Kate Middleton was reportedly bullied at her £28k a year boarding school for being 'perfect' which left her 'thin and pale'

Kate Middleton was reportedly bullied so badly during her time at boarding school that she became 'thin and pale,' according to her former classmates.

• Kate Middleton was forced to leave her £28k a year boarding school after being bullied for being 'perfect.'
• The Princess of Wales had a traumatic time at the school, which she eventually left mid term.
•  In other royal news, Duchess Sophie nailed snake print in a chic co-ord and crisp white blazer - and her necklace provided some inspiring words to live by.

Many royal fans would describe Kate Middleton as being perfect - but this description is something that worked against her while she was at boarding school.

The now Princess of Wales was 'badly bullied' during her time at Downe House in Thatcham. It was suggested by former students that the Duchess was picked on and became 'thin and pale' before she left the school. 

The bullying is said to have included name calling and stealing - and students would leave Kate on her own during lunch time so they could go sit elsewhere.

Kate used to live at home with her parents, Michael and Carole, instead of boarding as their house was nearby and this is said to have left her unable to properly connect with the other girls at the school.

Eventually, things got so bad that Kate left Downe House in the middle of the term and moved to Marlborough College instead. 

One of Kate's old school friends from Marlborough College recalled how she 'hated' Downe House. The classmate told News of the World back in 2010, "She hated it, absolutely hated it. Some of the girls there were horrible. She was picked on because she was perfect - well turned out and a lovely person. She was not the type to stick up for herself."

"She said that there was a group of girls that called her names and they stole her books and stuff – little things like that. They rounded up on her a bit because she was quite a soft and nice person. When she used to go to lunch she would sit down with people and they all used to get up and sit on another table."

A second classmate, Gemma Williamson, revealed how the princess looked 'pale and thin' when she first arrived at Marlborough College. She said, "Apparently she had been bullied very badly and she certainly looked thin and pale. She had very little confidence."

However, Downe House's former headmistress Susan Cameron denied any knowledge of serious bullying. She told Katie Nicholls for her book, Kate: The Future Queen, "Certainly I have no knowledge of any serious bullying at all. But there's what everyone calls bullying, and there's actual, real, miserable bullying where someone had a dreadful time. That certainly didn't happen."

As an adult, Kate and her husband Prince William - who are parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - have both supported various anti-bullying charities and used their platform to give a voice to charities that campaign to help children's mental health.

And Kate's tough time at school is said to have 'completely influenced' her decisions about her own children's education. Royal expert Jennie Bond explained, "The Prince and Princess of Wales have made it clear that their young family will, as far as possible, come first and that includes sending all three to day school, rather than having them as boarders away from home."