There's a Surprising Link Between Kate Middleton's Old Job and Meghan Markle's New Clothing Line

Meghan Markle launched a very small shoppable capsule collection for Smart Works yesterday, and there's a sweet connection to Kate Middleton that connects to Kate's earliest jobs.

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Meghan Markle launched a very small shoppable capsule collection for Smart Works yesterday, and it has been flying off the shelves ever since. But there's a sweet connection to Meghan's sister-in-law Kate Middleton that initially went unnoticed when the line had its initial launch—something that connects the two via one of Kate's earliest jobs right after her college years.

According to People, "The collection features several business-inspired items sold at retailers including John Lewis & Partners, Markes & Spencer, and Jigsaw—the latter of which is the British shop where the Duchess of Cambridge worked when she was dating Prince William."

First of all, Kate is so personable and has such good game face in times of crisis (while, for example, George is busy wreaking havoc on her floral arrangements somewhere and Louis is assisting) that she would do well in customer service and retail. But apparently her gig was pretty cool, by all accounts. According to People:

Kate quit the gig in 2006 and later went on to work in the family party planning business before she, you know, became a princess and a super-busy mom. I wonder if she and Meghan 1) even made the connection between each other and 2) reminisce about Jigsaw, old work gigs, or what a small world it is. I hope so—meanwhile I'll just be over here imagining 2006 Kate multitasking effortlessly at her old retail job.

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(Image credit: AFP)

Yes, exactly! (Seriously, I bet she crushed it.)

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.