Kate Middleton flourished during her four-year stint at Marlborough College, although she abstained from one common rite of passage that most of her peers took part in. The Prince William's wife enrolled at the esteemed co-ed boarding school in 1996, after reportedly being bullied at her former school, Downe House. It's believed that Kate felt comfortable from the get-go at Marlborough in Wiltshire, where she became a member of the school's snug all-girls boarding house, Elmhurst.
Her contemporaries spoke to the Daily Mail about their memories of her as an exemplary student, recalling her listening to her Walkman, watching Friends and enjoying Marmite sandwiches. Ann Patching, her housemistress, remembered Kate's fondness for lasagne and pasta bakes, but noted that she "always stayed very slim". She also made a very close group of friends, which included fellow members of the hockey team.
But there was one thing that set her apart. According to the publication, Kate remained a responsible role model and was never caught with alcohol - unlike her friends, one of whom once confided: "A group of us used to sneak off to Reading to go drinking but she would never join us." Another pal, Gemma, revealed that it was when 16-year-old Kate returned to the school for sixth form after the holidays, she had transformed into "an absolute beauty".
Despite capturing attention, the future Queen experienced few romantic endeavours during that time, reports the Mirror . Her initial kiss is said.