Meghan Markle, Dutches of Sussex, is an American-origin British Royal family member, Prince Harry’s wife, and an actress. Meghan came to the limelight when she played the role of Rachel Zane in the American legal drama Suits. She established a social media presence, running a lifestyle blog called The Tig from 2014 until 2017. Additionally, Markle is also a philanthropist and actively supports humanitarian works. Meghan also participated in charitable activity during the publication of The Tig. As a social activist, her primary focus is always on social justice and women’s causes.
Biography
Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, at West Park Hospital in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California. Her full name is Rachel Meghan Markle. Meghan grew up in Los Angeles’ View Park–Windsor Hills. She is of mixed race, as her parents belong to two different races. That is the reason she calls herself half-white and half-black.
“My dad is Caucasian, and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white.”
Social Media Accounts
As a media person, she has a large fan following. After marrying Prince Harry, she became more famous among her fans. However, as a royal protocol, she closed her social media accounts after marriage. She didn’t use any individual account.
But, after the couple stepped down from royal responsibilities, she became active again on social media. Thus, knowing the fans’ curiosity, we have listed below her social handles for our lovely readers.
Wiki Facts
Meghan Markle is widely known for her acting skills and social welfare projects. She is also known as Duchess of Sussex and Meg. 42 years Meghan resides in a beautiful house in Montecito with her husband and kids. She also owns a house in Windsor, UK, by her marriage agreement.
Here are some interesting Wiki facts about Meg listed below:
| Full Name | Rachel Meghan Markle |
| Public Name | Meghan Markle |
| Nickname/Title | Duchess of Sussex Meg |
| Date of Birth | August 4, 1981 |
| Age | 42 years as of 2024 |
| Gender | Female |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, US |
| Hometown | Los Angeles, California, US |
| Current Residence | Montecito, California |
| School/College | Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse all-girl Catholic Immaculate Heart High School, Los Angeles |
| Qualification | Northwestern University |
| Profession | Actress Author Philanthropist |
| Ethnicity | African-American from mother’s side Irish-Dutch from father’s side |
| Height | In inches: 5 feet 6 inches In meters: 1.68 m |
| Weight | In Kilograms: 51.4 kilograms (Approx.) In Pounds: 113 pounds |
| House Asset | The House of Windsor, UK |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hobbies | Yoga Calligraphy |
| Net Worth | $60 Million as of 2024 |
Zodiac Sign
Meghan Markle’s zodiac sign is Leo, like Roger Federer, Sandra Bullock, Sophie Aspin, and Bobbi Althoff. Like Leos, Meghan embodies amazing personality traits. She is a confident, determined, and strong woman. Her personality reflects warmth and charisma, which attracts everyone.
Net Worth
Several sources estimate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are worth $60 million each. Forbes estimates that the couple signed significant agreements totaling over $135 million, including documentaries, books, podcasts, and other entertainment projects.
Early Life
During her school years, Markle participated in musical shows and plays. Her father used to help with lighting during the shows. Meghan spent her teenage years working at a local frozen yogurt shop. In addition, she used to visit her father on set during shooting or recording hours. However, she became estranged from her paternal siblings and father after her parents divorced. She has been a hard-working and devoted girl since her childhood.
Education
Markle studied in Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse. When Meghan was 11, she and her classmates wrote to Procter & Gamble, requesting that a dishwashing soap commercial aired on national TV should be gender-neutral. Although Meghan grew up as a Protestant, she attended a fee-based, all-girl Catholic Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles.
During her third year, Markle explored a political career when her uncle, Michael Markle, assisted her in landing an internship as a junior press officer at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires. She returned to NU when her Foreign Service Officer Test results were insufficient for her to continue working with the US State Department. She also participated in a Madrid study abroad program. She studied acting at Northwestern University.
Parents and Siblings
Her father, Thomas Markle Sr., worked as a photography and lighting director at the TV. Her mother, Doria Ragland, is a former makeup artist. Meghan’s parents separated when she was two and divorced four years later. Markle has two paternal siblings, Thomas Markle Jr. and Samantha Markle.
| Father | Thomas W. Markle Sr. |
| Mother | Doria Ragland |
| Half-Brother | Thomas Markle Jr. |
| Half-Sister | Samantha Markle |
| Relatives | Noel Rasmussen(Niece or Nephew) Thomas Dooley(Niece or Nephew) Tyler Dooley(Niece or Nephew) |
A Royal Love Story: Prince Harry And Meghan
Meghan Markle’s love story with Prince Harry captured everyone’s eye after relation with the British royal member Prince Harry. Markle and Harry made their engagement announcement public on November 27, 2017. Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, congratulated the couple, saying,
“It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
As an ethnically diverse American, her marriage to Harry broke down barriers. It was a historic event in the royal family’s history. The couple married in a dream ceremony on May 19, 2018, as their romance grew. The marriage ceremony took place at ST. George, in Windsor Castle, UK. She received the title of Duchess of Sussex after marrying Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Prince Harry is the younger son of King Charles III and the late Lady Diana.
Husband and Children
Earlier In 2011, she married Trevor Engelson, an American film producer, and the two parted ways in 2014. Then, in 2018, she married again to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Their royal wedding caught public attention since Meghan was an outsider to the Royal Family, being an American.
Meghan and Harry are blessed with two children. Her son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born in 2019. The following year, in 2020, she suffered a miscarriage, unfortunately. On June 4, 2021, Meghan and her husband announced the news of their daughter Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California.
| Husband | Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex |
| Son | Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor |
| Daughter | Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor |
Professional Career
Markle revealed that she had some trouble finding jobs early in her career due to her “ethnically ambiguous” background: she said, “I wasn’t white enough for the white roles, and I wasn’t black enough for the black ones.” Besides her acting roles, she supported herself by teaching bookbinding techniques and working as a freelance calligrapher.
