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These days, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is the picture of poise and regalness. The mother-of-three is one of the most beloved members of the British royal family. She has stepped into her role gracefully, preparing to be by Prince William’s side when he becomes the Crowned King one day. However, the duchess’ journey to the future Queen Regent wasn’t born overnight.

At one point in her life, Kate was a normal college student who fell for a young man who just so happened to be one of the most recognizable people on the planet. Though the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are a steady force today, once upon a time, they were just two young people trying to navigate their romance amid the prying eyes of the public.

In fact, though she upholds the traditions of the royal family wonderfully, during her college days, the duchess was much more relatable than you would have ever expected.

Inside Kate Middleton’s college years

The Duchess of Cambridge almost never met Prince William. Initially, she was committed to attending the University of Edinburgh. However, at the last minute, she decided to take a gap year spending time in Chile and at the British Institute of Florence in Palazzo Dello Strozzino in Florence, Italy. When she returned, she decided to attend the oldest school in Scotland, St. Andrews University. This is where she met the prince.

When she arrived in 2001, the duchess decided to pursue a degree in History of Art. She also met Prince William. At first, the two were just friends running in the same circles. They were even dating other people.

However, in the second semester, the prince saw Kate walking in a school fashion show which changed how he thought about her. The royal couple shared their first kiss that night.

Kate Middleton’s work ethic has been questioned

Though she has fully embraced her royal role, there was a time when the Duchess of Cambridge’s work ethic was questioned. After graduating from St. Andrews the duchess took some time to figure out what she wanted to do. She worked for her parents’ company for some time, and then for a while at a design company, Jigsaw in London. However, she couldn’t seem to settle on anything.

“Queen Elizabeth had grave concerns and believed that Kate needed to have a job and an identity in her own right before an engagement was announced,” royal expert Katie Nicholl explained.

Eventually, the duchess found her calling with work that advocates for children and childhood development. Still, that doesn’t stop Prince William from jokingly calling his wife, Duchess Dolittle.

Kate Middleton used to be a waitress

Though it took her some time to find her footing, the duchess isn’t a lazy person. Over the holiday season in 2019, the duchess revealed to chef Mary Berry that she used to be a server in college. “It reminded me of my university days when I did a bit of waitressing,” Kate said during the BBC special A Berry Royal Christmas. When Berry asked the duchess if she was any good she said, “No – I was terrible.”

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