Royals are literally born into celebrity, but sometimes it takes some work to get ready for the world stage. These are the glow-ups we can't stop thinking about.
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00:00:00Royals are literally born into celebrity, but sometimes it takes some work to get ready
00:00:04for the world stage.
00:00:06These are the glow-ups we can't stop thinking about.
00:00:09Before she lit up the tabloids as Prince Harry's girlfriend, Meghan Markle was turning heads
00:00:14as an actress and model.
00:00:15She's a self-made woman with beauty, grace, and charm.
00:00:19But of course, no fairy tale is without its setbacks.
00:00:22From struggling with her multiracial identity to a very public divorce to knocking down
00:00:27the patriarchy, Markle's obstacles have only made her stronger.
00:00:32Born Rachel Meghan Markle on August 4th, 1981, Markle comes from a showbiz background.
00:00:37Her dad, Thomas Markle, is a cinematographer.
00:00:40And as a kid, Markle tagged along to set, spurring her interest in showbiz.
00:00:45But things weren't as easy as they seemed for the budding actress.
00:00:49Markle's dad is Caucasian, while her mother, Doria Ragland, is African American.
00:00:54Markle wrote in Elle about not knowing where she fit on the racial identity spectrum, thanks
00:00:58to a classroom questionnaire, and not knowing which box to check.
00:01:02"'My teacher told me to check the box for Caucasian.
00:01:06I couldn't bring myself to do that, to picture the pit-in-her-belly sadness my mother would
00:01:10feel if she were to find out.
00:01:12So I left my identity blank, a question mark, an absolute incomplete, much like how I felt."
00:01:18Later, her father told her,
00:01:20If that happens again, you draw your own box.
00:01:24Markle has carved out a place for herself in an industry that wasn't always willing
00:01:28to accept her.
00:01:29She described her frustrations with entertainment industry labels in Elle, saying,
00:01:34"'I wasn't black enough for the black roles, and I wasn't white enough for the white ones,'
00:01:39leaving me somewhere in the middle as the ethnic chameleon."
00:01:42Even after Markle achieved stardom, Hollywood still tried to minimize her features.
00:01:47She told Allure,
00:01:48To this day, my pet peeve is when my skin tone is changed and my freckles are airbrushed
00:01:53out of a photo shoot.
00:01:55For all my freckle-faced friends out there, I will share with you something my dad told
00:01:59me when I was younger.
00:02:00A face without freckles is a night without stars.
00:02:04In 2015, Markle recounted a story on her now-defunct website, The Tig, that was relayed to her
00:02:10by her grandfather.
00:02:12When Markle's mother was young, the family went to Kentucky Fried Chicken, and because
00:02:16of their color, were forced to eat in the parking lot instead of inside.
00:02:20Markle wrote,
00:02:21"'That story' still haunts me.
00:02:23It reminds me of how young our country is, how far we've come and how far we still have
00:02:27to come.
00:02:28It makes me wonder what my parents experienced as a mixed-race couple.
00:02:32Today, Markle says those stories instilled in her a social consciousness to do what I
00:02:37could and to, at the very least, speak up when I knew something was wrong."
00:02:42As Markle first struggled to distinguish herself in Hollywood, one of her early television
00:02:47appearances was in 2006, as a briefcase girl on the game show Deal or No Deal.
00:02:53Just 25 years old at the time, Markle said the experience helped her understand what
00:02:57she really wanted to do.
00:02:58No one ever chose her suitcase, forcing her to stay on her feet for the entire game.
00:03:03She said,
00:03:04"'I would end up standing up there forever in these terribly uncomfortable and inexpensive
00:03:09five-inch heels just waiting for someone to pick my number so I could go and sit down.'
00:03:14It wouldn't be long before she'd slip into some nicer kicks."
00:03:18Landing the role of Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits transformed Markle into a star.
00:03:23In 2011, the 29-year-old began filming the series, saying that, right away, the show
00:03:28stole her heart.
00:03:29The character of Rachel is not only beautiful but also whip-smart, what Markle referred
00:03:34to as the Dream Girl.
00:03:36Her role didn't just launch her career, but broke ground by landing a multi-racial woman
00:03:41on TV.
00:03:42She said,
00:03:43"'Some households may never have had a black person in their house as a guest or someone
00:03:47biracial.
00:03:48Well, now there are a lot of us on your TV and in your home with you.
00:03:52And with Suits, specifically, you have Rachel Zane.
00:03:55I couldn't be prouder of that.
00:03:57We're Team Rachel all the way.'"
00:04:00Markle may have followed her father's showbiz footsteps, but she also got an education,
00:04:04like her mom, who earned a master's in social work from USC.
00:04:08Markle herself graduated from Northwestern in 2003, where she double-majored in theater
00:04:13and international studies.
00:04:15Using her degrees, Markle not only acts, she has also worked for the U.S. Embassy in Buenos
00:04:20Aires and as a UN Women's Advocate.
00:04:23And Markle's already making waves.
00:04:25In 2016, at the age of 35, she took part in the One Young World Summit, joining other
00:04:31young adults who are working to transform the sociopolitical landscape.
00:04:35Markle believes that her fame is a wonderful opportunity, telling Elle,
00:04:39"'It also includes responsibility, to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers
00:04:44and more on pushing through glass ceilings.
00:04:47And if I'm lucky enough, to inspire.'"
00:04:50Markle's been advocating for women since way back.
00:04:53At the age of 11, she recalls seeing a commercial played on the TV in her classroom, claiming,
00:04:58quote,
00:04:59"'People all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.'"
00:05:03According to her, the boys in her class exclaimed,
00:05:05"'Yeah, that's where women belong.
00:05:08In the kitchen.'"
00:05:09Markle went home and wrote letters to civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred and then-First
00:05:13Lady Hillary Clinton.
00:05:15Moved by the young girl's outrage, the women pledged their support, and within a few months,
00:05:20the commercial was edited.
00:05:21Now, people all over America were fighting greasy pots and pans.
00:05:26Today, Markle eschews feminist stereotypes.
00:05:29In a 2016 keynote at the Create & Cultivate conference, Markle was asked by an audience
00:05:34member how she balances being feminine with being a feminist.
00:05:38Markle said,
00:05:39"'You don't have to play dress-up to be a feminist.
00:05:41You are a feminist exactly as you are.'"
00:05:44Markle dated producer Trevor Engelson for several years before the celebrity power couple
00:05:48became engaged.
00:05:49The pair were married for just two years before divorcing in 2013, making the split public
00:05:55shortly after Markle's 32nd birthday.
00:05:58While the split seemed amicable at the time, Markle's divorcee status was scrutinized by
00:06:02the public when she became involved with Prince Harry in 2016.
00:06:07The actress distanced herself from the gossip, even shutting down her lifestyle site The
00:06:11Tig as she was thrust into the spotlight.
00:06:14Her parting message?
00:06:15"'Above all, don't ever forget your worth.
00:06:17As I've told you time and time again, you, my sweet friend, you are enough.'"
00:06:23Prince William has undergone quite the stunning transformation.
00:06:26From his early heartthrob status as a young prince at the University of St. Andrews to
00:06:30his current life as a doting husband and dad, here's just how much the royal has changed
00:06:35over the years.
00:06:37Obviously, Prince William's mother was Princess Diana, and while being born into the royal
00:06:42family would always mean Prince William was a bit of a celebrity, he was likely a little
00:06:46more beloved because of who his mother was.
00:06:49Princess Diana was known as the People's Princess because the public absolutely loved her and
00:06:54felt connected to her, so when she had her first child, people everywhere were thrilled.
00:07:00Prince William was actually born at the exact same hospital where he and his wife would
00:07:03eventually welcome their three children.
00:07:06The royal was born at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London on June 21, 1982.
00:07:13His full name, William Arthur Philip Louis, wasn't announced until a week later, on June
00:07:1828, 1982.
00:07:20Additionally, as Prince William's parents were Prince Charles and Princess Diana, he
00:07:24became the first child born to a prince and princess of Wales since 1905.
00:07:30Basically, to say his birth was pretty historic would be quite the understatement.
00:07:36Prince William was only two years old when his younger brother, Prince Harry, was born
00:07:39on September 15, 1984, at the same hospital where he was born.
00:07:44Although Prince William might not have had the kind of childhood most people can relate
00:07:48to, Princess Diana reportedly wanted to make sure that her sons remained relatively down
00:07:53to earth.
00:07:54As reported by People, Princess Diana said,
00:07:56"...I want my boys to have an understanding of people's emotions, their insecurities,
00:08:01people's distress, and their hopes and dreams."
00:08:04To that end, she made it a point to take the boys on public transportation and to visit
00:08:09orphanages, hospitals, and homeless shelters.
00:08:12Basically, Prince William's childhood was as normal as it was possible for a prince's
00:08:17life to be.
00:08:19Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce in 1996.
00:08:26Obviously, for young Prince William, who would have been only 10 when his parents first separated,
00:08:31it wasn't an easy time.
00:08:32In fact, a former BBC royal correspondent, Jenny Bond, told the Express,
00:08:37"...it was all the wrong way round for William.
00:08:40He was having to comfort his mother when she should have been looking after him.
00:08:43He was just a little boy."
00:08:46Just one year after her divorce from Prince Charles was finalized, Princess Diana was
00:08:51killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
00:08:54Prince William was just 15 years old and staying at Balmoral Castle in Scotland when he learned
00:09:00of his mother's passing.
00:09:02During a trip to Scotland in 2021, William recalled,
00:09:05"...and in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish
00:09:10outdoors.
00:09:11As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep."
00:09:15Losing his mother was obviously devastating to Prince William, and likely affected him
00:09:19in more ways than one.
00:09:21So how exactly did Prince William react when, in 2005, his father married Camilla Parker-Bowles?
00:09:28Penny Junor, author of The Firm, said of the complicated situation,
00:09:32The official line was that both boys were delighted at their father's happiness.
00:09:36Sure enough, privately, their mood was more one of acceptance than undiluted joy at the
00:09:42prospect of having Camilla as their stepmother.
00:09:46Additionally, body language experts explained that Prince William showed signs of unease
00:09:50during Prince Charles' wedding to Camilla.
00:09:52Apparently, things weren't all peachy behind the scenes, and Prince William may not have
00:09:57been all that thrilled that his dad remarried.
00:10:00Like many high school graduates, Prince William went on to college, and when Prince William
00:10:04went to the University of St. Andrews, he was actually able to have a pretty normal
00:10:08college experience.
00:10:10Specifically, the media and the royal family came to an agreement that the press wouldn't
00:10:14follow William around at college if he gave an interview on his first day, which he did.
00:10:20So Prince William was free to live his life at university, and it was there that he met
00:10:24his future wife, Kate Middleton.
00:10:26According to Middleton herself, their first meeting was about as normal as you could get,
00:10:30minus the fact that Middleton was meeting a literal prince.
