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Meghan
Duchess of Sussex (more)
Meghan Markle - 2018 (cropped).jpg
Meghan in 2018
Born Rachel Meghan Markle
(1981-08-04) August 4, 1981 (age 42)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Spouse
Issue
House Windsor (by marriage)
Father Thomas Markle Sr.
Mother Doria Ragland
Alma mater Northwestern University
Occupation
  • Actress
  • author
Years active 2001–2017 (actress)
Works
Signature
Signature of the HRH Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.svg

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex ( born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981), is an American member of the British royal family and former actress. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III. The couple stepped down as working royals in 2020 and they are now residing in the US.

Early life and education

Rachel Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, at West Park Hospital in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, to Doria Ragland (born 1956), a social worker and former makeup artist, and Thomas Markle Sr. (born 1944), an Emmy Award winning television lighting director and director of photography.

Her parents separated when she was two years old and divorced four years later. She has a close relationship with her mother. Thomas Markle Sr. worked as a director of photography and lighting for General Hospital and Married... with Children, and Meghan occasionally visited the set of Married... with Children as a child. She has been estranged from her father and paternal half-siblings, Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle Jr.

Markle grew up in View Park–Windsor Hills, Los Angeles, and attended Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse. Both her parents contributed to raising her until the age of 9, after which her father was left in charge of caring for her as her mother pursued a career.

Markle was raised as a Protestant but graduated from L.A.'s Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girl Catholic school. Markle took part in plays and musicals at the school, where her father helped with lighting.

In 1999, she was admitted to Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois, where she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After her junior year, she secured an internship as a junior press officer at the American embassy in Buenos Aires, with the help of her uncle Michael Markle, and considered a political career. However, she did not score high enough in the Foreign Service Officer Test to proceed further with the US State Department and returned to NU.

She also attended a study abroad program in Madrid. In 2003, Markle earned her bachelor's degree with a double major in theater and international studies from Northwestern's School of Communication.

Acting career

Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams (Paley Center 'Suits')
Markle with Suits co-star Patrick J. Adams at Paley Center for Media, 2013

Her acting career began at Northwestern University. Her first on-screen appearance was a small role as a nurse in an episode of the daytime soap opera General Hospital, a show for which her father served as a lighting director. Markle had small guest roles on the television shows Century City (2004), The War at Home (2006) and CSI: NY (2006).

Markle also did several contract acting and modeling jobs. Between 2006 and 2007, she worked as a "briefcase girl" on 34 episodes of the US version of the game show Deal or No Deal. She appeared in Fox's series Fringe as Junior Agent Amy Jessup in the first two episodes of its second season.

Markle appeared in small roles in the films Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me (produced by her then-partner Trevor Engelson) and The Candidate in 2010 and the film Horrible Bosses in 2011. She was paid $187,000 for her role in Remember Me and $171,429 for her role in the short film The Candidate. In July 2011, she joined the cast of the USA Network show Suits through to late 2017 and the seventh season. Her character, Rachel Zane, began as a paralegal and eventually became an attorney. While working on Suits, she lived for nine months each year in Toronto. Fortune magazine estimated that she was paid $50,000 per episode, amounting to an equivalent annual salary of $450,000.

She also developed a social media presence, which included The Tig (2014–2017), a lifestyle blog. During The Tig period, Meghan became involved in charity work focused primarily on women's issues and social justice.

Harry and Meghan on Christmas Day 2017 (cropped)
Markle and Prince Harry on Christmas Day 2017

Personal life

Markle was married to American film producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 until their divorce in 2014.

Marrige to Prince Harry

Prince Harry and Meghan’s carriage procession through streets of Windsor 05
Carriage procession through streets of Windsor, May 2018

Meghan retired from acting upon her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018 and became known as the Duchess of Sussex.

In preparation for the wedding, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, baptized Markle and confirmed her in the Church of England on March 6, 2018. The marriage ceremony was held on May 19 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Her wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller.

Meghan gave birth to a son, Archie, on May 6, 2019. She gave birth to a daughter, Lilibet, on June 4, 2021. The Duke and Duchess own a Labrador named Pula and two Beagles named Guy and Mamma Mia. Meghan previously owned a Labrador-German Shepherd cross named Bogart.

Stepping back

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals and later settled in California. The Palace confirmed that the Duke and Duchess were to cease to undertake royal duties as representatives of the Queen and would therefore no longer receive the relevant financial support. The couple would retain their HRH styles but not use them.

Political views

Markle was politically vocal before marrying Prince Harry. At age 9, she and her friends reportedly campaigned against the Gulf War. Decades later, she backed Hillary Clinton during the 2016 United States presidential election and publicly denounced the opponent and eventual winner, Donald Trump.

In February 2022, she voiced her support for the Supreme Court nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson. In June 2022, she publicly supported Moms Demand Action, an organization which campaigns for safer gun laws in the US.

Further career and investments

In October 2020, they launched Archewell Inc., an American public organization that focuses on non-profit activities and creative media ventures. In the following years, she released a picture book for children, The Bench, and launched a podcast, Archetypes.

In October 2021, Meghan and Harry announced their partnership with Ethic, a sustainable investment firm based in New York City, which also manages the couple's investments.

Meghan and Harry filmed an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was broadcast in March 2021, and a Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, which was released in December 2022.

Charity work and advocacy

141206-D-VO565-063 (15965782122)
Markle addressing the audience during a USO show at Naval Station Rota, Spain, December 2014

Meghan Markle supports several charities and non-profit organizations. One of the charities she supports is World Vision Canada, where she serves as a Global Ambassador. World Vision is a humanitarian organization that works to improve the lives of children and families in need around the world. Markle traveled to Rwanda in February 2016 for World Vision Canada's clean water campaign.

