For royal watchers, Kate Middleton, or the Duchess of Cambridge is an ideal royal woman with a dedicated commitment to royal responsibility. Now in her 40s, Kate's royal life revolves around engagements both at home and overseas, coupled with charitable work and patronages, and inevitably, raising her three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But before she married Prince William and became a regal mother of three, her life was equally eventful. Here's a brief look into Kate Middleton's pre-royal life, from her university life to past romances.

Kate Middleton was born on January 9, 1982, to the wealthy family of Michael and Carole Middleton. While their ancestors were working-class people, Kate's parents were able to give Kate a privileged upbringing as they ventured into a party-suppling business that generated a lucrative income. As a result, Kate could attend elite boarding schools such as Marlborough College, where she began to hang out with the class of aristocratic people.

Kate's parents were self-made millionaires with their Party Pieces company, which earned them a net worth of nearly $70 million. Kate grew up in a multi-million dollar apartment in Vernham Dean with her family during her early years.

Kate's time in boarding schools wasn't without its flaws, though. She experienced a miserable period of taunting and bullying when attending Downe House, and left the all-girls institution at 14. Afterward, she joined the elite Marlborough College, which witnessed her complete change in attitude. Here, Kate became confident, impressing every boy in the school with her skills in hockey and running.

Her time at Marlborough College was successful, with her passing 11 GCSEs and three A-level exams. Instead of moving straight to university, however, Kate decided to travel to Florence, Italy for a gap year with a few friends. There, she studied at the British Institute. According to Mylondon, although a lot of boys were interested in Kate, she was so shy that no romance ever happened in Italy.

Aside from excelling at school, Kate also showed her prowess in doing business, helping the day-to-day operation of her family business. A source told Mirror: 'Catherine had all the makings of a fantastic trader.'

Kate finally embarked on her University journey in September 2001, when she enrolled at St Andrews University in Scotland. Coincidentally, this was also Prince William's university of choice.

The two soon became friends, sharing the same course schedule. During their first months being friends, Prince William didn't have feelings for Kate as he was already preoccupied with escaping the media.

During her time at St Andrew's, she was just like any other commoner. Despite her wealthy background, she used to work as a waitress serving non-alcoholic cocktails.

At St Andrew's, she became a member of an aristocratic group called the 'Glossy Posse, who would gather at weekends in London nightclubs. It's revealed that the Duchess' favorite outing place was Boujis in South Kensington.

William and Middleton's relationship took to a new level in a charity fashion show. Their romance began to blossom, but thanks to the couple's decision to stay under the radar, the press didn't have much information back then. As a result, Kate's life was relatively normal just like other girls at university.

Their romance only came to light in 2004 when the couple was caught kissing while skiing in Klosters. Quickly, Kate Middleton became the target of paparazzi and a favorite topic for tabloids, whose articles discussed whether her status was fit for the Prince's royalty.

Despite media scrutiny, Middleton still applied herself to University studies. In 2005, Middleton graduated, earning an honors degree in art history.

Prior to wearing formal outfits as a Royal Family member, Kate's pre-royal wardrobe was already interesting, with her favorite staple being knee-high boots. The Duchess was seen in black and brown boots at the 2005 Festival of British Eventing.

After university, Kate moved to London and shared an apartment in the upmarket Chelsea area with her sister Pippa in 2007.

As William joined the army after university, Middleton was left alone struggling with the paparazzi frenzy. She moved to London with her sister Pippa and fended for herself by becoming a salesperson for the fashion firm Jigsaw. It is reported that Kate was excellent in her job, impressing the employer with her negotiating skills and work ethic.

However, due to their distance, her relationship with William came to a halt. It is claimed that in 2007, William decided to end their relationship by phone while she was at work.

However, the separation was short-lived. Only weeks after the rumor of their split, the couple was spotted kissing at an army party in Dorset. Middleton was also spotted at several royal events during this time.

In July 2007, Kate Middleton and brother James attended the Concert for Diana, an event that marked 10 years since Princess Diana's tragic death. Later that year, Kate moved into Clarence House, where she would spend the weekends with the Prince after he returned from military duties.

Middleton and William continued to keep themselves out of the public eye even after 2007. In 2008, Kate attended William's graduation ceremony as an RAF pilot at RAF Cranwell, marking their first public appearance together since 2006.

Even though their relationship went from strength to strength, it was not without its flaws. Before marriage, Middleton was reported to encounter the Queen's objection because she didn't have any proper job that could bring her a stable income.

On November 16, 2010, Middleton and William announced their engagement, before officially tying the knot on April 29, 2011. The rest is history, with Middleton quickly learning royal etiquettes and becoming a much-respected royal figure.