00:10:34As the Duchess of Cambridge revealed in her official engagement interview with Prince
00:10:38William,
00:10:39Well, I actually think I went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling
00:10:43very shy about meeting you.
00:10:46We did become, you know, very close friends from quite early on.
00:10:50Not being stalked by paparazzi seemingly allowed Prince William to come out of his shell while
00:10:55away at school.
00:10:57As Prince William is a member of the royal family, it wasn't shocking that his education
00:11:01didn't end when he graduated college.
00:11:04According to Britannica, though Prince William graduated from St. Andrews in 2005, he continued
00:11:09with his education by entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
00:11:14And though his time in the academy obviously came to an end, Prince William remembers it
00:11:18quite fondly.
00:11:19In 2018, Prince William attended the annual Sovereign's Day Parade and gave a speech filled
00:11:24with nostalgia for his time at the academy, and revealed,
00:11:28It is almost 12 years ago to the day that I stood where you are.
00:11:31I remember the deep sense of pride that came from passing out of one of the finest military
00:11:36academies in the world.
00:11:38For as much pride as his time in the academy brought him, William also joked,
00:11:43I also remember the acute sense of relief that I would no longer be getting thrashed
00:11:47at Sunnybridge, a military training area in Wales, or having to dig trenches for five
00:11:53days.
00:11:54On April 29, 2011, Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton in one of the most
00:12:00historic wedding ceremonies to date.
00:12:02The nuptials included celebrity guests and gorgeous flowers, and Kate wore a custom dress
00:12:07from Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton that went on to inspire dozens of wedding
00:12:12looks for future brides.
00:12:14Basically, it was a huge day for Prince William, and during his engagement interview, it was
00:12:19clear he was excited to marry the love of his life.
00:12:22When asked how he felt about having such a public engagement and eventually such a public
00:12:26wedding, Prince William revealed,
00:12:28Massively excited.
00:12:30Quite happy when the interview's over, but no.
00:12:32We are hugely excited and we are looking forward to spending the rest of our times, the rest
00:12:37of our lives together and seeing what the future holds."
00:12:40Yeah, I was very pleased that she said yes."
00:12:42After Prince William married Kate Middleton, the two went on to live quite the fairy tale
00:12:46life and they started their own family together.
00:12:49Their oldest child, Prince George, was born on July 22, 2013.
00:12:54Then came Princess Charlotte, who was born on May 2, 2015.
00:12:58Finally, Prince Louis was born on April 27, 2018.
00:13:03All three children were born in the same hospital that Prince William himself was born
00:13:08in.
00:13:09Becoming a father seemed to have had a great impact on Prince William.
00:13:12As he revealed in the BBC documentary, Football, Prince William, and Our Mental Health,
00:13:17Having children is the biggest life-changing moment.
00:13:20It really is.
00:13:21I think when you've been through something traumatic in life — my mother dying when
00:13:24I was younger — the emotions come back in leaps and bounds.
00:13:27I've always loved football, but I've loved football more now than I've ever loved it
00:13:32before."
00:13:34Prince William had to say goodbye to his grandfather, Prince Philip, in April 2021.
00:13:38Prince Philip definitely lived a long and full life, as he died at the age of 99.
00:13:43Still, it couldn't have been easy for Prince William to lose his grandfather.
00:13:47In a statement, William shared,
00:13:49"'My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation.
00:13:54Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen
00:13:58in the years ahead.
00:13:59I will miss my grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job."
00:14:04Prince William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, grew up pretty close by all accounts.
00:14:09They were only two years apart and seemed to be good friends as well as brothers.
00:14:13But after Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, their relationship appeared to suffer.
00:14:18In March 2019, reports surfaced that Prince William and Prince Harry had unfortunately
00:14:23had a falling out.
00:14:24At the time, royal filmmaker Nick Bullen told Fox News,
00:14:28They are two grown men in their thirties, starting their own families, different wives.
00:14:33They are moving to different parts of the country, different duties."
00:14:36But that was before Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey, when Harry revealed he
00:14:41and his brother really weren't getting along.
00:14:44The interview also suggested that the royal family had racist tendencies towards Meghan.
00:14:49After the interview aired, Prince William denied that the royal family was racist, but
00:14:53also said he hadn't yet spoken directly to his brother about it all.
00:14:57They were very much not racist at all."
00:15:00It would appear as though their brotherly relationship is more strained now than ever
00:15:04before.
00:15:06Pippa Middleton was thrust into the spotlight when her sister became the Duchess of Cambridge
00:15:10in 2011.
00:15:12From simple beginnings to not-so-welcome public attention, Middleton has worked hard to earn
00:15:17her success on her own terms.
00:15:18Here's a look at Pippa's stunning transformation.
00:15:23Growing up, Middleton had a normal childhood, with a normal family and normal mealtimes.
00:15:28In particular, she's spoken about the family's meals each week and the expectations put on
00:15:33her and her siblings.
00:15:35She shared with Daily Mail,
00:15:36"...we were taught to eat properly and to eat together as a family three times a day.
00:15:40As children, we didn't have anything different.
00:15:42We always ate what our parents ate.
00:15:44We had to stay at the table until we had eaten everything.
00:15:47There were no exceptions."
00:15:50Even though she had a normal childhood, she did come from a family with money.
00:15:54With this lifestyle and her sister's future association with the royals, Middleton has
00:15:59had to deal with some harsh assumptions from others throughout the years.
00:16:03Middleton dislikes being called a socialite.
00:16:05She spoke with Daily Mail about the word in 2016.
00:16:08Reflecting on the challenges she has faced throughout the years, she said,
00:16:12"...people see me as someone privileged who has used my position to my advantage.
00:16:16That I don't really work, that I am a socialite.
00:16:19That word really irritates me, and that I'm a party girl without any substance."
00:16:23These assumptions are pretty far from the truth.
00:16:26As Daily Mail shared, Middleton worked hard since her teen years to reach her goals.
00:16:30She earned a sports scholarship for secondary school and studied English literature at Edinburgh
00:16:35University.
00:16:38As time has gone by, it's become clear that Pippa and sister Kate not only look alike,
00:16:42but share a similar style.
00:16:44Throughout the years, the two have been seen in similar outfit choices, showing that they've
00:16:48had similar transformations over time.
00:16:50From a good print to fabulous nude shoes and even the most stunning casual pieces, these
00:16:55fashion choices by the Middleton sisters have shown that they can rock any type of look.
00:17:01The big moment of recognition for Pippa Middleton came during her sister's wedding to Prince
00:17:06William in 2011.
00:17:07Unexpectedly, a great amount of attention was paid to Pippa's form-fitting bridesmaid
00:17:12dress, and her rear end was named the Top Body Moment of 2011 by People.
00:17:18Suddenly, the world sort of took a collective gasp."
00:17:21Middleton shared her simple and direct thoughts about the fame and chatter her dress caused,
00:17:26saying,
00:17:27"...I was surprised and still don't understand it."
00:17:31After the big royal wedding in 2011, Middleton was thrown into a world of press and public
00:17:36attention that was overwhelming.
00:17:38Middleton spoke to this new way of life that she had been forced to experience, saying
00:17:41to The Telegraph,
00:17:42"...it is a bit startling to achieve global recognition, if that's the right word.
00:17:47On account of your sister, your brother-in-law, and your bottom."
00:17:50In 2014, the 30-year-old Middleton spoke with Today about the struggles she has faced due
00:17:55to this intense public attention.
00:17:57She said,
00:17:58"...there is a lot of pressure I get in London, just my day-to-day routine.
00:18:02Occasionally, I might get followed by paparazzi.
00:18:05It's been a bit difficult.
00:18:06It's getting used to not being entirely private."
00:18:10It's even gone as far as bullying.
00:18:11She spoke to this as well during the interview, saying,
00:18:14"...I have felt publicly bullied a little bit, when I read things that clearly aren't
00:18:18true.
00:18:19I'm just trying to live a life like any 30-year-old."
00:18:22Pippa Middleton and her sister, the Duchess of Cambridge, have made sure to keep a sisterly
00:18:27relationship that is as normal as possible as the years have passed.
00:18:31During an interview with Today in 2014, Middleton spoke to this bond with her sister, saying,
00:18:35"...we spend a lot of time together.
00:18:38We still do a lot together as a family, and I think that's sort of the heart for all of
00:18:41us, is having a really close family."
00:18:45Being part of a close family, Pippa Middleton presumably considered it to be a big moment
00:18:48when she took on the role of aunt, first to Prince George when he was born in July 2013.
00:18:54She then became an auntie to Princess Charlotte when she was born in May 2015, and then again
00:18:59to Prince Louis in 2018.
00:19:01In her 2014 interview with Today, Middleton opened up about her love for being an aunt.
00:19:06She smiled as she shared,
00:19:08"...he's amazing.
00:19:09He's a very, very dear boy, and he's brought a lot of pleasure and fun for all of us, the
00:19:13whole family."
00:19:15Over time, Pippa has shown that she can add a few more titles to her list of skills, including
00:19:19writer and cook.
00:19:21In 2016, the 33-year-old released the cookbook Heartfelt, which focuses on, as the cover
00:19:26states, quick and easy recipes for a healthy heart.
00:19:29Although it's the heart's health that's a big focus with these healthy recipes, Middleton
00:19:33gave more details in her book about her own heart.
00:19:36She wrote,
00:19:38"...my mother always says preparing a healthy and tasty meal for the family is one of life's
00:19:42greatest pleasures and pressures."
00:19:44She went on, later, to thank her family for their support through her creation of this
00:19:49cookbook, writing,
00:19:50"...I would also like to thank my family and friends who have been shamelessly used as
00:19:54guinea pigs, sometimes unwittingly."
00:19:58Pippa Middleton showed her ultimate expertise and style skills in May 2017, when the bride
00:20:04married her now-husband, James Matthews.
00:20:07She showed up in an amazing gown, fit for royalty.
00:20:10According to People, the dress was custom-made by British designer Giles Deacon, who shared
00:20:14that he was, quote, "...thrilled to work with Pippa on her wedding dress."
00:20:17The designer went into more detail, according to Business of Fashion.
00:20:21He said,
00:20:22"...I wanted that how-was-that-done factor.
00:20:24It's all hand-pieced, which is why you don't actually see a seam."
00:20:27Accessorized with a beautiful veil designed by Stephen Jones and an amazing tiara made
00:20:32by Robinson Pelham, the whole look was flawless.
00:20:35So how much of this was Middleton's vision versus the designer's?
00:20:39Deacon shared,
00:20:40"...She has a great eye.
00:20:41She knew what she wanted."
00:20:42In 2018, Middleton gave birth to a son, Arthur Michael William Matthews.
00:20:49Middleton gave birth at St. Mary's Hospital in the private Lindo Wing.
00:20:52This also happened to be where Kate Middleton delivered her children.
00:20:56Fans were able to follow her pregnancy journey through her fitness column for Waitrose, in
00:21:01which she wrote posts on how to exercise during pregnancy.
