Long ago, there was an ordinary girl who lived an ordinary life in an ordinary family. Her upbringing was normal, with all the ups and downs that most middle-class families go through. She went through an uneventful childhood followed by an equally mediocre youth. Her young adult life was pretty ordinary that is, until that serene moment when she met prince charming.
This is the storyline for most fairy tales and it would appear to also apply to the royal families these days. So where did these women, who are as different as the sun and the moon, spring from? Which street does a normal girl walk to ensure she meets her prince charming and what look is it that attracts the Royals to a seemingly normal girl with deep flaws? Where is love brewed for these royals that they would take a girl like Meghan Markle and who for all intents and purposes does not fit the bill for a princess?
While we all dream of being a princess one day and we fervently hope that a prince from some far away land will meet us in that coffee shop and we will look so irresistible that he will sweep us off our feet. It would appear that all these elaborate preparations as we wait for our prince charming are unnecessary as when these royals became princesses, they had nothing to write home about as evidenced by the following 15 rare pictures of the Royals before they became princesses.
15 Meghan Markle On Deal Or No Deal
There is a new Princess in town and she is no ordinary run of the mill princess. She is the newest, brainiest and talented princess, Meghan Markle.
Having grown up in an all girls school, Meghan is far from what you would expect any princess to be, according to Harper's Bazaar.
Born of divorced parents, Meghan is a mixed race with an African American mother and a Mexican father. She grew up in Los Angeles, attended Northwestern University and graduated with a double major.
Harper’s Bazaar goes on to quote her saying, "I knew I wanted to do acting, but I hated the idea of being this cliché — a girl from L.A. who decides to be an actress. I wanted more than that, and I had always loved politics, so I ended up changing my major completely and double-majoring in theater and international relations.”
Meghan was a star in the drama series Suits where she always gave a stellar performance as Rachel. Prior to that, she was briefcase #24 on the game show Deal or No Deal and doesn’t she look adorable in this pic? This one-time divorcee truly epitomizes what every girl dreams of and she can actually pull off a dinner story that dwells on ‘Remember when?’
14 Diana Spencer As A Wee Bit Newborn
Everyone knows who Princess Diana is but what most people do not know is that before Princess Diana become a princess she was Lady Diana Spencer, having been born into a royal family.
After her marriage to Prince Charles, she became Princess Diana, a princess after our own hearts that we truly adored and were heartbroken to lose. There are many photos of Princess Diana floating around, as she has become the darling of the media and the paparazzi alike.
But the snapshots of our princess before she earned the title are actually quite rare. Above is an adorable image of Diana Spencer as a newborn in the arms of her parents John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and the Honorable Frances Roche. Diana Spencer was born on 1st July 1961, in Sandringham, UK, and this is her first baby photo.
This princess was born to a noble family with some form of affluence evidenced by the mere fact that this photo was taken at an age when cameras were a rarity, according to The Talko.
The nobility had some pull and a new baby was something to be celebrated. Thanks to the family's pull we got to see this rare first photo of the People's Princess. Truly a treasure for those of us who loved and still love our Princess Diana.
13 Kate At Age 10
We have to admit, after Princess Diana, this is our favorite princess and doesn’t she look totally adorable as a young girl? This woman is what we would call effortless beauty with a figure to die for and flawless hair that always looks impeccable. From the first day Kate walked straight into Prince William’s life, literary, we all fell in love with her endearing personality. The media hounded her so much that according to the Talko, she had to get personal security before she even became a princess.
Theirs is a true Cinderella story -- well not really, but she was not born a royal. Her family was top crème, but certainly not royal.
Kate was the first princess of the Royal family who went to college where she got a degree and for some time, even took up a job.
While most of us may not be impressed by these credentials, it is noteworthy that if she was to ever ascend the throne, she would be the first queen to have set her feet into a college! We are hopeful that her little girl, oops, Princess Charlotte will follow in her mother's footsteps and adopt girl power to be the most learned princess.
