You know how it is – sometimes you think you know everything about someone, and they reveal something unexpected from their past.
While we know the British Royal Family have plenty of hidden talents, they aren’t the only ones who can shock with dormant skills or buried past lives. From European royals to Hollywood royalty, plenty of our favourite famous faces might have had an entirely different life if they’d followed the paths their early academic days were leading them.
For example, one beloved Emmy-winning actress contemplated being a doctor. And then there’s the pop culture icon who swapped scandalous roles for a degree in French Literature. Talk about hidden depths.
Find out who these stars are, and plenty of other royals and famous faces who have studied all around the world…
Celebrities and royals who have studied at the world’s finest institutions
Prince William and Kate Middleton met at the University of St Andrews
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The future King and Queen left the University of St Andrews with more than just degrees; it’s famously where the pair met and fell in love.
It is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world. At the prestigious institution, Prince William started out with a Master of Arts course before pivoting to geography. The now Princess of Wales studied art history.
Meryl Streep had an impressive résumé even before acting
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As one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, it felt written in the stars that Meryl Streep was destined for the big screen. She’s received 21 Academy Award nominations—winning three—making her the most nominated actress ever, and, along with Katharine Hepburn and Frances McDormand, sharing the most wins.
But even before this impressive accomplishment, Meryl landed a spot at one of America’s most prestigious Ivy League universities, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama from the Yale School of Drama in 1975.
King Charles’s Cambridge University degree made history
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As a young man, King Charles landed a place at the impressive Cambridge University in 1967 to read Archaeology and Anthropology. He switched to study history for the second part of his degree and was eventually awarded a 2:2 degree in 1970. With this degree, King Charles is actually the first monarch in UK history to have achieved a traditional university degree.
Other royals followed in Charles’ footsteps, with his youngest brother, Prince Edward going on to study history at Cambridge also.
Brooke Shields went from controversial child star to academic genius
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Brooke Shields did not have a conventional childhood – finding fame from a very early age starring in controversial films like Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon.
Despite the less-than-traditional upbringing, Brooke chose the route of studying at college, earning a place at one of America’s top Ivy League colleges, Princeton University. Perhaps even more impressively was the lofty subject Brooke studied – French literature.
Being Brooke Shields, they weren’t the most conventional of college days. Writing in her 2014 memoir, There Was a Little Girl, she shared, “The paparazzi tried to sneak onto campus, dressed like what they thought college students looked like, and follow me around. One photographer hid in a vent to photograph me walk to a class; another attempted to bribe a freshman to take a camera into the showers and snap me in the nude.”
Cindy Crawford won a scholarship to an impressive university
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Can you imagine the 1990s eras of supermodels without Cindy Crawford? Well, if the iconic model had chosen to stick to the more traditional route of college, that might have been a possibility.
Cindy earned an academic scholarship to study chemical engineering at Northwestern University and started her studies, but ultimately dropped out to pursue modelling.
Natalie Portman’s break from acting included Ivy League schooling
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Natalie Portman had already starred in critically acclaimed movies like Michael Mann’s Heat and massive blockbusters including Star Wars: Episode I and II by the time she was 18.
Despite this rare achievement, the future Oscar winner decided to step away from acting for a while… but not necessarily to relax. She ended up studying at what is often considered the number one university in the world, Harvard, graduating with a degree in psychology.
Lady Louise Windsor is following in the footsteps of her cousin
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Lady Louise Windsor, the eldest child of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward, has followed in the footsteps of her cousin, Prince William, and studies at the University of St Andrews.
Lady Louise started studying English at the Scottish university in September 2022.
Kate Beckinsale studied at one of England’s top universities
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Stylish, witty and talented, Kate Beckinsale has enjoyed a career in film and television, starting in 1993. And it was around this time the Serendipity actress was studying at the New College in Oxford University.
Kate actually ended her studies of French and Russian Literature to pursue her acting career, landing her first role in 1993’s Much Ado About Nothing alongside Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves.