00:21:04Middleton offered up different advice for each trimester, as well as how to maintain
00:21:08strength during those nine months.
00:21:10She wrote in her first trimester post,
00:21:12"...sport and exercise has always formed part of my daily life, from gym sessions to weekend
00:21:16runs, ambles, or training for an event."
00:21:19Facing learning difficulties, bullying, and an eating disorder is no typical storybook
00:21:24tale of royal life.
00:21:26Here's how Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria got her happily ever after.
00:21:31When Crown Princess Victoria, whose full name is Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree, was just
00:21:36two years old, the Swedish Parliament amended the country's act of succession.
00:21:41This simply meant that the sovereign's eldest child, regardless of gender, would inherit
00:21:45the throne.
00:21:46And forward-thinking Sweden was the first country to do this.
00:21:50In 1980, the constitutional reform took effect, and Victoria, the firstborn child of King
00:21:55Carl Gustaf and Queen Sylvia, became formally known as Crown Princess Victoria, heir apparent
00:22:01to the throne.
00:22:02This also meant that her brother, Prince Carl Philip, fell behind her and her children in
00:22:06the pecking order.
00:22:07In other words, Victoria will be Sweden's fourth female monarch, and the first since
00:22:111720.
00:22:13Though such titles as king and queen certainly do have a ring of nobility and gravitas, in
00:22:18Sweden, the monarch acts as a head of state, a national symbol of pride and unity as opposed
00:22:23to a political decision-maker.
00:22:25Swedish royals have a significant responsibility, representing their country on the world stage,
00:22:30a fact that became apparent when young Victoria began preparing for her role as future queen
00:22:35from an early age.
00:22:37Even as a young girl, Princess Victoria had difficulty reading and writing.
00:22:41Soon, her family discovered why.
00:22:43She was diagnosed with dyslexia.
00:22:45People with dyslexia have greater challenges reading, writing, spelling, and speaking because
00:22:49it is difficult for them to connect the letters they see to the sounds those letters make.
00:22:54Sadly, like many children with learning disabilities, Victoria endured her share of bullying at school.
00:22:59And even though she worked tirelessly with tutors to overcome her dyslexia, she still
00:23:03struggled.
00:23:04In 2002, Victoria spoke at a conference on bullying at the University of Ã…rebo in Sweden.
00:23:09Kids, she explained, would make fun of her as she read aloud and stumbled over her words.
00:23:14As she told the BBC,
00:23:15"...I used to think I was stupid and slow.
00:23:18For me, school was fun, but it was also very demanding.
00:23:21When one has reading and writing difficulties, it can be tough."
00:23:23She also said that she has no problems talking about her learning disability openly, but
00:23:28she also realizes that she, as a future queen, has received more support than most.
00:23:33Adding to the challenges she's had to overcome with dyslexia, Crown Princess Victoria has
00:23:38another developmental disorder she's had to learn to manage, prosopagnosia, otherwise
00:23:42known as face blindness, which is the inability to recognize faces.
00:23:47This includes familiar faces or, in some cases, even one's own.
00:23:51According to Time, the neurological disorder is incredibly rare.
00:23:54Roughly 2 percent of the population has it, and recently Brad Pitt revealed that he, too,
00:23:59suffers from the condition.
00:24:00"...We know each other."
00:24:01"...Um, I think I saw you yesterday."
00:24:06"...Yeah?"
00:24:08It's certainly difficult to imagine a princess — a person who mingles and interacts with
00:24:12others regularly — not being able to recognize faces.
00:24:15In 2008, Victoria revealed her diagnosis to the public.
00:24:19Speaking about her condition to a Swedish magazine, she said,
00:24:22I find it very hard to remember names and faces, and that is a big drawback, because
00:24:26obviously I meet a lot of people."
00:24:30The word princess brings to mind something between a Disney fairy tale and the British
00:24:34royal family — a woman adored by her constituents, wearing dazzling gowns and jeweled tiaras,
00:24:40living in lavish castles, and keeping a busy, jet-setting, globe-trotting itinerary.
00:24:44Yes, the life of a princess can seem undeniably luxurious and exciting — at least to those
00:24:50of us on the outside.
00:24:52But it's important to remember that even the most glamorous princess is still human.
00:24:56Although it's clear that Victoria enjoys being a princess, it isn't always easy.
00:25:00Although the life of a princess may seem perfect on the outside, the pressure of following
00:25:04traditions and facing public scrutiny can be tough.
00:25:08And sometimes, this pressure and scrutiny about appearances can even lead to serious
00:25:12psychological issues, such as anorexia.
00:25:15In 1996, after graduating from secondary school, Crown Princess Victoria studied French at
00:25:20the Université Catholique de l'Ouest in Angers, France, with plans to study at Sweden's
00:25:25Uppsala University the following year.
00:25:28However, when the media released photos of her looking terribly thin and frail, public
00:25:32scrutiny intensified.
00:25:34This led the royal court to reveal that Victoria had, in fact, developed an eating disorder.
00:25:39In 1998, she moved to the U.S. to study at Yale University while undergoing treatment.
00:25:44Evidently, the pressure of becoming a queen, the constant scrutiny, and the lack of privacy
00:25:49became too much for her.
00:25:51In 2002, Victoria opened up about the subject during an interview with the Art of Living
00:25:55magazine.
00:25:56It felt like everything in my life around me was controlled by others.
00:25:59The one thing I could control was food.
00:26:03Since high school, Crown Princess Victoria embarked on educational pursuits that would
00:26:07prepare her for her future role as queen.
00:26:10After studying political science and history at Yale University from 1998 to 2000, she
00:26:15continued her extensive training as an intern at the United Nations in New York City and
00:26:20at her country's embassy in Washington, D.C.
00:26:23Victoria then worked at the European Union and the Swedish Trade Council, as well as
00:26:27at other Swedish government offices throughout Europe.
00:26:30In 2003, according to the Irish Examiner, she began a three-week military basic training
00:26:35program at the Swedish Armed Forces International Center.
00:26:38Asked by a reporter what she thought of the training, the future queen in camouflage face
00:26:43paint and army fatigues said that the training was tough, but interesting, and that she learned
00:26:47a lot.
00:26:48I did join the army, but I joined a different army.
00:26:52I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms.
00:26:56A few years later, Victoria enrolled at the Swedish International Development Cooperation
00:27:01Agency to learn about Sweden's diplomatic and foreign policies.
00:27:05Then she continued her studies on international peacekeeping at Uppsala University.
00:27:09During breaks from her coursework and internships, she traveled extensively, representing Sweden
00:27:13across the globe.
00:27:15In addition to her native language, she also speaks fluent English, French, and German.
00:27:21A familiar trope emerges in romantic movies — a serendipitous encounter results in an
00:27:25unexpected love between two people who, if not for fate, would have never crossed paths.
00:27:30Occasionally, however, fairytale love stories happen in real life, too.
00:27:34Crown Princess Victoria, Princess of Sweden, Princess of my heart.
00:27:41Not surprisingly, fitness plays an important part in this royal love story.
00:27:45When Princess Victoria moved back to Sweden after college, she joined an upscale gym,
00:27:49getting to know the owner, Daniel Westling.
00:27:52According to Vanity Fair magazine, Westling served as her personal trainer, and the two
00:27:56developed a deep friendship as she recovered from her eating disorder.
00:28:00Afraid of her parents' reaction, she kept their relationship secret, knowing Daniel
00:28:03wouldn't be readily accepted since he was not a royal.
00:28:06Eventually, she came clean, and although her parents disapproved of the relationship at
00:28:10first, they eventually embraced Daniel as Sweden's future king.
00:28:14The couple announced their engagement on June 19, 2010, after their eight-year courtship,
00:28:19reported the Sunday Times.
00:28:21On the big day, over 500,000 people piled onto Stockholm's streets to watch the royal
00:28:25event.
00:28:26Victoria, Ingrid, Alice, Desiree.
00:28:30Before the wedding, the groom told CNN,
00:28:32"...the queen's main task is to support the king, and in my case, it is to support the
00:28:36crown princess in their very important work.
00:28:39If I can do it in the same way the queen does, I would be more than satisfied."
00:28:44Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel welcomed Princess Estelle in 2012 and Prince
00:28:49Oscar in 2016, making the young princess and prince future monarchs behind her mother.
00:28:55One way in which Victoria prepared her children for their royal duties included enlisting
00:28:59them in charity work.
00:29:01As Victoria explained in an interview with the Swedish magazine Svenskedam, she often
00:29:05discusses her philanthropic endeavors with her children, much like her parents did with
00:29:09her.
00:29:10The royal parents also bring Estelle and Oscar to charity events with them.
00:29:13In March 2022, for World Water Day, Victoria had her two children in tow as she met with
00:29:18Water Aid to discuss solutions for increasing access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
00:29:24in developing countries.
00:29:27In 2017, Crown Princess Victoria earned another impressive title, Godmother of Europe.
00:29:33As of this writing, she has 18 godchildren, and as the affectionate moniker denotes, she
00:29:38has a godchild in nearly every European country with a monarchy.
00:29:42Some of her royal godchildren include Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece, Princess Ingrid
00:29:47Alexandra of Norway, Prince Christian of Denmark, and Princess Eleanor of Belgium.
00:29:52Three of her godchildren are expected to become kings and queens one day.
00:29:56Known for her kindness, generosity, and compassion, Princess Victoria is a beloved royal figure
00:30:01in Europe.
00:30:02She's frequently voted as Sweden's most popular member of the royal family and, by some accounts,
00:30:06could even be described as one of the most popular royal figures in Europe.
00:30:12Aside from her work as a U.N. alumni ambassador, Crown Princess Victoria is involved with many
00:30:17charities.
00:30:18Some of her interests include education, international peacekeeping, and social justice, particularly
00:30:23creating equitable opportunities for young people.
00:30:26As a devoted patron of the Gundua Foundation, Victoria, who has been with the organization
00:30:30since its founding, champions educational development throughout Kenya.
00:30:34She also helped with the initiative to build primary and secondary schools in impoverished
00:30:38Kenyan communities where they previously didn't exist.
00:30:41The only way to successfully achieve one goal is by working on all of them together.
00:30:48Another one of Princess Victoria's passions is getting young people involved in physical
00:30:53activity.
00:30:54To commemorate their wedding day, she and Prince Daniel launched the Swedish Crown Princess
00:30:58Couples Foundation, aiming to promote good health among young people in Sweden.
00:31:02One project the couple developed is called Generation Pep, a nonprofit that provides
00:31:06coaching for young people on proper nutrition and physical fitness.
00:31:10One of the many negative consequences the pandemic has had on children worldwide is
00:31:14that it's made them even more sedentary.
00:31:16Victoria hopes that Generation Pep will be the jumpstart Sweden's kids need.
00:31:20In November 2021, she and her husband helped organize Pep Forum, where over 800 experts
00:31:25and businesses participated to find solutions to combat the harmful effects the COVID-19
00:31:31pandemic has had on young people's physical health.
