Meghan Markle may no longer be a working member of the royal family, but she hasn’t lost her status as one of the most famous women in the world.
It feels like yesterday when the former Suits star tied the knot with Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on 19th May 2018, following an engagement announcement the previous November.
But everything changed in early 2020 when it was announced she would be stepping down from senior royal duties with Harry. Now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are California based with their two children, Archie, four and two-year-old Lilibet.
However, Meghan Markle’s life was just a little bit different before she met Harry. Let’s take a look back at her journey…
When did Meghan and Harry first meet?
The couple are thought to have first met at a blind date in London, when they were set up by a mutual friend (side note: why does this never happen to us? And when it does, why are blind said dates always woefully unsuccessful?), thought to be fashion PRViolet von Westenholz (though neither Harry nor Meghan has ever confirmed their match-maker on the record.)
One of their earliest dates was – wait for it – a minibreak to Botswana, so it was clearly obvious to both from the start that something special was on the cards. The Prince is also thought to have met up with Meghan while promoting the Invictus Games in Toronto back in 2016 (Meghan, of course, was previously based in the Canadian city while filming Suits).
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Want to watch a low-budget made-for-TV film that plays fast and loose with the details of the royal couple’s early courtship? May we recommend the Lifetime movie Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance?
Or, have a binge of their tell-all docuseries, Harry & Meghan.
When was the relationship confirmed?
Harry confirmed his relationship with the actress in an unprecedented statement released through Kensington Palace, in which he criticised the ‘wave of abuse and harassment‘ which his new girlfriend had been subjected to, both in the mainstream media and through online trolling. When the news broke, the couple ended up hiding from the paparazzi at the Toronto home of the Brian and Jessica Mulroney, Meghan’s closest friends, to weather the media storm.
At around the same time, eagle-eyed fans noticed Meghan wearing a distinctive black-and-white beaded bracelet in her recent Instagram posts – identical to a bracelet which Harry had been photographed wearing at a royal engagement in Aberdeen. Coincidence, it was not.
Watch our video below for all the facts you need to know about Meghan, then read on for the full lowdown…
So, who is Meghan Markle?
Prior to taking on her new royal role, Meghan worked as an actress and was best known for her role as paralegal Rachel Zane on the long-running US drama Suits (still streaming on Netflix, FYI).
Quite the Renaissance woman, Meghan also founder and curated her own lifestyle site, The Tig, which branded itself ‘a hub for the discerning palate – those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion & beauty.’ Sadly the Tig went offline at the start of 2017, around the same time that Meghan’s social media profiles not-so-mysteriously disappeared from the Internet. If you’re keen to channel Meghan over the festive season, you’re in luck: way back in 2015, she wrote a guide on how to host the perfect ‘fake’ Christmas with your friends for Grazia.
Originally based in Los Angeles, she lived in Toronto (where Suits is filmed) with her two dogs, Bogart and Guy before relocating permanently to Kensington Palace.
How old is she?
Born in California on 4th August 1981, Meghan is 42 years old.
What else was she in?
MEGHAN MARKLE ©GETTY IMAGES
Aside from her lead role in Suits, she also had brief turns in films like Get Him To The Greek, Horrible Bosses and Remember Me, as well as the obligatory appearances on CSI and General Hospital (or as we like to refer to it, the Casualty of America…)
What about her charity work?
Meghan is committed to an impressive number of charitable causes – something which she certainly has in common with Prince Harry. A former advocate for UN Women, she has previously presented at the organisation’s headquarters as part of the HeForShe Gender Equality Campaign famously headed up by Emma Watson. In 2016, she became a global ambassador for World Vision Canada, and travelled to Rwanda for their Clean Water campaign.
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In an old essay on The Tig, she expanded upon the two sides of her career, writing ‘I am consistently asked how I keep a foot in two contrasting worlds – one in the entertainment industry, predicated on wealth and indulgence, and the other in humanitarian work.’
‘To me, it’s less of a question of how can you do this, and more a question of how can you not?’
And her previous boyfriends?
Meghan tied the knot for the first time in 2011, to TV and film producer Trevor Engelson (who she’d been dating since 2004). However, the couple then separated and divorced in 2013, citing ‘irreconcilable differences.’ She was then linked to golfer Rory McIlroy, and at the start of 2016 was was reported to be dating Canadian celebrity chef Cory Vitiello.
What’s her Instagram handle?
@MEGHANMARKLE ©@MEGHANMARKLE
Funny you should ask. Until January 2017, you could follow Meghan on Instagram at @meghanmarkle for Suits behind-the-scenes snaps, pictures of her dogs and plenty of motivational quotes. But every single post has since been deleted. Such is the sacrifice of royal life, we guess.
You used to be able to follow Meghan and Harry together on @sussexroyal, an Instagram account created in April 2019. However, they no longer use it since stepping down from their royal duties.
When did Meghan Markle announce her pregnancies?
Kensington Palance announced the news of Meghan’s first pregnancy in October 2018, with a spokesman saying, ‘Their Royal Highnesses are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in Spring 2019. Their Royal Highnesses very much appreciate all of the support they have received from people around the work since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share their happy news.
‘The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted for the couple and were able to congratulated them in Friday at the wedding in person. Ms Doria Ragland is very happy about the lovely news and she looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild.’
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When Meghan was pregnant with Lilibet, the news was announced on Valentine’s Day 2021. They revealed the milestone with a gorgeous black-and-white photo that was taken by their friend and photographer, Misan Harriman. A beaming Harry looked lovingly at Meghan, who cradled her baby bump as she rested on his lap.
Misan wrote, ‘Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow. Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this joyous news!’
When did Meghan Markle give birth to Archie and Lilibet?
Meghan Markle gave birth to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in the early hours of 6 May, 2019 weighing 7lbs, 3oz. Prince Harry said, ‘I’m so incredibly proud of my wife. As every father and parent would ever say, your baby is absolutely amazing. But this little thing is absolutely to die for. So I’m just over the moon.’
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Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 4 June 2021, weighing 7lb 11oz. ‘On 4 June, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family,’ the statement read.
When did Harry and Meghan decide to step down from their senior royal duties?
Ah, the statement that sent shockwaves around the world! In January 2020, the pair announced that they planned to step back from their senior royal duties, hoping to split their time between America and the UK and become financially independent. They officially step down on March 31, and will no longer use their titles.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.