Before meeting Prince Harry and embracing the royal life, Meghan Markle was a passionate actress relishing her Hollywood stardom.
Met Galas, Red Carpets, award shows, scripts, lifestyle blogs, and movie sets; such was the life of actress-turned royalty Meghan Markle before becoming Prince Harry’s wife.
Aside from her glamorous Hollywood existence, the “Suits” alum embraced humanitarian commitments and activism, serving as the global ambassador for World Vision. She also shone in the political sphere, with advocative positions in global organizations like the United Nations.
All these qualities made her the ideal epitome of royalty. Little wonder she made her way into the heart of the renowned prince Harry, the sixth in line to the British throne, and ultimately, into the British royal family.
Taking a slight turn from the bustles of Hollywood, here are some interesting facts about Meghan Markle’s life before meeting her prince-charming.
A Born Feminist
Markle’s quest to promote equality in all spheres of life began from the cradle. At the age of eleven, Markle stood up for American women, single-handedly pushing a campaign to end the stereotype promoted by a dishwashing company.
After observing how Ivory dishwashing targeted their ads towards women alone, the pre-teen felt it was wrong. In a bid to stop kids from growing up thinking house chores were relegated to only women, she wrote to several powerful people, airing her view.
Within days, the Ivory dishwashing soap slogan was changed from “Women all over America,” to “People all over America.” The feat earned Meghan Markle an appearance on the ‘90s show, “Nick News,” where her actions were highly commended.
Almost Chose Politics Over Acting
There is no denying Markle’s acting prowess even though she has been off the big screen for years. However, the world almost never had the privilege to be blessed with her acting.
During her junior year at Northwestern University, the then 20-year old secured an internship at the United States Embassy in Argentina. Her experience made her decide to build a career in politics.
Once Served As A Briefcase Girl
Anyone familiar with the show, “Deal Or No Deal” knows what it means to be a briefcase girl. That should also give a better understanding as to why the future Duchess despised the role.
In a 2013 interview, the mother of two recounted how she had the unlucky number 26, which everyone was reluctant to pick. As a result, she stood for hours, hoping someone would pick her number and grant her a chance to sit down.
Monetizing Her Artistic Skills
Besides acting, the Duchess of Sussex had other talents in the arts. One of them was calligraphy, which she admittedly embraced as a side gig to make some extra cash.
Bookbinding Was Her Thing
Like it wasn’t already a dilemma to picture a future Duchess making calligraphic handwritten notes for party invites! Meghan also taught bookbinding to make ends meet during the early days of her acting career; gigs were scarce to come by and she could hardly pay her bills.
Running A Lifestyle Blog
One of Markle’s big sacrifices before embracing her royal life was giving up her lifestyle blog, “The Tig.” Through the blog, the mother of two shared her views on traveling, fashion, food, beauty, and celebrity lifestyles for three years.
Sadly, she had to shut it down just before tying the knot with Harry, in compliance with the rule forbidding senior royals from adopting non-royal duties.
A Self-Acclaimed Foodie
Hearing Meghan Markle dub herself a foodie is not alien to most. However, fans witnessed her love for exquisite dishes firsthand long before she became a royal, thanks to one of her blog posts dedicated to her favorite dishes.
Meghan’s Blog Was Inspired By Love For Red Wine
Meghan Markle once admitted how much she enjoyed drinking a glass of red wine at the end of a hectic day. She also has some preferred brands, including Tignanello, which reportedly inspired the name of her former blog, “The Tig.”
An ex-husband
Many find it unfathomable that the British prince would marry a divorcee. Yet, that doesn’t change the fact that Meghan Markle was once married to producer Trevor Engelson.
Markle and Engelson tied the knot in 2010, after dating for six years. Notably, the pair divorced in 2013, leaving room for the actress to love again.
Hanging Out With The “Guys”
Aside from their on-screen connection, Markle, who played Rachel Zane on the legal series “Suits” forged a lasting bond with her co-stars.
The Duchess has been open about her friendship with the other “Suits” casts, admitting they used to hang out all the time and spend weekends at Patrick J. Adams’ vacation home on the Georgian Bay.
Adopting Rescue Dogs
Markle’s dedication to philanthropic and humanitarian activities is legendary and has been a part of her long before becoming a royal.
One reflection of her kindhearted nature was her willingness to adopt rescue animals. Most notably, she adopted two dogs from a shelter, including a beagle named Guy, and a Labrador-Shepherd mix named Bogart.
In fact, adopting Bogart happened by chance, after running into show host, Ellen DeGeneres at a shelter, who convinced her to take the dog in.
Markle enjoyed volunteering
As part of her commitment to philanthropy, Meghan Markle volunteered in soup kitchens in Los Angeles and Toronto.
Additionally, she worked with One Young World, a youth empowerment nonprofit, reached out to several countries as World Vision’s global ambassador, and served as a UN Women’s advocate for Political Participation and Leadership.
Her works with the UN initiative immortalized her as a champion for women’s rights.
Also Rolled With The Girls
Even royalties have BFFs! For Megan Markle, tennis champion Serena Williams, and Indian actress Priyanka Chopra make up her close circle.
Her friendship with Williams kicked off in 2014, following their meeting at DirectTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl, where they bonded over the “good old-fashioned girly stuff.”
Chopra became Markle’s close pal after they met and bonded at the ELLE Women in Television dinner. Both Williams and Chopra attended Markle’s 2018 wedding to Harry.
Literally Grew Up On Movie Sets
Markle has been open about her childhood, most notably, her earliest exposure to show biz. Thanks to her dad, Thomas Markle’s job as a lighting director, she wound up on the set of “Married… With Children,” every day after school for ten years, assisting with some tasks behind the scenes.
Her Big Break
Staring as the paralegal Rachel Zane on “Suits” earned Meghan Markle her big break, skyrocketing her to Hollywood stardom.
However, the icon has credits in other hit movies including “Remember Me,” “Horrible Bosses,” and “General Hospital,” among others.
Canada As A Second Home
It is no coincidence that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry first moved to Canada before settling into their Montecito home following their step-down from royal duties. The Duchess’ connection to Canada dates back to her days on “Suits,” which was filmed in Toronto.
She admittedly embraced Canada as her second home soon after relocating there to begin filming. The actress blended in quickly, easily befriending high-profile residents like Canadian fashion stylist Jessica Mulroney.
Her High Profile Romance
Following her divorce from Engelson, Markle was linked to A-listers like Pro golfer Rory McIlory and celebrity chef Cory Vitiello.
Her Love Of Yoga
Thanks to her mom, Doria Ragland’s job as a Yoga Instructor, Meghan Markle adopted yoga at a young age. At seven, she began practicing mommy-and-me yoga with Ragland, albeit with some resistance
However, her mom encouraged her to keep pushing until she found her “practice.” Sure enough, Markle embraced it more in college, practicing yoga regularly until she became an avid fan.
Northwestern University
Growing up in the home of Hollywood, it didn’t take long for Meghan Markle to fall in love with the movie industry. However, determined not to embrace the cliché of growing up in Los Angeles and becoming an actress, she tried to steer away from her passion.
Hence, following her admission into Northwestern University, she majored in International Relations and theatre. While in NU, she joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and frequented the 24-hour Burger King, like every other student.
Her Life Started In Los Angeles
Meghan Markle’s parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle welcomed her in Los Angeles, California in 1981. Although the couple divorced when she was only six, the self-described “California girl” remained in the city, growing up with her mother. Little wonder she developed a knack for theatre, eventually making it into a career.