00:31:34Crown Princess Victoria is certainly making a place for herself in the style icon canon.
00:31:39From wowing us with her gorgeous designer gowns to making us smile with her casual,
00:31:44sporty looks, this Nordic princess proves she can transition seamlessly between elegant
00:31:48fairytale princess and fashionable girl next door.
00:31:51Like many royal celebrities, Victoria has her go-to designers for special occasions.
00:31:56One of her most memorable looks came from Lebanese designer Elie Saab, a stunning blush-hued,
00:32:01off-the-shoulder gown she wore to the gala performance the night before her wedding.
00:32:05And it's impossible not to marvel at her ivory satin wedding dress by Swedish designer Parr
00:32:10Engsjödin, paired with her mother's jeweled crown and 5-meter-long wedding dress train.
00:32:15What makes Victoria's style even more awe-inspiring is that she supports sustainable fashion.
00:32:19She's not afraid to step out in the same dress as her mother once wore in public, though
00:32:23a hand-me-down from a queen isn't quite the same as our receiving-an-old-sweater-from-a-relative,
00:32:28and she's even making waves in the fashion world.
00:32:30She recently joined Sustainability Fashion Hub Talks as part of Stockholm's Fashion Week,
00:32:35where she met with founders of different fashion brands to discuss innovative business models
00:32:38with the goal of prolonging the lifespan of clothing and reducing waste.
00:32:44Since Crown Princess Victoria was a child, she has worked toward one goal — to be the
00:32:48leader Sweden needs.
00:32:49But beyond her role as monarch, Victoria has also stood as a symbol of resilience, overcoming
00:32:54dyslexia, prosopagnosia, and anorexia.
00:32:57Even more important, she hasn't been ashamed to speak about her struggles publicly in hopes
00:33:01that her story would inspire others.
00:33:03Devoted to a sense of duty, the future queen has traveled the world promoting Swedish culture
00:33:08and values, forging connections with other countries to find solutions to global problems.
00:33:13So it comes as no surprise that the Swedish Women's Educational Association, a nonprofit
00:33:17that provides support for Swedish women, nominated Princess Victoria for its 2021 Woman of the
00:33:22Year award.
00:33:24Her aunt, Princess Kristina, who also serves as the organization's honorary president,
00:33:28presented her with the award.
00:33:30The honor came exactly 20 years since Victoria's mother won the award.
00:33:34Barbro O'Share, one of the members who nominated Princess Victoria, said in a statement,
00:33:38The crown princess stands for everything that the Swedish Women's Educational Association
00:33:42identifies with a contemporary, modern Sweden with openness, inclusion, environmental thinking,
00:33:48and care.
00:33:49Though the work of a queen can seem overwhelming, one thing is crystal clear — Crown Princess
00:33:54Victoria is up for the task.
00:33:57She didn't kiss Edward on the altar, is on a mission to stop blindness, and stood behind
00:34:02Megxit.
00:34:04No wonder Princess Diana called Sophie a goody two-shoes.
00:34:08Though her family was middle class when Sophie was growing up, they do have royal roots.
00:34:13Her father's family has ties to nobility through the Viscounts Molesworth.
00:34:18She's also descended from two kings, King Edward III and King Henry IV.
00:34:23Per English monarchs, Sophie and Prince Edward are eleventh cousins once removed.
00:34:28As someone from a comfortable but not exceptionally wealthy background, the future Countess of
00:34:33Wessex entered the workforce after finishing her education.
00:34:38She held down a string of jobs after attending Kent College Pembury and West Kent College.
00:34:43Among her many jobs were working in a bar, for a radio station, and at a Swiss resort.
00:34:49Sophie finally found her true calling in public relations, landing a job with McLaurin Communication
00:34:55and Media.
00:34:56According to the National Portrait Gallery, Sophie worked with other PR companies for
00:35:00a few years, eventually launching her own company, RJH Public Relations, in 1996.
00:35:07As noted on the official website of the royal family, Sophie co-ran the PR firm with a business
00:35:13partner for the next five years, continuing her work with the company for the first few
00:35:17years of her marriage to Prince Edward.
00:35:21As Countess of Wessex, Sophie might be living a real-life fairy tale, but her relationship
00:35:26with Prince Edward wasn't quite the whirlwind romance you might expect.
00:35:31The two first met in 1987, but it wasn't love at first sight.
00:35:35Edward was involved with one of Sophie's friends at the time, and their romance didn't start
00:35:40until 1993 when the pair reconnected at a charity event.
00:35:44The couple took their time dating and getting to know each other, although a royal expert
00:35:48hinted that all may not have been well in those early years.
00:35:52Biographer Ingrid Seward wrote in her book, Prince Edward, that Sophie struggled to adjust
00:35:57to the idea of royal life, while Edward had cold feet, writing,
00:36:01"...like all couples, there were moments when the effort of adjusting led to rows and disagreements
00:36:06and in the summer of 1994, they came precariously close to parting."
00:36:11"...we've all been through there.
00:36:14We've all had that same spotlight shone on our lives."
00:36:17According to Seward, Sophie fought for the relationship, though, adding,
00:36:21"...when rumors of the rift became public, she dismissed them as rubbish.
00:36:26She was being elastic with the truth, but it did give her the breathing space she needed
00:36:30to get her relationship back on track again."
00:36:32Things clearly worked out for the couple, with Prince Edward proposing in 1999, when
00:36:38they were both 34 years old.
00:36:40Hello! noted that the stunning ring with which he proposed is believed to have cost him over
00:36:45£105,000.
00:36:48What's a royal wedding without fascinators and over-the-top hats?
00:36:52While the British royal family is known for putting on lavish displays marked by eye-catching
00:36:57headpieces, Sophie and Prince Edward actually banned the fashion stable at their own nuptials
00:37:02on June 19th, 1999, per Hello!
00:37:06Magazine.
00:37:07The couple wanted an understated celebration, without the usual parade of global representatives
00:37:12or military ceremony, or hats.
00:37:15The couple didn't even share their first kiss as a married couple in front of their
00:37:18guests.
00:37:19So Edward and Sophie, or the Duke and Duchess of Wessex, as they are now, are officially
00:37:24man and wife.
00:37:26As one attendee shared via Hello!,
00:37:28"...when they left the main room, they gave each other a kiss.
00:37:31It was a great private moment."
00:37:33As far as royal weddings go, it was a very simple wedding, but it was also hardly devoid
00:37:38of glamour.
00:37:39As noted by Tatler, Sophie's gorgeous silk organza gown was encrusted with crystals and
00:37:45pearls, and she wore a tiara loaned by Queen Elizabeth II.
00:37:49Royal fans were eager to see the couple finally tie the knot, with 200 million viewers tuning
00:37:54in to the televised event.
00:37:57The Countess of Wessex is a powerful figure in her own right, but she spent her early
00:38:01years in the limelight in Princess Diana's shadow, drawing many comparisons to the Princess
00:38:07of Wales in the early years of her relationship with Prince Edward.
00:38:10Why?
00:38:12They were of a similar age and both had blonde hair.
00:38:15The journalist Emma Cooke claimed a lot of people were,
00:38:18"...keen to forge the Sophie-Diana comparison," according to Express.
00:38:23Cooke alleged that there was no love lost between the two women, with Diana allegedly
00:38:27calling Sophie, quote, "'Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes'," and reportedly questioning why
00:38:32Sophie wasn't torn apart by the press as Diana herself was.
00:38:37When Sophie officially joined the royal family in 1999, the world was still reeling from
00:38:42the death of Princess Diana two years earlier, but the comparisons continued.
00:38:47Sophie decided to share her thoughts, saying via the New York Post,
00:38:50"...on an aesthetic basis, I wouldn't think anyone can be unhappy being compared with
00:38:55someone such as her."
00:38:57The Countess of Wessex has lived a comparatively low drama life, but even she is not immune
00:39:03to scandals many other members of the royal family have suffered.
00:39:08In 2001, she came under fire after leaked conversations revealed some of her thoughts
00:39:12about the royal family and other prominent figures.
00:39:16Along with complaining about being compared to Princess Diana, she criticized a slew of
00:39:20people, including Cherie Blair, as well as her brother-in-law, the now King Charles III.
00:39:27The comments were tapped by tabloid reporters posing as prospective clients of Sophie's
00:39:31PR firm.
00:39:33The public was outraged when she was reported as having tried to win the would-be clients'
00:39:37business by saying,
00:39:39"...when people find we're working for you, the chances are you'll get people interested.
00:39:43They'll say, oh gosh, they've employed the Countess of Wessex's PR company."
00:39:48The scandal prompted Sophie's early retirement from professional life.
00:39:52After it broke, Sophie announced she was stepping down as chairman of the company, noted The
00:39:57Washington Post.
00:39:59Just months after announcing she was stepping away from her company, Sophie suffered an
00:40:03ectopic pregnancy, per The Guardian.
00:40:06In 2003, she and husband Prince Edward welcomed a daughter, Louise, who was followed in 2007
00:40:13by a boy, James.
00:40:15As she was adjusting to motherhood, she was also adjusting to life as a full-time working
00:40:20royal.
00:40:21It wasn't easy going from calling the shots to being a diplomatic presence for the many
00:40:25organizations with whom she supports in a royal capacity.
00:40:29As Sophie explained it to The Times,
00:40:31"...I had to take a really big step back and go, okay, they want you to be the icing on
00:40:36the cake, the person to come in to thank their volunteers and funders, not necessarily to
00:40:41tell them how to run their communications plan."
00:40:45The official website of the royal family notes that Sophie is involved with some 70 organizations
00:40:50and charities.
00:40:52Among the causes she supports are young people, agriculture, and eradicating avoidable blindness.
00:40:58"...where there was darkness, there is now light."
00:41:01While Sophie's title is through her husband, don't mistake her for someone willing to simply
00:41:06follow in a man's footsteps.
00:41:08If there were ever any thoughts that she might be a placid princess, they've been put to
00:41:12rest.
00:41:13Over the years, Sophie has come into her own as an outspoken feminist who seems to have
00:41:18little patience for the conventions of royalty.
00:41:21Not only did she continue working after she got married, but she's also been clear about
00:41:25her desire to tackle royal life on her terms.
00:41:29The monarchy can be quite patriarchal.
00:41:31It wasn't until 2013 that the succession to the Crown Act made it so that the oldest child
00:41:37of a monarch can inherit the throne.
00:41:39Prior to this, the oldest male child would become the next king, with a woman only able
00:41:45to take the throne if she had no brothers.
00:41:48Sophie's own son is ahead of her daughter in the line of succession, despite being several
00:41:52years younger.
00:41:54Sophie told The Times that she considers herself a feminist, and that she and her husband tackle
00:41:58parenting duties equally.
00:42:00Hello!
