Rachel Meghan Markle is a former American actress and model who married into the British Royal Family. However, the Duchess of Sussex soon stepped down from her duties along with Prince Harry. Learn more at los-angeles.pro.
Education
Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles. Her father is a director. He won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for the show Made in Chicago in 1975 and then two Emmys for the popular soap opera General Hospital in 1985 and 2001. He was nominated for other awards and also worked on the long-running series Married… with Children, while Meghan’s mother was a temporary employee at the studio where they met.
According to Meghan, her parents separated when she was two years old. She and her mother went to live with her grandmother, Janet. She stayed with her mother during the weekdays and visited her father on weekends. She recalls how peaceful they lived together, without any quarrels. The actress obtained a degree in theater arts and international studies. Find out more about acting education in Los Angeles here.
Acting career of the actress
It all started spontaneously when friends suggested Meghan audition to see what would happen. The girl debuted in 2002 in the TV soap opera General Hospital.
The actress could also be seen in such movies as Remember Me and Horrible Bosses. The role of Rachel Zane in the legal comedy Suits brought Meghan Markle the highest popularity. Meghan ended her acting career after she married Prince Harry in 2017 and, therefore, refused to film in the 8th season of Suits.
However, in 2020, Meghan Markle once again appeared as an actress, but this time as a voice actress. The studio Disneynature released a documentary film, Elephant, where Meghan Markle got the role of a storyteller.
Personal life
Markle has been married twice. Her first husband, Trevor Engelson, is a film director. They started dating in 2004 and wed in 2011. Two years later, the couple broke up and officially divorced.
Soon, the whole world was shocked by the sensational news of Meghan Markle’s relationship with Prince Harry, which began in 2016. At that time, Meghan was already living in London.
There are several versions of how Meghan and Harry met. Tabloids wrote that they were introduced to each other by Harry’s childhood friend, who also became friends with Meghan. Another version says that the couple met through the designer, Misha Nonoo. The couple received approval for marriage from the Queen of the United Kingdom. Their engagement was announced at the end of November 2017.
The Wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
This wedding became one of the most anticipated events. The whole world watched the preparation and the ceremony itself. All expenses were covered by the Royal Family. Meghan Markle accepted British citizenship and changed her religion as required by tradition. Markle was baptized and confirmed on March 6, 2018, before the wedding.
On May 9, 2018, Meghan Markle, together with her mother Doria Ragland, arrived in a vintage Rolls-Royce at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, where she was to get married at noon. Meghan was the perfect example of composure, exceptional modesty, style, joy and indescribable beauty. The simplicity of her white silk wedding dress, created by Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller, was complemented by an extravagant five-meter-long and three-meter-wide veil. All attractive qualities of the bride were highlighted. It was not only her intelligence and determination but also her pleasing manners, charm, liveliness, sense of humor, and, of course, her background. On the one hand, she is an educated and sophisticated American, and on the other hand, a woman of color.
Welcoming Meghan Markle into the family was a positive sign for both Britain and the entire Commonwealth. Of course, not everyone shared this view. There have always been and most likely will be people with racist views. They did not like that Meghan became part of the Royal Family. But the number of people with such views was too small to make any significant changes. In addition, racial discrimination is a criminal offense in Britain. After the wedding, Meghan Markle was granted the title of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.
Life in the royal family
After the wedding in 2018, Meghan Markle became a full member of the Royal Family. She engaged in activities befitting her high status.
One of Markle’s main activities was charity work. She also unlocked her design potential by releasing a clothing capsule collection. Representatives of Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Jigsaw assisted Meghan in designing elegant outfits. She supported the charity project Food For London Now, aimed at providing food to those in need in London. The Duchess also contributed to the publication of a cookbook in 2018. Meghan Markle wrote the foreword for it.
In 2020, the public was rocked by the news that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry renounced their titles as senior members of the Royal Family. Following their loud statement, the couple was denied security protection. Harry and Meghan also stopped receiving money from the public treasury.
Already a year before the sensational announcement by Meghan and Harry in January 2020, the Palace was aware that the couple wanted to move into the world of commerce to become financially independent. No member of the Royal Family who received state funding had done this before. Moreover, there was a suspicion that Meghan planned to become a politician in America, which would be against her royal status.
In 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the couple would no longer carry out official duties of the Royal Family. They retained the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex but lost the titles of Her and His Royal Highness. The couple explained that they wanted to focus on their family and children.
Children of the Duchess of Sussex
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The boy was born on May 6, 2019. The Duchess gave birth at the Portland Hospital in London. Archie was seventh in line to the throne. The baby’s name broke all royal rules and was very unusual, unexpected, unconventional and progressive. Royal children have always been named in honor of royal ancestors. Harry and Meghan, however, proved that they were very serious in their desire for change, including every aspect of their lives.
Later, after giving up her royal powers, Meghan moved with her son to Canada and then, together with Harry, to California, USA. The couple purchased a house, which is a quiet and private place in Santa Barbara. In early 2021, Meghan Markle announced that she was expecting their second child – a daughter. They named her in honor of her grandmother and great-grandmother, Lilibet Diana. Meghan confessed that she had suffered a miscarriage after the birth of their first child.
Interview with Oprah Winfrey
In 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave a big interview to Oprah Winfrey, which was actively discussed in the press. During the interview, the royal family was accused of racist views. Meghan Markle said that when she was pregnant with their first child, they expressed concerns about the baby’s skin color because Meghan’s mother is African American. Meghan also mentioned that she was not allowed to meet friends or travel anywhere without permission.