Crown Princess Victoria swapped Sweden for the halls of the Ivy League
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Victoria, the Crown Princess of Sweden, studied a part-time degree at Yale in the late 1990s.
The heir to the Swedish throne spent five semesters at the prestigious Connecticut college studying Political Science and History from 1998. Whilst living and studying in the US, the Crown Princess also kept busy gaining work experience at the United Nations in New York.
Meghan Markle’s academic career set her up for life in the public eye
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Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with a bachelor’s in theatre and international studies. As a student, she also interned at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires.
We know she put her theatre degree to good use with her pre-royal career starring in the hit series, Suits, and her international work most definitely set her up for life as a Duchess and ambassador for various charities.
Jackie Kennedy
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Forever remembered as the impeccably stylish First Lady of the United States who brought high fashion to the American masses, let viewers peek inside the White House, and rose above countless tragedies, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis lived several lives.
But even before she rose to the ranks of one of the most famous First Ladies ever, Jackie was an educated and accomplished woman, studying at the likes of Vassar College, the University of Grenoble in Grenoble, and the Sorbonne in Paris. Proving she was more than just a debutante, during the early years of her marriage to John F. Kennedy, she continued further education at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Lady Gabriella Windsor graduated on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean
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In 2004, Lady Gabriella Windsor—King Charles’ cousin and the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent—graduated from Rhode Island’s Brown University, with a BA degree in Comparative Literature.
Other famous alumni from Brown University, which despite not being an Ivy League school, is considered very prestigious, include John F Kennedy Jr and Emma Watson.
Nigella Lawson’s studies had nothing to do with cooking
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The always glamorous, always stylish queen of the kitchen, Nigella Lawson, chose quite a different path for her academic career.
Nigella read Medieval and Modern Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.
The Duke of Windsor studied at Oxford
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Call it something of a pattern with quitting, but the only King to voluntarily abdicate also left his studies before finishing.
Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor, started his studies at the University of Oxford. The one-time king who abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson did a stint at Magdalen College, where he studied for eight terms before leaving without a degree.
Frederik X, King of Denmark went to Harvard – and no one knew he was royal
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The now Frederik X, King of Denmark, studied Political Science at Harvard University.
A hallowed university that’s often listed as the top academic institution in the world, it seems that the brainiacs who studied there might not have known (or cared about) their European royalty.
This is because, per Hola, Frederik once remarked about his time at the university, “These two weeks I’ve been here have shown…I’m not that famous here!”
Modern Family’s Julie Bowen did some classic studies
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Famous for her role as the harassed Claire in Modern Family, Julie Bowen’s university studies were a far cry from her sitcom days.
Julie studied at the prestigious Brown University, where she majored in Italian Renaissance Studies.
Angela Bassett did the thing… twice!
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In the 1980s, right before her breakout in film, Angela Bassett impressively earnt two degrees from Yale University. The How Stella Got Her Groove Back star graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies in 1980 and a Master of Fine Arts in 1983.
It was while at Yale that Angela met the man who’d become her husband, Courtney B Vance. The pair have been married since 1997.
She made her film debut in 1986, in the thriller F/X and her breakout role is considered to be 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.
King Felipe of Spain had a royal roommate
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The now King Felipe VI of Spain studied for a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
While that’s a nice fact in itself, it’s the additional detail of who he bunked with while studying that adds a layer of stranger-than-fiction to it all. If one royal wasn’t enough, he shared accommodation with his first cousin, the Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, who was studying the same course.
Mira Sorvino got top honours before she scooped Hollywood’s top prize
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Before starring in the likes of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and her Oscar-winning turn in Mighty Aphrodite, Mira Sorvino graduated magna cum laude—which translates to ‘with great praise’ and indicates scholastic excellence—from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies in 1989.