Another charity that Markle supports is Archewell, a non-profit organization that she founded with her husband, Prince Harry. Archewell aims to drive change through non-profit work and creative activations. The organization has raised millions of dollars and donated to causes such as vaccine equity, supporting women-owned small businesses, and aiding with Afghan and Ukrainian refugee relief centers and resettlement.

Markle is also concerned about mental health, racism and women's rights.

Public image

Meghan Markle in 2013 New York Fashion Week (34567271204)
Markle (third from left) at New York Fashion Week in 2013

In 2018, Time selected Meghan as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World and placed her on its shortlist for Person of the Year. Her name appeared again on the listicle in 2021 and she and her husband were featured on one of the magazine's seven worldwide covers.

In 2019, the magazine named Meghan and Prince Harry among the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet. She was also chosen as one of the 25 most influential women in the United Kingdom by British Vogue magazine in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Her influence was also recognized in both the 2019 and 2020 editions of Powerlist, the 100 most influential Britons of African and Afro-Caribbean descent.

In 2022, she was named as one of the 50 Women Changing the World over the past year by Worth magazine. In the same year, Variety named her as a stellar honoree for its Power of Women issue, and Financial Times included her on its list of "25 most influential women of 2022". In December 2022, Meghan was found to be the second most disliked member of the British royal family by statistics and polling company YouGov, behind her husband's uncle Prince Andrew.

In March 2023, The Independent included her on its "Influence List 2023". Meghan and Harry's exit from the royal family was satirized in a 2023 episode of South Park.

Privacy and the media

Markle has been vocal about the negative impact of media intrusion on her mental health and has taken legal action against media outlets for invasion of privacy.

Oprah interview

The television special Oprah with Meghan and Harry was broadcast on CBS on March 7, 2021. Meghan spoke about her personal and royal life and public pressure. She complained of a lack of protection for her and her son while being part of the royal institution. Meghan also metioned that she faced racism when becoming part of the British royal family. There was a wide and polarized reaction to the interview.

Interesting facts about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

  • She identifies as mixed race.
  • At age 11, she and her classmates wrote to Procter & Gamble to gender-neutralize a dishwashing soap commercial on national television.
  • During her teenage years, she worked at a local frozen yogurt shop and later as a waitress and babysitter. She also volunteered at a soup kitchen in Skid Row, Los Angeles.
  • Along with Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan is considered to be a royal style icon. In 2018, Tatler included Meghan with other senior royal women on its list of Britain's best dressed people.

Titles, styles and arms

Royal Monogram of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Royal monogram

Meghan became a princess of the United Kingdom upon her marriage to Prince Harry, entitled to the style of Royal Highness. After her marriage, she was styled "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex". She also holds the titles of Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel. She is the first person to hold the title "Duchess of Sussex".

Following the Duke and Duchess's decision to step back from royal duties in 2020, the couple agreed not to use the style of Royal Highness in practice, but they are still referred to as "His/Her Royal Highness" in legal settings.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Married... with Children Student 1 episode "The Undergraduate" (season 9: episode 26); uncredited
2001 General Hospital Jill 2 episodes
2004 Century City Natasha 1 episode "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Lose" (season 1: episode 4)
2005 Cuts Cori 1 episode "My Boyfriend's Back" (season 1: episode 5)
Love, Inc. Teresa Santos 1 episode "One on One" (season 1: episode 9)
2006 1 vs. 100 Herself 1 episode "Mob member number 7" (Episode 101)
The War at Home Susan 1 episode "The Seventeen-Year Itch" (season 1: episode 17)
Deceit Gwen Television movie
CSI: NY Veronica Perez 1 episode "Murder Sings the Blues" (season 3: episode 7)
2006–2007 Deal or No Deal Herself Holder of Case #24; 34 episodes
2008 90210 Wendy 1 episode "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" (season 1: episode 1)
"The Jet Set" (season 1: episode 2)
'Til Death Tara 1 episode "Joy Ride" (season 3: episode 2)
The Apostles Kelly Calhoun Television movie
Good Behavior Sadie Valencia Television movie
2009 Knight Rider Annie Ortiz 1 episode "Fight Knight" (season 1: episode 14)
Without a Trace Holly Shepard 1 episode "Chameleon" (season 7: episode 15)
Fringe Junior FBI Agent Amy Jessup 2 episodes "A New Day in the Old Town" (season 2: episode 1)
"Night of Desirable Objects" (season 2: episode 2)
The League Meghan 1 episode "The Bounce Test" (season 1: episode 2)
2010 CSI: Miami Officer Leah Montoya 1 episode "Backfire" (season 8: episode 20)
The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down Dana Television movie
2011–2018 Suits Rachel Zane Series regular (seasons 1–7), 108 episodes
(Markle's final scene was filmed in 2017)
2012 Castle Charlotte Boyd / Sleeping Beauty 1 episode "Once Upon a Crime" (season 4: episode 17)
2014 When Sparks Fly Amy Peterson Hallmark Channel television movies
2016 Dater's Handbook Cassandra Brand
2018 Queen of the World Herself HBO documentary
2019 Harry & Meghan: An African Journey ITV documentary
2021 Oprah with Meghan and Harry CBS Special interview
2022 Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries
Live to Lead
TBA Heart of Invictus

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2005 A Lot like Love Natalie Cameo
2010 Remember Me Megan
Get Him to the Greek Tatiana Uncredited
The Candidate Kat Short film
2011 Horrible Bosses Jamie
2012 Dysfunctional Friends Terry
2013 Random Encounters Mindy UK Title: A Random Encounter
2015 Anti-Social Kirsten
2020 Elephant Narrator Disneynature film; credit: Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Meghan Markle para niños

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