Meghan Markle biography, daughter, husband, family, ethnicity, net worth, wedding 2024

Biography of Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle is an American actress known for her role in the series "Suits." She won the heart of Prince Harry, for whom he gave up royal privileges, had a fall out with his family, and moved to Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

Early Years

Megan was born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, into a family of mixed heritage. Her father, Tom Markle, is an American television lighting director of Dutch and Irish descent, while her mother, Doria Ragland, is an African American social worker with a Master's degree in social work, who has also spent her life as a yoga instructor and social worker. Megan also has a half-brother named Thomas from her father's first marriage.

Megan Markle was born into a family of mixed heritage

As a child, Megan learned the ins and outs of the filming process—her dad often took her to the sets of various TV shows and series, such as the sitcom "Married with Children." The charming girl easily made acquaintances with popular actors and celebrities, fostering a desire to one day take their place. Eventually, Megan's parents divorced, her father moved to Mexico, and she stayed with her mother.

Megan Markle with her father during her childhood

Despite her fascination with film and television, Megan Markle also devoted much time to her studies. She read books every day, constantly learning something new, and by the age of eleven, she was inspired by feminist ideas. At that age, she decided to write a letter to Hillary Clinton, who had just become the First Lady of the United States.

In her letter, the young girl complained about a soap advertisement that aired during the breaks of a melodramatic series. The manufacturers perpetuated a stereotypical view of women as servants and cooks, expected to spend all their time washing dishes. After Hillary received the letter, a serious scandal erupted in the media, leading to the commercial being pulled off the air.

Education

As the daughter of wealthy parents, Meghan Markle attended elite private schools from the age of five with children of Hollywood stars. After finishing school, she was torn between a career in television and a role in politics.

Upon enrolling at the Californian branch of Northwestern University, Meghan decided not to limit her opportunities and earned two bachelor's degrees in both 'Theatre' and 'International Studies'.

Career

After completing her higher education in 2003, Meghan spent a short time as an intern at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires, where she worked as the Director of Public Relations. Following that, she decided to pursue an acting career.

Meghan Markle decided to try herself as an actress

Success did not come immediately for her—as she waited between infrequent guest roles in series such as "CSI: NY," "General Hospital," and "90210"—she had to take on side jobs as a model on various TV shows, a hostess in a restaurant, and even as a calligrapher. In 2010, Meghan appeared in a bold beer commercial.

Meghan Markle in a beer commercial

Everything changed in 2011 when she was cast in a leading role in the comedy-drama series "Suits." Her character Rachel Zane was an employee at the legal firm Pearson Hardman.

The series, featuring the brilliant duo of a genius lawyer and a gifted former criminal, became very popular and brought the attractive actress global fame.

Suits - Rachel Zane’s Climb to the Top at Specter Litt

While continuing to star in subsequent seasons of the show, Meghan also appeared on the big screen in the romantic drama "When Sparks Fly," the comedy "The Candidate," and the British crime film "Anti-Social."

Meghan Markle's Personal Life

Soon after graduating from college, Meghan started a relationship with producer Trevor Engelson. They married in 2011, but their marriage was short-lived; they divorced in 2013.

Meghan Markle's marriage to Trevor Engelson was brief

In early 2016, rumors surfaced in the media about the article's protagonist's relationship with Prince Harry of Wales. In September 2017, this information was officially confirmed: the couple made their first public appearance together during the Invictus Games in Toronto (an event similar to the Paralympics for former military personnel with disabilities).

Rumors of Meghan Markle's relationship with Prince Harry emerged in early 2016

Two months later, Buckingham Palace released an official statement about Prince Harry's engagement. Meghan met with members of the royal family, and Queen Elizabeth II herself gave the young couple her blessing for the wedding. The happy couple held their wedding ceremony in May 2018.

Many were curious about how Meghan Markle met Prince Harry.

'A mutual friend introduced us – set us up on a blind date. Then we met again in London and went on a double date. Right away, I started thinking about when we could have our third date,' recalled the prince.

The Wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The beginning of 2018 was marked by the actress’s preparations for her wedding. Before the ceremony, she converted religions (from Protestantism to Anglicanism) and obtained British citizenship. Following the wedding, the couple planned to settle in the royal residence in Nottingham.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first joint interview

On May 19, 2018, thousands of people around the world watched the royal wedding. "The first African American princess!" – Americans celebrated the bride. Meghan Markle's dress was created by Givenchy's artistic director Clare Waight Keller. The bride's look was simple with a minimal amount of jewelry: stud earrings and a bracelet from Cartier, as well as a tiara from 1932, which Meghan borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II. The groom's attire was traditional – the uniform of the guards regiment.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Wedding Outfits

By royal standards, the wedding was modest – 600 guests, among them no politicians, no foreign royals, and even few global celebrities. The newlyweds were honored by the presence of the Beckhams, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, and Idris Elba. Prime Minister Theresa May was not invited (she congratulated the couple on Twitter).

