Meghan Markle helped girls feel like princesses by finding prom dresses, shoes and jewellery for them during her university years

BIG-HEARTED Meghan Markle spent her university years helping underprivileged girls find prom dresses to make them feel like princesses.

Graduates from her secretive US sorority told how she became a real-life Cinderella - shunning boozy nights down the student union in favour of charity work for ‘The Glass Slipper Project’.

Her student pal Liz Kores, 36, exclusively told The Sun On Sunday: “It is pretty cool that a future member of the royal family once helped underprivileged high school girls feel like princesses.

“I think she was always destined to be remarkable. She is just so committed to helping other people in need. Meghan’s own story is like a Cinderella story – it is pretty amazing.”

Theatre and international relations student Meghan joined society ‘Kappa Kappa Gamma’ when she first went to Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois, in 1999.

The historic sorority – whose motto is ‘aspire to be’ - was founded as a women’s only social club way back in 1870.

But unlike other hell-raising fraternities in American colleges, 18-year-old Meghan’s sorority included a clause which banned drinking inside its house.

She was forced to undergo a ‘pledge of allegiance’ and an initiation – but even those were fit for a princess.

Liz said: “You go into this room and read the pledge to uphold the values of being a good person, being philanthropic and caring about your sisters.

“The night before, all the freshman girls spend the night in the house – it is like a sleepover.

“It’s our job to make them feel really welcome, to find out what dorm they’re living in and surprise them with breakfast in bed.”

Meghan became recruit chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma – or KKG as it was known.

She only lived in the sorority’s stone house when she was in her third year at university, along with 60 other girls – who would drink in their favourite local hangout The Keg bar.

But charity was her real passion.

Meghan did charity work for The Glass Slipper Project - which helped underprivileged high school girls in Chicago get dresses for their prom.

Liz said: “A group of us from Kappa Gamma worked as volunteers to find high school students dresses and shoes and jewelry and make them feel like princesses.

“Meghan had great style - even in jeans and a t-shirt she looked great - so she was really good at it we really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it.

“She signed right up. We worked as volunteers to help these high school students find dresses.

";Basically you volunteer as a personal shopper.

“We get the dresses donated. It’s called the Glass Slipper project because it’s inspired by Cinderella fairytale.”

The Suits actress, now 36, also did a 30-hour charity dance marathon in March 2000 to raise money for a cancer charity – after also collecting cash on the streets.

Liz, who now runs a PR firm in Chicago, said: “Meghan loved it.”

Her old friend, overjoyed at the news this week, added: “I'm so happy she's found love – she and Harry are a really good match.

“I think having a platform of the royal family with be an amazing way for her to highlight causes that are super important to her and the world.

She's going to be tremendous.”