12 Baby Diana Spencer
We're continuing on with the People’s Princess because we love her, and her pictures are just so adorable! Here is another photograph depicting a very cute baby Diana Spencer.
Princess Diana was a stone’s throw away from the Royal family as she was lady and as we all know, the Royals tend to marry within their family tree.
This is a bit weird for those of us outside Britain, but quite normal for them or around the surrounding wood stock. Princess Di’s grandmothers served the Queen Mother and it has emerged that the house the princess lived in was a rental from the Queen located in Park House.
It would appear that fate always intended for this darling of the people to become our princess. At this age, nothing notable had happened in Princess Di’s life and even her baptism was not noteworthy, having been baptized in St. Mary Magdalene church Sandringham, and even her godparents were nothing to talk about.
So how did this tiny tot (totally cute tot) become the People's Princess? Was it per-ordained or maybe it’s luck or it is true that our destiny is written in the stars and her destiny was chiseled right next to the Royals.
11 Toddler Diana Spencer
Why break a good thing? Still following the People’s Princess and here we get to see our darling as a toddler. Diana had a truly favored childhood, living the high life as a tenant of the Queen in Sandringham.
She lacked nothing and was living the high life as her family was able to afford a rental at the Queen's abode means she had all that she needed. She has had all the opportunities, but by then she was a shy little girl and even when she was an adult, it was the first thing the media latched onto about her personality.
The age difference between Princess Diana and Prince Charles was quite huge because, by the time Princess Diana was a toddler, Prince Charles was already in his pre-teens having been born in 1948.
It is noteworthy that even though she lived in his mother's house as a tenant, the two were not acquainted at this time. Even with this close proximity, theirs was a case of close but yet too far. It could be because of their age difference as their friends would be different, but they would reunite years later and go ahead to marry and have two children, princes of the land.
10 Kate Middleton At The Midnight Roller Disco
Kate Middleton, our all so favorite Royal had a not so royal past and she wasn’t one to sit pretty in the house twiddling her fingers. Here she is photographed getting her groove on at the midnight roller disco in 2008. This was a disco event in memory of Tom Waley-Cohen, one of her school friends who died of cancer.
She was on the organizing committee and one of Tom’s brothers, Sam, raved about it. He said, “She has been brilliant, using all of her contacts to make things happen and make sure we don’t make any mistakes. We wanted to do something fresh and new, something that would be fun and a bit tongue-in-cheek, reflecting the lighter side of life – very much like Thomas was himself.”
It's as a result of this giving side that she took a break to do some volunteer work in Chile. She also took time to do studies in the British Institute situated in Florence. This is the makings of a true princess, one who chooses to constructively spend her break from school to do something to better the lives of others. We are falling more and more in love with this diligent Princess who has now been involved in many more philanthropic ventures as a princess.
9 And Again At The Badminton Horse Trials In 2007
We are totally in love with this one and she looks quite adorable and put together with all the markings of a Princess. Princess Kate has always been into the outdoors. This is probably the secret to her size 0 look that leaves all of us green with envy.
Or is it the Dukan diet that she utilized in order to slim down for her fairytale wedding (which she didn't need by the way). Perhaps even it's due to her boxing classes or pilates lessons which she so adores?
Whatever her secret is, she does appear to love her physical activities and had been an avid athlete as a teenager. She played tennis, swam, played field hockey and even ran cross country. As if this isn’t interesting enough, she was even in a rowing team!
With everything she accomplishes, this adorable Princess has managed to win the hearts of all her fans. Even motherhood has not in anyway diminished her charm. We may all believe that no royal princess will ever take the place of our beloved Princess Diana in our hearts, but Kate Middleton is set to give her a ran for her money in the endearment game and we look forward to seeing what she will do in the years to come.
8 Diana Being Courted By Princes Charles
This picture depicts Princess Diana during her courtship with Prince Charles. According to Popsugar, Princess Diana and Prince Charles had the weirdest courtship ever; to begin with, they met when Prince Charles was dating Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
When the two broke up, Charles set his eyes on Princess Diana. They were both on a weekend getaway in the countryside with mutual friends and their friendship was ignited over a game of polo.