00:42:01Magazine noted that she's spoken out on feminist issues multiple times, notably calling on
00:42:06leaders of the nations of the Commonwealth to be part of creating, quote, a feminist
00:42:11peace.
00:42:12She has also advocated for empowering women in the finance industry, saying,
00:42:17If we make greater strides towards parity, then we all stand to win.
00:42:21There will be bigger slices of a bigger cake for everyone.
00:42:25The world was stunned in January 2020 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and
00:42:30Duchess of Sussex, announced they were stepping back from the royal family.
00:42:35No longer actively working royals, the couple moved to the United States, where they're
00:42:40keeping out of the spotlight.
00:42:42The move proved to be a controversial one, with many dubbing the shock decision Megxit,
00:42:47with a palace insider even revealing to Sky News,
00:42:50The Duchess of Sussex reportedly wanted to be the U.K.'s Beyoncé when she married Prince
00:42:54Harry in 2018.
00:42:55The outrage only deepened after Meghan and Harry spoke out in a bombshell interview with
00:43:01Oprah Winfrey the following year, citing racism as, quote, a large part of it.
00:43:06Amid the media frenzy, Sophie stood by her nephew and his wife, telling The Times,
00:43:11I just hope they will be happy."
00:43:14While Sophie, Countess of Wessex, may not be one of the more famous members of the royal
00:43:18family, she's certainly one they couldn't do without.
00:43:22According to The Times, she attended more than 200 royal engagements in 2019, outpacing
00:43:27even her nephew, Prince William.
00:43:30Reportedly, the royal was also considered, quote, almost as another daughter to the late
00:43:35Queen Elizabeth II, according to former BBC royal correspondent Jenny Bond.
00:43:41She was also reportedly a source of support for the monarch towards the end of Prince
00:43:45Philip's life.
00:43:47Sophie has been busier than ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior
00:43:51royals.
00:43:52Prince Andrew's fading from public life after his scandal in 2019 has also had an effect.
00:43:58The Independent notes that Sophie and Prince Edward have helped fill in the gap.
00:44:02And while the countess is more visible than ever, her primary concern seems to be just
00:44:07doing her duties.
00:44:08As she told BBC Radio 5 Live,
00:44:11"...it means that there is more attention on what I'm doing.
00:44:14So from that perspective, that can only be a good thing."
00:44:19Back in the 80s, on August 8th, 1988 to be exact, Queen Elizabeth II's second-born son,
00:44:25Prince Andrew, and his wife, Sarah Ferguson, welcomed their oldest daughter.
00:44:29The royal baby was born at Portland Hospital in London, the very same hospital in which
00:44:34Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie would be born some 30 years later.
00:44:38Four days after the princess' birth, her parents introduced her to the public.
00:44:42But it wouldn't be until over two weeks later that her name, Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, was
00:44:46announced.
00:44:47The AP confirmed in a 1988 report,
00:44:50"...the name Beatrice, which means bringer of joy, has royal roots.
00:44:54The youngest of Queen Victoria's nine children was named Princess Beatrice."
00:44:58"...she is really just the finest example of learning about how to deal with life's
00:45:07challenges."
00:45:08Upon her birth, the Princess of York was fifth in line to the throne.
00:45:12Not long after her third birthday, Princess Beatrice started nursery school at the Upton
00:45:17House School in Windsor.
00:45:19The prestigious nursery and prep school accepts children between the ages of 2 and 11 years
00:45:24old, but Beatrice only remained at the school until 1995.
00:45:27She then went on to attend Coeth Park School.
00:45:31Beatrice's first day of school photos are all kinds of adorable, but you may not recognize
00:45:36the princess in them.
00:45:37That's because of her platinum blonde hair.
00:45:39In fact, the duchess had blonde hair even as a baby.
00:45:43Over time, her locks gradually turned red and began to resemble her mother, Sarah Ferguson's
00:45:48hair.
00:45:49According to the Duke of York's official site, Princess Beatrice began attending St. George's
00:45:54School in Ascot, England in 2000, where she, quote, completed her A-levels in drama, history,
00:45:59and film studies.
00:46:00Beatrice was also named head girl at the school during her last year there, a role which requires
00:46:05an appointed young lady from the student body to sometimes represent the school at public
00:46:09events.
00:46:10If you're a Harry Potter fan, you may be familiar with the use of the term.
00:46:14As it turns out, Beatrice herself is a Potterhead, and the books hold a special place in her
00:46:18heart.
00:46:19Beatrice revealed in a video for the Get Reading Festival in London,
00:46:23When I was younger, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, which meant for me, sitting in front of a
00:46:27book was really hard, until I discovered Harry Potter.
00:46:30And this character, this 11-year-old boy, who suddenly gets off to school for the first
00:46:35time, captured my imagination, and suddenly reading was fun.
00:46:39Those little things that when you're very young, when you're trying to find your voice
00:46:43in the world, they can be a big stumbling block."
00:46:46The princess dubbed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone the, quote, book that got her reading,
00:46:51and it remains one of her favorites today.
00:46:54Princess Beatrice and her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, are only a year and seven
00:46:58months apart in age, and they're also very close to each other's hearts.
00:47:02Eugenie told Vogue,
00:47:03We're each other's rocks.
00:47:05We're the only other person in each other's lives who can know exactly what the other
00:47:09one is going through."
00:47:10But if you think they've never had a fight, Beatrice reveals that they definitely have.
00:47:15She told the outlet,
00:47:16One of the biggest fights we ever had was about a pair of Converse trainers.
00:47:20We have the same size feet, and both of us had identical pairs.
00:47:23One pair got trashed, and the other sister may have swapped them.
00:47:27But that's all water under the bridge these days.
00:47:29Beatrice says her little sis is, quote, amazing.
00:47:31I mean, it's really exciting, you know, we've got so much U.K. talent.
00:47:36Beatrice turned heads in 2007 when she walked the runway at London Fashion Week.
00:47:40Ahead of the event, the then-19-year-old told The Telegraph,
00:47:43Quote,
00:47:44I've never done anything like this in my life.
00:47:47The princess confirmed it was a charity event, and revealed that she would be accompanied
00:47:51by her mother, Sarah Ferguson.
00:47:53The mother-daughter duo both donned Dolce & Gabbana gowns and millions of dollars' worth
00:47:57of House of Gerrard jewelry, including a Cleopatra sapphire.
00:48:01It was a perfect evening to dress up and look nice and enjoy some of the greatest rock stars
00:48:06as well as some of the greatest fashion designers.
00:48:08Both the princess and the Duchess of York stunned at the event, but it was certainly
00:48:12not a look we were used to seeing on members of the royal family.
00:48:16Although it was Beatrice's first foray into fashion, it would not be her last.
00:48:20Eventually, Beatrice began to experiment with unique hats and fascinators, like the giant
00:48:25plum creation she donned on Christmas in 2005.
00:48:29And as she got older, her hats began to take an even more daring turn.
00:48:34Perhaps it was related to her increasing knowledge of haute couture, or maybe it was just her
00:48:39way of demonstrating her personality, but either way, Beatrice was stepping it up.
00:48:44When attending Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly's wedding in 2008, Beatrice wore a kaleidoscope
00:48:49of butterflies, and in the years after that, she rocked a number of bright-colored headwear
00:48:53with feathers, bows, and lace.
00:48:56But just because Beatrice enjoys a fanciful fascinator, it doesn't mean everyone else
00:49:00is a fan, and the princess has definitely taken the heat.
00:49:04In an interview with Vogue, Eugenie revealed that her sister broke down in tears after
00:49:08reading a, quote, horrible article about herself.
00:49:11And as Harper's Bazaar deduced, it was likely a Daily Mail report about the statement fascinator
00:49:15Beatrice wore to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in April 2011.
00:49:20"'50% of the people like you, 50% don't.
00:49:23Get on and do what you feel.
00:49:25Stand firm.'"
00:49:27Despite developing a passion for fashion, Beatrice rocked an entirely different look
00:49:30while attending college.
00:49:32In September 2008, the princess began studying at Goldsmiths College in London, and graduated
00:49:37in 2011 with a degree in history and the History of Ideas, according to the Duke of York's
00:49:42official site.
00:49:43Although Beatrice opted to live on royal grounds at St. James' Palace as opposed to a dorm,
00:49:48she seems to have a fairly typical college experience.
00:49:51She told People magazine in 2008,
00:49:53"'It is like New York University.
00:49:55The best thing by far has been making new friends.'"
00:49:59While it's likely her classmates knew who she was, photo evidence shows Beatrice kept
00:50:03her royal wardrobe separate from her school clothes.
00:50:06Hey, maybe she was simply dressing down a little to blend in.
00:50:10While visiting Spain in the late 2000s, Beatrice and her mom, Sarah Ferguson, were photographed
00:50:15on an early morning jog.
00:50:17Around that time, the princess had gotten serious about exercise.
00:50:21Beatrice's personal trainer, Nadia Fairweather, told Life & Style,
00:50:24"'She was a little bit heavier and feeling really badly about herself, which is easily
00:50:29done.
00:50:30It's like living in a fishbowl, and everything you do, you're being told you're doing it
00:50:33wrong.
00:50:34You're taking on all your insecurities, especially when you're an 18-year-old girl."
00:50:38Fairweather revealed that the princess trained outdoors in all the elements and never counseled
00:50:43once, adding,
00:50:44"'She basically started at zero.
00:50:46She'd never run a race when we first met.'"
00:50:48"'We all look good, we're all matching, and I think it's gonna look slick.'"
00:50:53Beatrice's intense training led her to not only developing a love for running, but becoming
00:50:57the first member of the royal family to ever run the London Marathon in April 2010.
00:51:03These days, Beatrice is the VP of Partnerships and Strategy at software company Affinity,
00:51:08but initially after graduating college, she took a job as a research analyst for a private
00:51:12wealth firm, thus beginning a career in finance.
00:51:15But that's not all she was up to at the time.
00:51:17"'You've worked hard, you've got that job, you deserve it, you deserve that seat at the
00:51:23table.'"
00:51:24In 2009, Beatrice appeared in the movie The Young Victoria, which Sarah Ferguson co-produced.
00:51:29The princess played an unnamed lady-in-waiting, but it was no doubt a memorable experience.
00:51:34She told The Telegraph,
00:51:35"'It was a great opportunity to recognize the incredibly talented people we have here
00:51:39in the film industry, working in front of and behind the camera.'"
00:51:43Although Beatrice is often photographed dressed to the nines and looking every bit a royal,
00:51:48she's not always dolled up.
00:51:50In a 2018 profile of Eugenie and Beatrice, Vogue described the eldest daughter as looking
00:51:55like, quote,
00:51:56"...like any other 29-year-old in weekend snooze mode," detailing her as wet-haired,
00:52:01makeup-free, tracksuit-clad, and barefoot.
00:52:04She seemed, well, regular, the same word Beatrice herself used when telling the outlet about
00:52:09her upbringing.
00:52:11But she still, and always has been, a princess.
