On August 4, 1981, Meghan Markle was born in Los Angeles, California. Before becoming Meghan, Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry, Markle was an actress as well as a passionate advocate for causes close to her heart. As a royal, Duchess Meghan is set to continue her important philanthropic work while remaining a fashion tastemaker for women around the world.
At a young age, Markle exhibited a feminist spirit. When she was 11 years old, she successfully got Ivory Dish Soap to change their sexist tagline (“Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans”) by writing letters to the soap company as well as to then-first lady Hillary Clinton. In an interview, she shared what she learned from her campaign: ”It was at that moment that I realized the magnitude of my actions.”
In 2003, Markle graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in theatre and international studies. She returned to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. However, as a biracial actress, she had difficulty getting parts. In a 2015 Elle UK interview she reflected on her initial struggle: “I wasn’t black enough for the black roles and I wasn’t white enough for the white ones, leaving me somewhere in the middle as the ethnic chameleon who couldn’t book a job.”
Her breakthrough role came in 2011, as a paralegal in the TV drama “Suits.” Her character was often the moral compass on the show, who also knew how to rock a classy pencil skirt. During her seven-year run on “Suits,” she also launched her lifestyle blog, “The Tig.” Additionally, she used her high-profile position to work on many philanthropic causes.
Markle secretly began dating Prince Harry during the summer of 2016. They were introduced by a mutual friend. After a few back-to-back dates in London, Prince Harry convinced Markle, who was living in Toronto at the time, to join him in Botswana for some camping under the stars.
Prince Harry proposed to Markle on a cozy night when they were roasting a chicken in at his Kensington Palace apartment. Prince Harry sourced the diamond himself from Botswana. He also included small diamonds from his late mother’s jewelry collection “to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together.” Upon announcing her engagement to Prince Harry on November 27, 2017, Markle retired from her acting career.
On May 19, 2018, Markle married Prince Harry at St. George’s Chapel in London, England. She is sure to integrate her passion for helping others in her new role as the Duchess of Sussex.