Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton was a student at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, where she graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in the History of Art. In 2001, while in her second year at the University of St Andrews, Middleton met the future king. Since 2003, she and the prince have been in an on-again-off-again relationship that has been the subject of intense media scrutiny.

She was born on 9 January 1982, in Berkshire, England, to pilot Michael and flight attendant Carole Middleton. In 1987, the Middletons founded their own party goods company, which helped to make them millionaires. Kate, the oldest of three children, has a younger sister, Philippa (Pippa), and a younger brother, James.

Britney Spears

For her relatively short nine years in the public spotlight, Britney Spears has managed to generate more controversy than your average celebrity manages in a lifetime.

From the outset, her sexually provocative image, aided by the slickest hit-making machine, has guaranteed non-stop headlines and constant media scrutiny.

It is all a long way from young Britney’s first televised performance on Star Search in 1990. This led to the eight year-old Spears auditioning for Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Club. Initially, she was deemed by producers as being “too young” but, undeterred, she finally made the cut, aged eleven, and appeared singing, dancing, even rapping her way through 110 appearances, alongside fellow Mouseketeers Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.

David Beckham

David Beckham was born in Leytonstone to parents Ted, a kitchen fitter, and Sandra, a hairdresser.

Beckham's parents were fanatical Manchester United supporters who frequently travelled to Old Trafford from London to attend the club's home matches, so he naturally inherited their love of the team and chose football as his main sporting passion.

His love of football meant that his schooling took second place. In 1991, aged 16, he left school and signed up to Manchester United's youth training scheme after his talent for the game had become evident. He had initially been on trial at Tottenham.