were days when there were TV crews at the end of the drive. We’d say: ‘Listen, do you want to go out the back way?’ And she’d say: ‘To be honest, they’re going to hound us until they’ve got the picture. So why don’t I just go, get the picture done, and then they’ll leave us alone.'”

“I thought she was very mature for a 26-year-old,” she continued. “And I think she’s been quite good at neither courting the press nor sticking two fingers in the air at them. I don’t think I would have been so polite.”

Kate Middleton still wears Jigsaw clothes

Kate married into the royal family, but her wardrobe still consists of accessible pieces. The Princess of Wales is repeatedly spotted wearing affordable brands, including her old label, Jigsaw. 

In 2018, she began sporting Jigsaw’s Sport Luxe Wide Leg Trousers in Navy Blue. She’s since worn the pants several times, including at a January 2023 event for Windsor Foodshare. 

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