00:52:14Beatrice reflected on their decision to participate in a Vogue photo shoot, claiming,
00:52:18"...it's hard to navigate situations like these because there is no precedent, there
00:52:23is no protocol."
00:52:25Beatrice and Eugenie revealed to Vogue that part of the reason they agreed to be interviewed
00:52:29is because of the increased attention the younger members of the royal family had been
00:52:33receiving.
00:52:34Around the time of Beatrice's 30th birthday, the sisters said they felt like it was a good
00:52:38time to let the public in, adding,
00:52:40"...we want to show people who we are as working, young, royal women, but also not to be afraid
00:52:45of putting ourselves out there."
00:52:48One way in which Beatrice has put herself out there is through the anti-cyberbullying
00:52:52campaign, Be Cool, Be Nice.
00:52:55As she was once a teen with dyslexia, the princess said things had been tough for her,
00:52:59and she later recognized the need to be, quote, "...supportive of our young people given that
00:53:03our world is overexposed through social media."
00:53:06She told Vogue,
00:53:07"...it's about looking at social media in a new way, how it can enhance your life and
00:53:11not just be defined by bullies but turned into something positive."
00:53:15If I had something like Be Cool, Be Nice when I was growing up, I think I would feel very,
00:53:19very different, and I would feel that support, and I would feel like somebody was listening
00:53:23to me."
00:53:25Beatrice has likely been given a lot of advice over the years, but there's one tip she finds
00:53:28particularly valuable.
00:53:30She recalled to Vogue,
00:53:31"...to live your life for you and be able to look in the mirror and know who you are."
00:53:36Both she and her sister usually recognize the need to be authentic.
00:53:40The younger princess told the outlet,
00:53:41"...nowadays it's so easy to recoil when you see a perfect image on Instagram, but it's
00:53:46important that it's real.
00:53:48We are real.
00:53:49We are very real."
00:53:51"...I'm pretty excited to continue this family tradition."
00:53:54However, the royals must tread a fine line between being genuine and revealing too much.
00:54:00Eugenie claimed that she once posted a picture to Instagram that happened to show a palace
00:54:04corridor.
00:54:05Apparently, the location wasn't available to the public, and she got into hot water
00:54:08for it.
00:54:09While she now knows that she can't post those kind of things, she also doesn't want to post
00:54:13pictures that are too stuffy.
00:54:15Though finding the perfect balance is difficult, Beatrice, along with her sister Eugenie, often
00:54:19come across as, in their words, real.
00:54:23Growing up as a princess has meant an exciting life, but that's not all there is to Eugenie
00:54:27of York.
00:54:28From ending up in the ICU after surgery as a child, all the way to her romantic royal
00:54:32engagement, this is the stunning transformation of Princess Eugenie.
00:54:37After being diagnosed with scoliosis, Princess Eugenie underwent corrective surgery at 12
00:54:41years old.
00:54:42I put metal rods in my neck and 8-inch screws up my back, which have now fused together
00:54:48and keep me straight."
00:54:50She told UK magazine Tattler in 2008,
00:54:52"...what was meant to be a one-hour operation took eight.
00:54:56But it worked.
00:54:57It was terrifying, but actually it was more scary when they told me I needed to have it
00:55:00done in the first place."
00:55:02She wound up in the intensive care unit for three days after the surgery, and then spent
00:55:06six days in a wheelchair before finally walking again.
00:55:09Eugenie shared her X-rays with the world on Instagram in June 2018 in support of International
00:55:14Scoliosis Awareness Day.
00:55:16When asked if she enjoys being a princess, Eugenie told Tattler in 2008,
00:55:20"...I don't like talking about it much and find it annoying.
00:55:23One of my best friends jokingly says, Hi Princess, and I say, Shut up.
00:55:27It is one of the things that bugs me most in the world."
00:55:29Clearly not one to capitalize on or try to take advantage of her royal status, Eugenie
00:55:34reportedly only goes to Buckingham Palace for big occasions, and she visits the queen's
00:55:38private estates only for Christmas and summer vacation.
00:55:41Nevertheless, she clearly reveres her grandmother, calling her, quote, "...truly one of the most
00:55:46amazing women ever."
00:55:48Eugenie made art history a major focus of her education, and now works full-time in
00:55:52the art world.
00:55:53She explained to Harper's Bazaar in 2016,
00:55:55"...I've loved art since I was very little.
00:55:58I knew I definitely wouldn't be a painter, but I knew this was the industry for me.
00:56:02I love being able to share my passion for art with people."
00:56:05After she graduated from university, she lived in New York for two years, where she worked
00:56:09as an art specialist with the online auction house Paddle 8.
00:56:12Since returning to London in 2015, she has worked as the assistant director of the London
00:56:17branch of Hauser & Wirth Contemporary Art Gallery.
00:56:20As she and Beatrice told Vogue UK, their role as royals who have both careers and royal
00:56:25responsibilities is unprecedented.
00:56:27As Beatrice put it,
00:56:28"...we are the first.
00:56:29We are young women trying to build careers and have professional lives, and we're also
00:56:33princesses and doing all of this in the public eye."
00:56:36Among many other philanthropic endeavors, Princess Eugenie co-founded the Anti-Slavery
00:56:41Collective, which advocates for better, more open discussions about modern slavery.
00:56:45She also partnered with Project Zero, an organization that seeks to greatly reduce the use of single-use
00:56:50plastics.
00:56:51She told Vogue UK,
00:56:52"...it's been eye-opening.
00:56:54My whole house is anti-plastic now, and Jack and I want our wedding to be like that as
00:56:57well."
00:56:59There's Queen Elizabeth Royalty, and there's Queen Letizia Royalty.
00:57:03Who exactly is she, you may ask?
00:57:05How did she become the Queen of Spain?
00:57:07What's her royal scandal?
00:57:09Is she really from the working class?
00:57:11Stay tuned to find out more about this little-known royal queen.
00:57:15We often associate tiaras, palaces, and lavish gowns with royalty.
00:57:20"...her thinking is based on tradition, and she is comfortable and confident in what she
00:57:27inherited."
00:57:28But Queen Letizia of Spain did not grow up with access to such riches.
00:57:33As noted by Vogue, the queen was born in Oviedo, Spain, in 1972 to working-class parents.
00:57:39Her father, Jesus Alvarez, worked in the news industry as an aspiring journalist, and her
00:57:44mother, Paloma Roca Solano, worked in the medical profession as a nurse.
00:57:48By all accounts, she had a very normal childhood.
00:57:51She attended La Gesta School in Oviedo, and later, Ramiro de Maeztu High School.
00:57:56After completing her elementary and high school education, Queen Letizia of Spain set
00:58:01her sights high.
00:58:02She first received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Complutense University
00:58:06of Madrid.
00:58:07Later, she went on to get her master's degree in audiovisual journalism from the Institute
00:58:12for Studies in Audiovisual Journalism.
00:58:14While we don't often associate higher education degrees with royalty, given the traditions
00:58:18of private tutors and the limited time to commit to school, Letizia certainly breaks
00:58:23the mold of royal intellect.
00:58:25Even though she's no longer a working journalist, she is no stranger to her alma mater.
00:58:30Letizia attended Complutense University of Madrid's 50th anniversary celebration, and
00:58:34even received the title of Honorary Alumni while paying tribute to her school.
00:58:39As for the school itself and Letizia's credentials, it's no wonder she had such a lucrative career.
00:58:44The school is one of the most reputable senior institutions in Spain, and it's responsible
00:58:48for seven Nobel Prize winners.
00:58:51Talk about a legacy.
00:58:53Being Queen Letizia of Spain's impressive alma mater, it makes complete sense that she
00:58:57hit the ground running after receiving her master's degree.
00:59:00One of her earliest reporting jobs was with the daily La Nueva España, and from there,
00:59:05Letizia made her way over to the Siglo XXI newspaper.
00:59:08After that, she continued securing other reporting jobs, including CNN+, which was a 24-hours
00:59:14news channel in Spain.
00:59:16Letizia stayed with CNN for over a decade.
00:59:18When her time with the network came to an end, she was hired as the anchor for television
00:59:22Española's flagship program.
00:59:25With time, Letizia's career as a reporter escalated in an incredibly successful way,
00:59:30and she was trusted to cover some of the early 2000s' biggest stories.
00:59:34One of her first major stories came when she covered the horrifying events of 9-11.
00:59:39She clearly proved that she had what it took to be successful on the ground, going on to
00:59:43cover the invasion of Iraq that soon followed.
00:59:46Shortly thereafter, in November 2002, Letizia was on the scene once again when she reported
00:59:51on the devastating sinking of the Prestige oil tanker located on the Galicia coast.
00:59:56She was certainly getting the kind of attention that any up-and-coming journalist wants, and
01:00:00her efforts were turning heads.
01:00:03When we think about royal scandals, we often think of Prince Charles' affair with Camilla
01:00:08Parker Bowles or Prince Andrew's troubling past in allegations.
01:00:12However, head-turning affairs and private lives aren't exclusive to the British royal
01:00:17family.
01:00:18As it turns out, Queen Letizia of Spain has a little bit of a skeleton in her marital
01:00:22closet.
01:00:23Who is this woman?
01:00:24Is she a saint or a swine?
01:00:28Letizia met high school teacher Alonso Guerrero Perez when she was just 16 years old.
01:00:33He was 25 at the time, and the two sparked a love affair that would go on to last a decade.
01:00:38They clearly had intentions to see their relationship through because Letizia and Perez got married
01:00:43in a civil ceremony in 1998.
01:00:46However, the union was not built to last.
01:00:48The future queen and her former high school literature teacher got divorced in 1999, just
01:00:53one year after they were married.
01:00:56Queen Letizia of Spain may have one of the most public roles in the country now that
01:01:00she's a monarch.
01:01:01However, her experience as a news anchor caught eyes before royalty ever entered the picture.
01:01:06King Felipe, then Prince Felipe, clearly watched the news because in the early 2000s, he asked
01:01:12a fellow journalist and friend, Pedro Urquizia, to set him up with the thriving journalist.
01:01:17So how did the initial meeting go?
01:01:19Some reports suggest that, while Letizia did give the prince her phone number, the couple
01:01:23didn't actually make it official for months, and they also dated largely in secret.
01:01:29Late 2003 effectively changed Queen Letizia's life forever, as she and then-Prince Felipe
01:01:34announced their engagement to a shocked Spain.
01:01:37CNN reported at the time that the announcement, quote, "...plunged the media into a royal
01:01:42wedding whirl, and pretty much everyone was dying to know who Letizia was and how she
01:01:46snagged the prince's heart."
01:01:48Of their engagement, the future king said,
01:01:50"...I am very happy to be able to show how happy our engagement has made me and how in
01:01:54love I am with Letizia."
01:01:56Of course, with any engagement, we have to talk about the ring.
01:01:59And thanks to Express, we have the info.
