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In the last 30-odd years, people around the world have taken a greater interest in Britain’s Royal Family, following princesses for the latest fashion trends and swooning over princes as if they’re Hollywood heartthrobs. Love them or hate them, members of the Royal Family seem to influence a little bit of everything. So what happens when an actual film and television star wins the heart of a prince? Take a look at Meghan Markle to find out.
While not a household name before her relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle never has been one to sit on the sidelines and stay quiet. Before becoming a member of the royal family, Markle had a large following through social media and her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. She’s done a bit of everything, from launching two clothing lines to becoming involved in charity work to fight for women’s rights and social justice. Markle always has been outspoken and independent, traits admired by many, and resented by others… possibly including her in-laws. If you’d like to learn more about the headstrong, and in our opinion, admirable, Duchess of Sussex, keep reading!
Meghan Markle’s Net Worth
Before she became the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle had an estimated net worth of about $5 million, the majority of which came from her acting career. Meghan’s husband, Prince Harry, had a net worth of about $25 million when they were married, comprised of his earnings from his service in the British Army and money left to him by his mother, the late Princess Diana. In 2020, after stepping away from their royal duties, Meghan and Harry signed a five-year $100 million production deal with Netflix, under which they plan to release various programs, including documentaries and children’s shows. It was reported that Markle received a $70,000 advance for her 2021 children’s book, The Bench, in addition to profits from sales of the book. Also in 2021, Markle signed a $25 million contract with Spotify to produce the Archewell Audio podcast series, Archetypes. Her net worth is expected to increase yet again following the release of Netflix’s six-part Harry & Meghan documentary on December 8, 2022.
Meghan Markle Biography
Rachel Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California. She was raised in Los Angeles and, although she was raised in the Protestant faith, she attended and graduated from an all-girls Catholic school, Immaculate Heart High School. While in high school, she participated in plays and musicals. She kept herself busy outside of school, working several different jobs as a waitress and babysitter, as well as at a local frozen yogurt shop. She also spent time volunteering at a soup kitchen in Skid Row, Los Angeles, which has been one of the largest condensed populations of homeless people in the United States since the 1930s.
Markle was admitted to Northwestern University in 1999. She joined Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and volunteered with her sorority sisters with the Glass Slipper Project, a charity in the United States which focuses on providing prom dresses and accessories to high school students in need. Markle studied both theater and international studies within Northwestern’s School of Communication and, for a time, she considered a political career. She interned as a junior press officer at the American embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the summer of 2002 after her junior year. She also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, before graduating in 2003.
When she began auditioning after graduation, Markle claimed she had a difficult time booking roles. In an essay for Elle in 2015, she wrote, “I wasn’t black enough for the black roles and I wasn’t white enough for the white ones.” She tapped into her unique skills to support herself while looking for work, teaching bookbinding, and working as a freelance calligrapher. Her first professional job featured her as a nurse in an episode of the American soap opera General Hospital. She appeared on the series Century City, The War at Home, and CSI: NY, as well as the American version of the game show Deal or No Deal as a “briefcase girl”. She appeared in a few small film roles in Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me, and Horrible Bosses.
Her big break came when she joined the cast of USA Network’s Suits in July 2011. She remained in the role of paralegal-turned-attorney Rachel Zane until late 2017, around the time of her engagement to Prince Harry. She lived in Toronto while filming the show and reportedly was paid $50,000 per episode. Markle was required to put her acting career on an indefinite pause once she was set to marry Prince Harry.
Throughout her relationship with the Duke of Sussex, Markle has been the subject of much scrutiny, particularly from white conservatives in the UK and even from members of the Royal Family. Much like her husband’s late mother, she has been on the covers of thousands of tabloids and has been stalked by paparazzi. Monarchists in the UK have criticized her seemingly more than any other romantic partner of a Royal Family member, taking issue with her being American and going so far as to comment on her race. In the 2021 television special Oprah with Meghan and Harry, Markle revealed that she had contemplated suicide during her time as a working royal. Because of the lack of protection and respect for her and their young son, Harry and Meghan decided to step down as senior members of the royal family. For their safety and sanity, they relocated to the United States, a move that has come to be known as “Megxit”.
Meghan Markle’s Dating History
Markle was in a long-term relationship with American film producer Trevor Engelson from 2004 through August 2013. In 2011, they were married in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, but they separated amicably about a year and a half later. She also dated Canadian celebrity chef Cody Vitiello from 2014 through 2016.
Mutual friends introduced Markle to Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, or simply Prince Harry, in July 2016. They were engaged in November 2017 and married in May 2018 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. In order to wed His Royal Highness, Markle was baptized and confirmed into the Church of England in March 2018 in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace. The couple withdrew from their royal duties in March 2020 and bought a home in Montecito, California, in June of that year, where they now reside with their two children, three dogs, and chickens.
Meghan Markle Family
Markle’s parents are Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle, Sr. They separated when she was two years old and divorced when she was six. Her father is an Emmy Award-winning television lighting director and director of photography, known for his work on General Hospital and Married… with Children. Her mother is a former yoga instructor and therapist. She is quite close with her mother, but she is estranged from her father and her paternal half-siblings, Samantha Grant and Thomas Markle, Jr.
Markle’s half-sister, Samantha Grant, is 58 years old and lives in Florida. Supposedly, she has not seen Meghan since 2008 but has spoken out about their embittered relationship. Grant published a tell-all book in 2021, The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister, and has had no restraint in speaking with the press.
The Duchess’ half-brother, Thomas Markle, Jr., lives in Oregon and is 56 years old. Reportedly, the two have not spoken since 2011, yet he makes it a point to criticize Meghan publicly, going so far as to write a letter to Prince Harry, warning him not to marry her.
Meghan and Harry share two children, Archie and Lilibet. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on May 6, 2019, in Windsor, England. Harry revealed that Archie wants to be an astronaut or pilot when he grows up. Archie has already started school! Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in California on June 4, 2021. She was named after Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Conclusion
In 2018, Time selected Meghan as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and it’s clear she won’t be letting go of that title anytime soon. Volume 1 of Netflix’s Harry & Meghan will release this week on December 8, and Volume 2 will be available to stream next week, December 15. Are you interested in learning more about the private lives of these retired royals, or are you fed up with the celebrity status of the British Royal Family today? We must say, we are curious to hear their side of the story, once and for all. Let us know what you think in the comments!
