She grew up on a tough Belfast housing estate with 'bombs going off all around'.

But Louise Moelwyn-Hughes went on to teach the future Queen of England and mentor a Royal princess.

It is, however, not the only remarkable story of the 40-year-old classics teacher who is the new head of St Edmund’s School in Canterbury.

Because she is also the institution’s first woman head its 262-year history and the youngest to lead its staff and pupils.

Her teaching career began at Marlborough College where she taught a 15-year-old Catherine Middleton, now Duchess of Cambridge, classical civilisation.

She said: "I remember her being very studious and switched on but down to earth. She was just a very nice person and what people say about her is true."

Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes followed the young Royal’s progress when she became increasingly in the public eye as Prince William’s girlfriend but says they have not met or spoken since.

"I didn’t get an invite to the wedding, I’m afraid but her old headmaster did represent the school, " she said.

The new head, who started her new job at the beginning of the school term, added: "I was actually closer to Princess Eugene because I was her housemistress. She was also very bright and happy to get stuck into things."

Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes was selected after a ‘rigorous’ process which included meeting the pupils.

She said: "I was immediately impressed by them and felt welcomed."

Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes was a high academic achiever, studying classics at Magdalene College Cambridge. But she also held scholarships at the City of Belfast School of Music, studying viola, piano and voice as well as playing sports at county level.

She says that gaining a place at grammar school gave her the chance to develop her abilities.

She said: "There is a great tradition to St Edmund’s which I am not about to change. The school is renown for its music and drama but also achieves excellent academic results which I want to further enhance.

"Its first class pastoral care and broad canvas of extra-curricular provision also chimes entirely with my own interests."

Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes’s husband Owen has just been appointed as head of politics at King’s School in Canterbury.