01:02:02Felipe got down on one knee with an unexpected engagement ring that featured no center stone,
01:02:07but rather, 16 baguette diamonds with white gold inlay.
01:02:11The ring was designed by Suarez, and while it's absolutely stunning, it's hardly ever
01:02:16seen on the queen's ring finger anymore.
01:02:19Is there an event that really captures frivolity, grandeur, and fairytale-like love more than
01:02:25a royal wedding?
01:02:26We don't think so, and Queen Letizia's wedding to King Felipe was certainly no exception.
01:02:31"...his wedding a decade ago to a Spanish television journalist projected all the groomed
01:02:35glamour of a British royal wedding."
01:02:38The two tied the knot on May 22, 2004, in a lavish ceremony at the Cathedral Santa Maria
01:02:44La Real de la Almudena.
01:02:46The wedding's celebratory events didn't just take place on the day they said,
01:02:49"...I do, though."
01:02:50The nuptials extended over a number of days and took the form of a gala and formal dinner,
01:02:55as well as the actual ceremony.
01:02:57Speaking of the ceremony, millions of people tuned in to watch Felipe and Letizia exchange
01:03:01vows, not to mention the 1,600 people in attendance.
01:03:05Letizia stunned in her Manuel Pertegas-designed gown, and from that moment on, the country
01:03:11of Spain had a new royal to call their own.
01:03:14Of their marriage, historian Charles Powell told Reuters,
01:03:17"...what she brings to the marriage is basically that she grounds him.
01:03:20She makes him aware of everyday issues, everyday problems."
01:03:23Shortly after she became a royal by marriage, Queen Letizia of Spain became a mom for the
01:03:28first time.
01:03:29She welcomed her first daughter, Leonor, in 2005, and her second daughter, Sofia, in 2007.
01:03:35Of Letizia's role as a mom, expert Elaine Sawyer told Express that it's clear the queen
01:03:40has passed down to her daughters her own sense of hard work, dedication, and commitment.
01:03:45Drawing from her time as a commoner, the queen has also shown her daughters what hands-on
01:03:49parenting looks like.
01:03:50Sawyer told Express,
01:03:51She has been pictured dropping her kids off on their first days of school and ensures,
01:03:56discreetly, that the princesses have time to have fun with their friends.
01:03:59When attending to her commitments as a working queen, she is the picture of confidence, and
01:04:03her strong work ethic has set the bar high for her children.
01:04:07While the two royals are often seen accompanying their parents on royal outings, not a ton
01:04:11is known about them.
01:04:12Letizia and King Felipe certainly do their best to keep their daughters' lives private.
01:04:17A coronation always seems like the most official royal occasion, but when Letizia became queen
01:04:22and Felipe became king of Spain, it was all rather muted.
01:04:26King Juan Carlos of Spain, Felipe's father, abdicated the throne in 2014 due to health
01:04:31issues and questionable financial ongoings.
01:04:34As per the succession to the crown, Prince Felipe became king and Letizia became queen.
01:04:39We know what you're thinking.
01:04:40There were crowns, jewels, some sort of cape, and definitely a palace involved in the coronation,
01:04:46right?
01:04:48In reality, it couldn't have been further from that.
01:04:49Felipe took his oath as king in about half a minute, and instead of adoring fans and
01:04:54subjects, the historic occasion was attended by members of parliament.
01:04:58Letizia, from our research, didn't have a ceremony herself, but rather adopted the title
01:05:03along with her husband.
01:05:04It all seems very low-key, given what we associate with royalty.
01:05:08As for her own historic ascension to the throne, Reuters noted that Letizia became Spain's first
01:05:13commoner queen at that moment.
01:05:16There are political figures and royal family members, and then there's the pope.
01:05:20And the pope always tends to be the most untouchable of all public figures.
01:05:24When it was announced that Queen Letizia's first overseas trip as queen would be to Vatican
01:05:29City, all eyes were on the new ruler of Spain.
01:05:32Accompanied by her husband, King Felipe, Letizia stunned when she held a private audience with
01:05:37Pope Francis, and special attention was paid to her ensemble for the occasion.
01:05:41It is in accordance with Vatican protocol that visitors of the pope wear black.
01:05:45As you can recall, Melania Trump wore a black dress and veil during her visit.
01:05:49However, Letizia was granted special privilege for the occasion, as she was and is the spouse
01:05:55of a Catholic monarch.
01:05:56As such, Letizia chose a white skirt and jacket ensemble that was absolutely stunning.
01:06:02She paired the look with a tasteful pair of nude wedge heels, a white clutch, and pearl
01:06:06earrings.
01:06:08In 2016, Queen Letizia of Spain found herself on the wrong side of the headline.
01:06:13The queen came under fire when text messages between herself and controversial businessman
01:06:18Javier López Madrid, a good friend of King Felipe, were leaked to the public.
01:06:22The texts, which were friendly and jovial in nature, were released shortly after Madrid
01:06:27was accused of, quote, personally misusing bank funds.
01:06:30In part, it resulted in the European Union's bailout of Spain's financial sector.
01:06:35Overall, not a good look.
01:06:36When the very unity of Spain is under threat, the monarchy has rarely been more necessary
01:06:41to hold the country together."
01:06:43So what did the texts say?
01:06:45First and foremost, Letizia called Madrid her yoga mate, and later told him that the
01:06:48stories about the credit use didn't match what she knew of his character.
01:06:52Even Felipe got involved, agreeing with Madrid's statement in which he said,
01:06:56"...we live in a very difficult country."
01:06:58To say that the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything is an understatement, and Queen
01:07:03Letizia of Spain took it upon herself to advocate for the children of the pandemic.
01:07:07She used her role as honorary president of UNICEF Spain to bring attention to the children
01:07:12missing out on social opportunities, educational advancement, and even worse, children who
01:07:17suffered due to poor conditions and quality of life.
01:07:20In a speech that took place in partnership with the Caixa Foundation, Letizia did not
01:07:24mince her words.
01:07:26She shared during her speech,
01:07:27"...all the success achieved has reverted back, because of the pandemic and all of the important
01:07:31indicators for childhood."
01:07:33Taking a moment to bring children who are suffering to the forefront of thought, the
01:07:37queen discussed those, quote, "...exploited for work or sexually, or both, due to the
01:07:41pandemic's impact across socioeconomic levels."
01:07:44She implored supporters to make conscious efforts toward change, asking,
01:07:48"...in what kind of society do we want to live?
01:07:50The will of societies like ours have the means to change this reality."
01:07:54In that moment, she made her stance firmly known.
01:07:58Prince Edward is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth's children, and was born 16 years after his
01:08:03oldest brother, Prince Charles.
01:08:05Third in line to the crown when he was born, Prince Edward's childhood was, of course,
01:08:10privileged and unique.
01:08:12After graduating from Cambridge, he followed his father and older brother's military footsteps
01:08:16and joined the Royal Marines in September 1983.
01:08:20The men in the British royal family have traditionally served in the military, but after four months
01:08:25of training in the Royal Marines, Prince Edward knew that the military wasn't the
01:08:30right career path for him, and decided to leave rather than finish the year-long commando
01:08:35training.
01:08:36On January 12, 1987, Buckingham Palace released a formal announcement that said Prince Edward
01:08:42has decided to resign from the Marines.
01:08:45Edward leaves the Marines with great regret, but has concluded that he does not wish to
01:08:49make the service his long-term career.
01:08:52Prince Edward got a lot of flack in the press for not finishing his training, but the Associated
01:08:56Press reported at the time that a poll had concluded that 81% of British people felt
01:09:03for Edward and believed he should do what was right for his own life.
01:09:07After stepping down from the Royal Marines, Prince Edward pivoted and started building
01:09:12a career in the entertainment industry.
01:09:14He had always loved the performing arts and participated in plays in college, so deciding
01:09:19to pursue this was a natural fit.
01:09:21However, his first foray as a producer didn't exactly go as planned.
01:09:26It's a Knockout was a popular BBC competition game show in which two different teams dressed
01:09:31up in silly costumes and played games against each other.
01:09:34Prince Edward had the idea to include the royal family in a special edition of the program
01:09:39It's a Royal Knockout to raise money for charity.
01:09:42Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson each coached a different
01:09:46team of celebrities.
01:09:47The teams competed against each other and raised money for four different charities.
01:09:52In total, the event raised £1.5 million and 18 million people watched, according to The
01:09:58Independent.
01:09:59I only hope that you've enjoyed yourselves, have you?
01:10:03While that sounds like a massive success, the press was not kind.
01:10:08The Independent had some harsh words about the show, writing,
01:10:11The young royals inadvertently mocked the real costumes and ceremonies of their own
01:10:15house of Windsor.
01:10:16The public was not used to seeing the royal family goof around, even if it was for a good
01:10:21cause, and the consensus was that the show had demeaned the monarchy.
01:10:26Recovering from the bad press from It's a Royal Knockout, Prince Edward decided to
01:10:30take an entry-level job at a production company so he could learn from the ground up.
01:10:35In 1988, he was hired as a production assistant with Andrew Lloyd Webber's theatre company,
01:10:40Really Useful.
01:10:41According to the BBC, as a production assistant, he did small, menial jobs around the office,
01:10:46which included making tea.
01:10:48This wasn't the first time that Prince Edward had met and worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
01:10:51Two years earlier, in 1986, he commissioned a short musical, called Cricket, from Andrew
01:10:56Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as a birthday present for the Queen.
01:10:59It was performed at Windsor Castle and featured an impressive cast and crew of theatre artists.
01:11:04The show has only been performed twice since then, although Webber did adapt several songs
01:11:09from the musical into his other work.
01:11:12Prince Edward spent two years working at Really Useful, and then left to form his own theatre
01:11:18production company with a few friends.
01:11:20But the theatre business proved difficult, and the company closed in debt.
01:11:24So in 1993, Prince Edward decided to pivot into television, and founded Ardent Productions,
01:11:30according to The Guardian.
01:11:32Ardent Productions did not have a specific production focus.
01:11:35Instead, they produced everything from soap operas to documentaries.
01:11:39The most successful project that Ardent made was a documentary about Edward VIII, the former
01:11:44King of England who abdicated the crown in 1938.
01:11:48That film, Edward on Edward, sold worldwide and was quite popular in the United States.
01:11:53Ardent Productions continued to produce a wide variety of television shows and specials
01:11:58throughout the 1990s.
01:12:00Not only was 1993 a pivotal year in Prince Edward's professional life, but it was also
01:12:05fundamental in his personal life.
01:12:07He met and began dating his future wife, Sophie Rees-Jones.
01:12:10While Prince Edward was a professional, and not a working member of the royal family,
01:12:14he did have some philanthropic royal duties, which included the Prince Edward Summer Challenge
01:12:19for charity.
01:12:20The challenge was to play Prince Edward's favourite sport, real tennis, for as long
01:12:25as possible.
01:12:26At the time, Rees-Jones was working as a young public relations professional, and was helping
01:12:30out with a promotional shoot for the event.
