Rachel Jordan was born in Maldon, Essex, England, and attended the University of Sheffield (1986–90), where she obtained Dual Honours in French and Hispanic Studies, then worked in office jobs until 1999, while also attending a fine art course 1995–98 at the City Literary Institute, London, where her final show, "The Princess Project", consisted of paintings about Princess Diana. In 2000, she started work as a picture researcher for BBC Books. The same year, she exhibited in the Stuckist show, "The Resignation of Sir Nicholas Serota" and took part, dressed as a Pierrot, in the first Stuckist demonstration against the Turner Prize outside Tate Britain.