Acting
She made her on-screen debut in a small role as a nurse for the daytime soap opera General Hospital. During the shooting, her father worked as the lighting director. Markle made guest appearances during the TV series Century City, The War at Home, and CSI: NY.
| Year | TV Shows |
| 1995 | Married… with Children |
| 2001 | General Hospital |
| 2004 | Century City |
| 2005 | Love, Inc. Cuts |
| 2006 | The War at Home CSI: NY Deceit 1 vs. 100 |
| 2006–2007 | Deal or No Deal |
| 2008 | 90210 ‘Til Death The Apostles Good Behavior |
| 2009 | Knight Rider Without a Trace Fringe The League |
| 2010 | CSI: Miami The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down |
| 2011–2018 | Suits |
| 2012 | Castle |
| 2014 | When Sparks Fly |
| 2016 | Dater’s Handbook |
| 2018 | Queen of the World |
| 2019 | Harry & Meghan: An African Journey |
| 2021 | Oprah with Meghan and Harry |
| 2022 | Harry & Meghan Live to Lead |
| TBA | Heart of Invictus |
Markle additionally signed up for several contract roles in modeling and acting. She was a “briefcase girl” on 34 episodes of the US edition of Deal or No Deal between 2006 and 2007. She appeared in the first two episodes of the second season of the Fox television series Fringe as Junior Agent Amy Jessup.
Starring Role in “Suits”
In 2011, Meghan had a breakthrough in her career when she appeared in drama Suits based on legal matters. She began filming Suits in July 2011 and remained a cast member until the end of the seventh season in late 2017. Her fictional character, Rachel Zane, started as a paralegal before becoming an attorney. She spent nine months a year in Toronto while shooting for Suits.
Films
Markle also made guest appearances in several films, such as The Candidate, Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me (directed by her then-partner Trevor Engelson), and Horrible Bosses.
| Year | Film |
| 2005 | A Lot like Love |
| 2010 | Remember Me Get Him to the Greek The Candidate |
| 2011 | Horrible Bosses |
| 2012 | Dysfunctional Friends |
| 2013 | Random Encounters |
| 2015 | Anti-Social |
| 2020 | Elephant (A Documentary film, Markle appeared as a Narrator) |
Salaries
For starring in the short films The Candidate and Remember Me, she received payments of $181,429 and $187,500, respectively. According to estimates from Fortune magazine, she received $50,000 for each episode or an equivalent of $450,000 annually in the drama “Suits.”
Withdrawing From Royal Duties
Following their Christmas break in Canada, Markle and Harry made the unexpected disclosure on January 8, 2020, that they would “step back” from their top positions in the royal family and pursue their goal of getting “financially independent.” Thus, the couple published a joint statement confirming their decision on their official Instagram:
“It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages,”
Interview with Oprah Winfrey
On March 7, 2021, CBS aired the television special Oprah with Meghan and Harry. Meghan discussed the public pressure she experienced in her personal and royal lives. She also expressed openly the lack of protection she and her son received as members of the royal institution and stated that she had considered suicide while she was a working royal. The public showed a broad and polarized reaction to the interview.
Founding the Archewell
In January 2020, When the couple resigned as royal servants, they relocated to Meghan’s home state Southern California. Harry and Meghan founded Archewell Inc. Archewell is a combination of for-profit and not-for-profit (charitable) business enterprises. It is headquartered in and registered in the United States of America. The official website of Archewell was launched in October 2020.
Passion And Achievements
She is a great writer and has written for Elle UK. She also ran a blog, The Tig, for a lifestyle niche from 2014 to 2017. It mainly posted about lifestyle, food, fashion, beauty, and inspiring stories about women. Furthermore, her children’s book, The Bench, was published in 2021. It was inspired by a poem she wrote for Prince Harry on his first Father’s Day.
Markle is passionate about calligraphy and food. She also practices yoga regularly as a custom and tradition of her mother.
Philanthropy
She is very active in social welfare and philanthropy work. Her involvement with the World Vision Clean Water Campaign and appointment as a U.N Women’s Advocate are among her significant causes as a social activist. Markle visited Rwanda as part of the Clean Water Campaign after becoming the global ambassador for World Vision Canada in 2016. Additionally, she has advocated for the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Her first charitable initiative as the Duchess of Sussex, Together: Our Community Cookbook, emerged in September 2018. It aids migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by assisting them in setting up cooking lessons. She also campaigned actively for the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020.
Interesting Facts
- Meghan Markle became most googled after her relationship with Prince Harry was revealed in 2016.
- Due to her biracial background, she struggled to get roles in the entertainment industry.
- Time magazine listed her as one of the “100 most influential people in the world” in 2018.
- She faced criticism and controversial behaviors after becoming a royal member due to her biracial background.
- Meg is a foodie and loves cooking for her family. She even cooks meals for Harry daily.
How old is Meghan Markle?
Meg is 42 years old as of 2024.
Do Meghan and Harry own the title of HRH after their exile from Royals?
No. Harry and Meghan don't own the HRH titles anymore. However, they still retain their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex after stepping back from their royal duties.
What is Meghan Markle's Zodiac sign?
Her zodiac sign is Leo.
What are the hobbies of Meghan Markle?
Markle loves practicing Yoga and Calligraphy in her leisure time.
What is Meghan Markle Nationality?
Meghan is American national.
What is the current residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?
Meghan and Harry currently reside in Montecito, CA, in USA.