01:12:32She stepped in to pose with Prince Edward for pictures during the shoot, and the couple
01:12:36quickly hit it off.
01:12:38They started dating soon after.
01:12:39Of course, there was a media frenzy when the press discovered that Sophie and Prince Edward
01:12:43were dating.
01:12:44In December of that year, Prince Edward sent a formal letter to the press, begging for
01:12:48their privacy.
01:12:49According to the New York Times, he wrote,
01:12:51I am taking this unusual step of writing to you directly, in the hope of stopping your
01:12:56reporters and photographers from destroying that part of my life that I am entitled to
01:13:01regard as private, and more importantly, Sophie's life.
01:13:06Will you call an end to your harassment of both Sophie and me, and allow us to try to
01:13:10carry on our lives as normal?
01:13:12We've been subjected to massive intrusion and all the rest of it, and we all deal with
01:13:18it in different ways.
01:13:19Prince Edward proposed to Sophie in December 1998, after the couple had been together for
01:13:24five years.
01:13:25Acknowledging that the couple had been together for a long time, Judy Parkinson, author of
01:13:30Edward and Sophie, A Royal Wedding, recounted that Prince Edward had said,
01:13:34It's impossible to understand why it has taken me this long, but I don't think it
01:13:38would have been right before.
01:13:40And I don't think she would have said yes.
01:13:42The couple opted for a simpler wedding, by royal standards.
01:13:45They got married in St. George's Chapel, the venue in Windsor where Prince Harry and
01:13:49Meghan Markle would get married in 2018.
01:13:52The ceremony took place at 5pm, and the dress code was relaxed, clarifying that the guests
01:13:58did not need to wear hats.
01:14:00550 guests attended the ceremony and reception.
01:14:03Sophie Rhys-Jones wore a long-sleeved ivory dress designed by Stephanie Shaw, and a diamond
01:14:08tiara lent to her by the Queen.
01:14:11When he and Sophie Rhys-Jones married, Prince Edward received the official title Earl of
01:14:16Wessex, and Sophie became Countess of Wessex.
01:14:19This was a bit strange for two reasons.
01:14:21His brothers had been named Dukes when they married, and the title Earl of Wessex had
01:14:26been out of use for a little over 900 years.
01:14:29The explanation for the unusual title was a sentimental and simple one.
01:14:34Prince Edward was quite close with his father, Prince Philip, and the palace announced that
01:14:38the plan was for him to eventually inherit the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
01:14:42According to Vanity Fair, the palace explained at the time, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh
01:14:48and the Prince of Wales have also agreed that the Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom
01:14:53of Edinburgh in due course, when the present title now held by the Prince Philip eventually
01:14:57reverts to the crown.
01:14:59Ardent Productions continued to make documentaries and television shows throughout the 90s and
01:15:04early 2000s, but never had a big hit.
01:15:07The company failed to ever turn a profit, and in 2002, Prince Edward decided to step
01:15:13down.
01:15:14Sophie had left her public relations job a year earlier, after a scandal in which she
01:15:18said several disparaging things about a variety of British politicians and royals whilst she
01:15:23was unknowingly recorded by a News of the World reporter pretending to be a sheik.
01:15:29No longer working professionals, Prince Edward and Sophie then began their careers as working
01:15:34royals.
01:15:352002 was the year of the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of her coronation, so
01:15:41there were many public events and ceremonies for them to attend.
01:15:44Prince Edward began also sponsoring a wide variety of charities and working as a patron
01:15:49for organisations like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the Commonwealth Games Foundation.
01:15:56Prince Edward and Sophie's first daughter, Louise, was born on November 8th, 2003.
01:16:01Prince Edward actually missed her birth.
01:16:04He was on an official royal trip at the time, and Sophie went into labour a month early.
01:16:09According to the BBC, Louise was only 4lbs 9oz when she was born, and she was also born
01:16:14with an eye condition.
01:16:15But fortunately, everything turned out alright.
01:16:18Prince Edward and Sophie chose not to give the title Her Royal Highness to Louise, or
01:16:23His Royal Highness to her younger brother James, who joined the family in 2007.
01:16:27Nevertheless, the siblings' 18th birthdays allow them a second chance to accept HRH titles
01:16:33from the Queen and the responsibilities that come with them.
01:16:37But Edward and Sophie's daughter appears to have simply remained Lady Louise after
01:16:42turning 18 in 2021, and it seems James will follow in his sister's footsteps once he
01:16:47becomes an adult.
01:16:48Ahead of Louise's birthday, Sophie herself told the Sunday Times that it would be, quote,
01:16:53highly unlikely for her children to ever use his or her Royal Highness titles.
01:17:00When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step down as senior working royals and
01:17:04move to California, it was the beginning of simmering tensions throughout the royal family.
01:17:09But whatever tensions may exist, Prince Edward has repeatedly spoken about Prince Harry and
01:17:14Meghan's situation with empathy.
01:17:16He told CNN,
01:17:17"...we've all been there before.
01:17:19We've all had excessive intrusion and attention in our lives."
01:17:22"...and we've all dealt with it in slightly different ways, and listen, we wish them the
01:17:28very best of luck."
01:17:29In the same interview, he reacted happily to the news of their daughter Lilibet's birth.
01:17:33"...fantastic news about the baby, that's great, I hope they'll be very happy with that."
01:17:38When pressed to speak further about Meghan and Harry in an interview with the BBC, Edward
01:17:43simply said,
01:17:45"...it's much the safest place to be."
01:17:48Prince Edward was very close with his father Prince Philip, who passed away on April 9th,
01:17:532021, at the age of 99.
01:17:55Prince Edward has been heavily involved in the Duke of Edinburgh's award, which Prince
01:17:59Philip himself founded in 1956.
01:18:02"...you must miss him."
01:18:04"...yes.
01:18:05Yes."
01:18:06In a heartfelt interview with CNN, Prince Edward reflected on the importance of the
01:18:10award and spoke about his late father, saying, "...he will go down as someone who has helped
01:18:15millions of young adults transform themselves and develop into better people and aware citizens."
01:18:22"...he was the sort of person that, you know, once met, never forgotten."
01:18:25Due to Covid restrictions, only 30 people could attend Prince Philip's funeral.
01:18:30After the ceremony, Prince Edward told CNN, "...it was an experience that so many other
01:18:34families have had to go through during the past year or 18 months, and so in that sense,
01:18:40it was particularly poignant."
01:18:41Prince Edward's role as a down-to-earth, reserved spokesman for the royal family is
01:18:46expected to continue, as there are now only seven working members of the royal family.
01:18:51Royal writer and journalist Penny Junor spoke to The Guardian about Prince Edward and Sophie's
01:18:57future as the potential faces of the British monarchy.
01:19:00She said, "...Edward and Sophie are a very un-royal, royal couple.
01:19:04They have no heirs and graces, they are very low-key, and they don't have a sense of entitlement,
01:19:09so maybe we will see more of them.
01:19:12The public, I think, like them."
01:19:15Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born on January 9th, 1982, to parents Michael and
01:19:19Carol at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
01:19:21A family friend who visited the future duchess a week after her birth described Catherine,
01:19:25who would later go by Kate, by saying,
01:19:27"'She was a lovely little baby, cherubic and chubby-cheeked and so good.
01:19:31I remember she didn't cry much at all.'"
01:19:33On September 6th, 1983, Michael and Carol Middleton welcomed their second child, Pippa
01:19:38Middleton.
01:19:39Little did they know that their two baby daughters would someday be one of the world's
01:19:42most iconic sister duos.
01:19:44Four months after Kate's second birthday, her father, a flight dispatcher, accepted
01:19:48a temporary transfer and moved the family of four to Amman, Jordan.
01:19:52Education was extremely important to the Middletons, so it comes as no surprise that Kate's parents
01:19:57enrolled her in the most expensive nursery for three- to five-year-olds in the district
01:20:01while living in Jordan.
01:20:02However, their investments certainly paid off.
01:20:04While attending the nursery, Kate learned Arabic, ate Jordanian foods, listened to passages
01:20:09from the Quran, and bonded with children of British, Japanese, Jordanian, Indonesian,
01:20:14and American backgrounds.
01:20:15Great training for a future world leader, wouldn't you say?
01:20:18Kate Middleton dabbled in the performing arts during her school days, but according to her
01:20:22former classmates and professors, the future duchess was never one to seek out the spotlight.
01:20:27Peter Humphrey, who served as the head of the art history department during Kate's time
01:20:30at St. Andrew's in Scotland, revealed to The Telegraph,
01:20:33"[Kate kept quite a low profile.
01:20:35She did nothing to draw attention to herself.
01:20:38She was very discreet.
01:20:39From keeping a low profile to being recognized wherever she goes won things for sure.
01:20:44The tables have certainly turned for Duchess Kate."
01:20:46Kate may have kept her head down in school, but that didn't prevent Prince William from
01:20:50noticing her.
01:20:51In an interview with the UK Press Association in 2010, William and Kate divulged some details
01:20:55about the early stages of their relationship, with Kate revealing her initial nervousness
01:20:59over meeting the Prince of Wales.
01:21:01I actually went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling very shy
01:21:04about meeting you."
01:21:07Over time, the two became close friends, even sharing an apartment in college as flatmates.
01:21:11But according to Kate's biography, William started to see Kate as more than just a friend
01:21:16after he saw her walking the catwalk in a super sheer mini dress designed by Charlotte
01:21:19Todd for a charity fashion show in 2002.
01:21:22For someone who never called attention to herself, the barely-there number was definitely
01:21:26a departure from what friends had come to expect from Kate.
01:21:29And Prince William obviously liked the new look.
01:21:32After years of dating and one highly-publicized breakup, William and Kate delighted royal
01:21:36fans everywhere when they announced their engagement in November 2010.
01:21:39The Issa wrap dress Kate wore for the royal engagement press announcement, which was fittingly
01:21:43royal blue, sold like hotcakes as soon as the public laid eyes on it.
01:21:47In fact, the dress' popularity caused its designer, Daniela Haleal, to leave the label
01:21:52after experiencing an overwhelming demand for orders.
01:21:56Weddings may come and go, but Kate Middleton's wedding dress still looks as stunning as it
01:21:59did in 2011.
01:22:01The fairytale-inspired gown designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen featured intricate
01:22:05lace details, a Victorian-style silhouette, and a train nearly nine feet in length.
01:22:10Of course, dressing a duchess doesn't come cheap.
01:22:13According to CBS News, the estimated cost of the Cinderella gown totaled around $434,000.
01:22:19Kate might have had some help in finding the perfect dress for her big day, but the credit
01:22:23for her wedding day makeup belongs to the duchess herself.
01:22:26According to wedding planner Mark Niemirko, Kate took private lessons with London makeup
01:22:30artist Arabella Preston in preparation for the wedding, and felt comfortable and confident
01:22:34in doing her makeup herself before she exchanged vows with Prince William.