Kate: I wanted to be a teacher

The Duchess of Cambridge has revealed she wanted to be a teacher as she showed off her hockey skills during a visit to her old prep school.

Kate confessed that she enjoyed her time so much at St Andrew's, a private institution, she told her mother she wanted to return as a member of staff.

And she said she and her sister Pippa kept guinea pigs at the school in Pangbourne, Berkshire, with one named Pip after her sibling while the other took Kate's apparent nickname of Squeak.

The Duchess described her feelings about her 10 years at the school during a short speech to open a new artificial pitch.

Later her hockey skills were on full show when she joined a group of year eight 12-year-olds for a training session in an Alexander McQueen frock coat and three-inch high calf-length boots.

The Duchess said in her speech: "It is such a treat to be back here at St Andrew's. I absolutely loved my time here; they were some of my happiest years, which makes it so incredibly special to be here today.

"In fact, I enjoyed it so much that when I had to leave, I told my mother that I was going to come back to be a teacher. While that didn't quite happen, I was thrilled to have been asked back today on St Andrew's Day.

"It was while I was here at school that I realised my love of sport. Sport has been a huge part of my life, and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had to get outside and play in such wonderful open spaces - though sadly there was nothing quite as glamorous as this in my time."