5 Surprisingly Odd Jobs the Royal Family Members Have Had

Royal life isn't always crowns and castles. Some members of the royal family have held surprisingly weird jobs. From working on a cattle station to carrying briefcases as a model, some royals have had surprisingly unusual experiences outside palace walls.

Before taking on royal responsibilities, Prince William spent time working with Raleigh International, a UK-based charity that organizes volunteer projects in different parts of the world. It allowed him to experience life outside the palace bubble and engage with projects focused on community and environment. In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal expert and biographer Katie Nicholl revealed, "William coped very well, and what struck me about him was how normal he was. He said he wanted to be treated like everyone else, and he was. When you saw him cleaning the toilets, it wasn't for the cameras; he really did clean the lavatories."

While Meghan Markle's acting stint is known to all, a part of her journey is rather unknown. Long before she married Prince Harry, Markle worked as a briefcase model on the American game show Deal or No Deal. The job involved standing alongside numbered briefcases while contestants played for cash prizes. She took up the job when she was struggling in Hollywood, leaving it only a season later. Talking about it on her Archetypes podcast with Paris Hilton, she shared, “I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage.”

Princess Kate came from a humble background and took several jobs before marrying into royalty. Her resume included odd jobs like working at Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, where she gained practical experience around boats, as revealed by Cal Tomlinson, who spoke to royal author Katie Nicholl for her book Kate: The Future Queen. The Princess also worked as a waitress during her university days at St. Andrews. Sharing her experience on BBC Berry Royal Christmas, she once laughed and recalled being 'terrible' at it.

Harry also tried his hand at an odd job or two before becoming a full-time working royal. During his gap year, he spent time in Australia, where he worked on a cattle station. Talking to the BBC, described Australia as "a great country." The Prince added, "I have had a great time working out here, meeting people and learning a bit about how to be a jackeroo and, of course, the rugby was absolutely fantastic." He worked as a cattle hand for nine weeks at Tooloombilla Station, which included duties such as rounding up livestock and bulls on horseback, managing cattle, repairing damaged fences, and performing daily ranch chores.