Lupita Nyong’o didn’t waste much time after graduating
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Lupita Nyong’o graduated from the Yale School of Drama in 2012 with a master of fine arts in acting. Proving she was on the right course with her acting ambitions, she landed her breakthrough role in 12 Years a Slave just one year later, earning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Princess Beatrice and Eugenie chose their own paths
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While their uncles, King Charles and Prince Edward, went to Cambridge, and it’s become something of a tradition for younger royals to go to the University of St Andrews, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie went their own way when it came to their university degrees.
Princess Beatrice studied at Goldsmiths College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history, and Eugenie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and History of Art from Newcastle University.
Queen Margrethe was incredibly studious
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With stints at some of the finest institutions all over the world, including the Sorbonne in Paris, studying archaeology at Cambridge and political science at Aarhus, and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is arguably one of the most academically qualified royal figures.
Margrethe reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024.
Prince William’s extra-curricular courses
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As a future king, one might understand if the likes of Prince William decided to just prepare for the day he wears the crown. But the Prince of Wales deserves some praise for his commitment to educating himself and making sure he can bring something new to his duties.
In 2014, Prince William enrolled in a vocational agricultural management course at Cambridge to prepare for taking over the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, which became his after King Charles succeeded the throne in 2022.
Before Friends, Lisa Kudrow debated becoming a doctor
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Lisa Kudrow is an iconic actress who has made roles like Phoebe in Friends and Valerie Cherish from The Comeback beloved favourites.
However, Lisa’s academic career might have changed the trajectory of her acting ambitions. Before finding fame with her early roles, the Emmy winner earned a degree in biology from Vassar College in 1985.
She was interested in pursuing the field because of her father’s career as a doctor and because she saw the subject as a way of “unlocking all of the mysteries of humanity.”
Princess Anne’s children chose the same university
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Princess Anne’s two children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, both studied at the University of Exeter.
Before her career in the Olympics and in equestrian sports, Zara qualified as a physiotherapist. Peter Phillips was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Sciences before working at Jaguar Racing and later setting up his own company.
Rashida Jones studied something outside of entertainment
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Her mother was actress and model Peggy Lipton. Her dad was music icon Quincy Jones. And this could actually explain why Rashida Jones – way before finding her own voice with comedies like Parks and Recreation – tried to carve a lane outside of entertainment.
Impressively, Rashida landed a spot at Harvard University, where she studied Philosophy.
Mayim Bialik’s degree proved helpful for her role in The Big Bang Theory
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After earlier roles as a child star in the likes of Beaches, where she played the younger version of Bette Midler’s character, Mayim Bialik swapped acting for science.
She completed her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at UCLA and later earned her doctorate in the same field of study. This would prove fortuitous when she would later get a second breakthrough in the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, where she had to play a science genius.
Bad girl Stockard Channing was a great student
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There are worse things she could do…
Playing the legendary role of Rizzo in Grease might have cemented Stockard Channing’s reputation as the ultimate bad girl to many, but she was actually much more studious in real life.
Stockard Channing graduated summa cum laude from Harvard in 1965 with a degree in history and literature.
Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Kemper had an athletic scholarship
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Starring in the likes of Bridesmaids and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Ellie Kemper has proven herself to be a gifted comic actress.
But the star had a, perhaps unexpected, athletic background, having graduated from Princeton in 2002 with a degree in English after beginning her Ivy League career playing field hockey.
The King of Norway chose England to study
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In 1960, Harald V, King of Norway swapped the Scandi life for England’s historic halls, enrolling in an undergraduate economics course at Balliol College at the University of Oxford.
Harvard continues to attract European royals
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Harvard is still considered one of the best universities in the whole world, and if it was good enough for Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, we’re not surprised the next generation of European royalty choose it.
Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium started her master’s in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School in September 2024.
Eva Longoria took time out of Wisteria Lane to work on her studies
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There’s something to be said about those who choose to add studies to their already successful acting career. And Eva Longoria, while still riding high on the success of Desperate Housewives, started earning her master’s degree in 2013.
Eva graduated with her degree in Chicano studies from California State University in 2013, having started her lessons while still filming the show (Desperate Housewives would end in 2012).