At the same time, there was no shortage of people eager to catch a glimpse of the ceremony – over 100,000 people gathered at Windsor Castle, many securing spots near the road several days in advance. However, the bride's father could not attend the most important day of her life as he underwent emergency heart surgery that day.

After the Wedding, Meghan Markle Became the Duchess of Sussex

As a wedding gift from his grandmother, Harry received the title of Duke of Sussex. Accordingly, Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex after the ceremony. Following the ceremony, the newlyweds retired to their private quarters in Windsor Castle and spent their first night together. The next morning, the couple left the palace.

The Royal Wedding by the Numbers

200 lemons were used for the wedding cake
5 meters of silk were needed for the bride's veil
10 page boys served at the wedding
175 years since the death of the last Duke of Sussex
7 charities received donations from the couple in honor of the wedding
5,000 members of the press were accredited for the event

Life After the Wedding

A few months after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the royal family shared the joyful news that the Duchess of Sussex was expecting a child. The new heir to the British throne, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on May 6, 2019.

On June 4, 2021, the couple welcomed their second child – a girl named Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Named after her great-grandmother (Lilibet was Queen Elizabeth's nickname), she was born in California, at the Santa Barbara clinic. It was there, in California, in Meghan's hometown of Los Angeles, that the couple decided to settle down after the birth of their first child.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and their babies

In early 2020, the couple decided to step back from royal duties, including financial support. According to an insider, the reason was Harry's hatred of publicity and the pervasive paparazzi who "once destroyed his mother and now torment his wife." In March 2021, Harry and Meghan gave a two-hour interview to Oprah Winfrey, their first television appearance since stepping down as senior royals. The interview shook the public, with the press calling it "devastating" for Buckingham Palace. Meghan had been subjected to relentless attacks by the tabloids and those in her immediate environment, with no protection from the royal family from the very start of her engagement.

Oprah Winfrey Interview With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

During her pregnancy with her son, Meghan learned that Buckingham Palace was seriously concerned about the baby's skin color. Ultimately, Prince Harry felt compelled to take the most drastic measures:

Our decision to step back from royal duties wasn't a surprise to the family: before making it official, I spoke three times with the Queen and twice with my father, Prince Charles. Eventually, he stopped taking my calls because I took matters into my own hands. I had to do this for my wife and son. After stepping back, we lost our security and financial support. We lived on what I inherited from my mother. We signed deals with Spotify and Netflix.

First, they moved to Canada, and then, as mentioned before, to Los Angeles. Later, Meghan, along with her husband, attended the funeral of Elizabeth II in September 2022, but she chose to skip her father-in-law's coronation, preferring to stay home with the children.

Meghan Markle Now

At the end of 2022, Netflix released the documentary series "Harry & Meghan," which significantly improved the couple's financial situation – according to estimates, their fee was 100 million dollars. The project tells the story of the couple's acquaintance, along with previously unpublished photos and videos.

Harry & Meghan. Trailer

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle was involved in a legal dispute with her half-sister Samantha. The latter sued the actress, accusing her of lying. During an interview with Oprah, Meghan said she grew up in poverty and had been working low-paying jobs since she was 13. Samantha claims, however, that their father paid for Meghan's education at top schools, university, and acting classes. Samantha sought 75,000 dollars for defamation, but the court ruled in Meghan's favor.

Meghan Markle: latest news and articles

Maxine Cole

Beauty Megan, I think she is always perfect!

2021-05-14 17:47:57
Shirley Mitchell

I found out about Markle only when he contacted the prince, and then I did not immediately find out that she was an actress. Who will name a good film with her? :)

2021-04-12 13:28:00
Nathaniel Aiden Richardson

This is what happens when the blood of the dark and the whites is mixed to create beautiful people like Megan. And now it will mix with redheads so it will not be clear at all what.

2021-04-09 15:39:57
Robert Nicholas Perry

She took a bite of course a huge piece of cake from the royal crown of Great Britain. Moreover, she made the prince give up all the goodies.

2021-04-04 11:52:42
Jennifer Flores

She is so cool, it was not for nothing that the prince chose her. But there are so many scandals around them...

2021-01-17 11:51:10