Now, she’s Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Before that, she was an actress on the hit American TV show Suits. Before that, she was a freelance calligrapher and briefcase girl on Deal or No Deal.  And before that, she had a job “taking out the trash.”

That’s right, 37-year-old Meg’s life wasn’t always as glamorous as it is now, but her first career really shaped her into the woman she is today. The pregnant royal visited Macarthur Girls High in Sydney, Australia during day four of her tour with Prince Harry, and spoke to the students about what she learned from her early days.

Meghan Markle
Getty Images

“You guys all remind me so much of myself when I was growing up,” she told the girls, New Idea reported. “I went to an all-girls school which was incredibly diverse as well.”

“I think being around such empowered young women, it becomes something that you all just grasp onto to understand your world,” Meghan added. “It makes me so emotional. You’re doing really, really good work and I’m so happy that we’re here. We give you our full support.”

Meghan Markle Deal or No Deal
Getty Images

In a previous interview, Meg opened up about her careers before an actress. “I would put [Deal or No Deal] in the category of things I was doing while I was auditioning to try to make ends meet,” Meghan told Esquire in 2013. “I went from working in the US Embassy in Argentina to ending up on Deal. It’s run the gamut. Definitely working on Deal or No Deal was a learning experience, and it helped me to understand what I would rather be doing. So if that’s a way for me to gloss over that subject, then I will happily shift gears into something else.” We bet she’s happiest with her latest gig — you know, a princess!

Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and all things royal!