The Royals

From Commoner to Royalty: The Women Who Did It

From Queen Rania of Jordan to Sarah Ferguson, meet the royals who weren't born into privilege

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MABEL WISSE SMIT

Country: The Netherlands
Like King Edward VIII of England, Willem-Alexander's younger brother Prince Johan Friso gave up his place as second in line to the throne to marry Smit in 2004. The drastic measure was prompted by the Dutch government's refusal to give approval to the union after Smit provided false information about a liaison she had had with a drug dealer. Seven years later, the scandal reared its ugly head again when the royal couple admitted to altering a Wikipedia entry about the Princess to wipe away the scandal.