Theirs was a whirlwind romance, tying the knot after only twelve dates! Yet some of us go for five years before a normal guy can pop the question! The two got engaged in 1981 and they went on to get married. Even though she was our true princess, their relationship was far from perfect with both of them having numerous extramarital affairs. While it is silently okay for the male royals to stray according to society, for a female royal to stray is quite unacceptable.
The relationship between Princess Di and the Queen became strained and Diana developed an eating disorder, even going as far as attempting suicide. Charles and Diana were to later divorce before Princess Di tragically died to leave behind her two young sons.
7 Diana’s Wedding - A Break In Tradition
Pictures of princesses before they received their amazing titles cannot be concluded without the British Royal weddings. Looking all trim and perfect, Diana married Prince Charles as is traditional, but for her to wear her elaborate wedding gown.
She had to be sown into it because, as her designer said, “She had dropped from a size 29" waist to a 23.5". Every time she turned up for a fitting, she had lost more weight."
"We put it down to nerves, but it did make it incredibly difficult for us to get on with making the dress. We had to keep taking the bodice in and changing the pattern. The last thing we wanted was to make it up in silk, then have to play around with that,” they added.
Then came the wedding day and Princess Di broke the longest tradition in marriage history by ditching the word "obey" in her vows. She did however, promise to “love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and health.”
To complete their break in tradition, Prince Charles forgot the part where the groom kisses the bride and to make up for it, the two shared a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace starting a new tradition that their sons have followed. Her pre-princess wedding photo is adorable, we have to agree.
6 Kate Middleton's Wedding - A Country-Stopping Affair
Princess Diana's son William married Kate Middleton on Friday, April 29, 2011, and to celebrate this great occasion, the day was declared to be a public holiday in the United Kingdom.
Everyone was expected to be glued to their TV watching this lovely couple finally tie the knot. We consider a wedding with fifty people too many and for most of us, this is the kind of affair we wish we do not have to go through.
But for this couple, their wedding was attended by 1900 guests with about 25 million people tuning in to watch the couple exchange vows.
The budget for the wedding was no mean feat with the Royals coughing a whopping £23.7m, shared between the Royals and the Middletons.
Looking at this wedding photo, we are left in awe at the elaborate detail and how beautiful it looks. The Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen lace dress that had long lace sleeves, a long veil and a tiara according to Express.
Another report by the Sunday Times reported at the time, "A fashion source said that the dress will be a combination of Middleton's own design ideas and Burton's deep knowledge and understanding of high fashion." The designer even attended the wedding in order to style the dress before Kate could walk down the aisle. We have to admit hands down, this dress won the show.
5 Meghan Markle's Wedding - Genuine Happiness
Least and in no way least, is the newest couple in royal land, Harry and Meghan's church ceremony, which took place in May at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. The choice of the church was because the Prince felt strongly about the church, as it is where he was first baptized. Having attended Eton College from 1998 to 2003, he spent a great deal of time at the chapel.
According to Victoria Beckham, who was a guest to the wedding, it was perfect and she said, “It was such a beautiful, incredible wedding. It was just the best day. They looked so happy, and everybody was just so happy for them. Meghan seems like a genuinely lovely woman, who really loves him. It felt very real, very honest.”
With regards to her wedding dress, Victoria gushed, "I thought she looked absolutely beautiful. It really suited her. I thought it was perfect for her. And Harry looked great."
We have to admit that the dress and the wedding and even the guests dressing did not disappoint and the new Royals seem to be truly in love. Giving us hope that this time around another Kate and William marriage is in the making.
4 Bonus: Queen Noor
Then there are those who just fit the bill and their look instantly makes them appear regal enough to be princesses. That is the status of Queen Noor. Looking at her picture, one is enthralled by her beauty, she married King Hussein on 15th of June 1978, and became the Queen of Jordan and adopted her husband's Sunni Islamic religion.
Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby, she changed her name to Noor al-Hussein, which is translated into the ‘Light of Hussein.’ This Queen was not pedestrian though, as she came from a family that could hold their own.
Her father was an experimental Navy test pilot, as well as a government official. Even though she was a foreigner, she was accepted wholeheartedly after her traditional Muslim wedding and she became a most influential woman assuming the management of her home, as well as her stepchildren. Princesses and queens are made by the title, but it is the size of a woman's heart that makes her a Princess of the people and Queen Noor has managed to become a people’s darling even after the death of her husband. Proving the fact that even in a full house, one can find love.
3 Bonus: Grace Kelly Started Out As An Actress
It appears that the royals tend to fall in love with actresses. Before Meghan Markle stole Prince Harry's heart, Grace Kelly had already successfully stolen the heart of the Prince of Monaco.
According to Wikipedia, Grace Patricia Kelly, an American actress, put on the shoes of a princess in April 1956, when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Grace Kelly was an actress who appeared on stage and radio. She made her first movie appearing in Mogambo with Clark Gable and her performance garnered her a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination. In 1955, Grace was the head of a U.S. delegation that was to meet Prince Rainier III on an invitation.
The Prince must have been smitten with her and they began to secretly correspond even though she was dating actor Jean-Pierre Aumont. The Prince would later follow her to the U.S., apparently on a two-month American tour with speculation that he was there to look for a wife.
He did propose to her and they married later in what was considered the wedding of the year. Once married, she retired from acting. She became a dual citizen, choosing to retain her American ties and would go on to bear three children. The regal Princess died in 1982 after she suffered a stroke that led to a fatal accident. The half American princess looks superb in this photo.
2 Bonus: Wallis Simpson
Like we said before, it is sometimes amazing how normal girls become princesses, keeping our childhood fairytales alive. In 1931, the Prince of Wales met Wallis Simpson, an American and a divorcee on her second marriage. “Wallis is wearing very very badly. Her commonness and Becky Sharpishness irritate” wrote Lady Diana Cooper in 1936, according to History Extra
The English upper class believed that Wallis was a social climber who did not deserve to breathe the same air as them.
Edward adored her though and he wrote, “My own beloved Wallis, I love you more & more & more & more… I haven’t seen you once today & I can’t take it. I love you.”
Edward became king in 1936, King Edward VIII. He convinced her to get a divorce, hoping to marry her afterward, but the English aristocracy would not allow it.
Winston Churchill wrote about their relationship saying, “Although branded with the stigma of a guilty love, no companionship could have appeared more natural, more free from impropriety or grossness.”
Even with this kind of love, his marriage was denied and rather than be without herm, he chose to abdicate the throne. This is the kind of love that is so rare that hearing about it seems like something in a movie. Who knew that a nobody could become somebody and elicit such love from a king no less.
1 Bonus: Hope Cooke Met Her Prince On A Freshman Trip
There is something about American women that inspires in men the desire to turn them into princesses. According to The Spectator, there was a Himalayan kingdom the size of Wales called Sikkim. Palden Thondup Namgya married Hope Cooke, an American beauty in her twenties in 1963. Their meeting was quite serene like most princess meets prince meetings tend to be. According Wikipedia,
Hope was a freshman and on a summer trip when she met Palden. While on the trip to India, she met her prince charming, who was 36 and a recent widower with one daughter and two sons.
They were instantly drawn to each other and they announced their engagement in 1961, but the wedding was postponed because astrologers warned them that 1962 was not an auspicious year for a wedding.
When Hope got married, she embraced her new life wholeheartedly but noted “I can just see them using me as a wedge to help destroy his [Palden’s] rule.” Which is no surprise, they did. Even though this marriage did eventually die, it proved that even people from diverse backgrounds can find love in unexpected places and we can’t get over this gorgeous pic that proves just that.
References: TheTalko, HarpersBazaar, PopSugar, Wikipedia, HistoryExtra