Meghan Markle’s story can seem like a fairytale at times — a famous actress meets a prince and they marry and start a family. Best known for her role as Rachel Zane in “Suits,” in which she appeared for seven seasons out of the show’s total nine, Markle also had a wide-ranging career outside of acting, which included everything from fashion to calligraphy and even being a lifestyle influencer. After it was confirmed she and Prince Harry were engaged, Meghan announced her retirement from acting in order to focus on being a full-time member of the royal family.
However, in January 2020, Meghan and Harry made a shocking announcement that they would be leaving the royal family to pursue a life together in California in the United States.
Taking to their official Instagram account, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a statement announcing they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
During an interview with Oprah the following year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex explained more of their reasoning before their royal departure as well as more information regarding their personal lives, including Meghan’s estranged relationship with many of her family members.
After this announcement, the estranged father of Meghan spoke out on her and Harry’s decision to step down from royal life. Meghan’s outspoken father, Thomas expressed his disappointment about his daughter and son-in-law’s decision to step back as senior royal family members; he even went as far as to accuse Meghan of quitting for more money.
Meghan Markle (2012), (Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images For FINCA)
Prince Harry met US-born actress Meghan Markle in the summer of 2016 through mutual friends. In a cover story for Vanity Fair back in September 2017, she said: “We’re in love.”
When Meghan’s name first appeared in newspapers when the couple first started dating, not many British people knew who she was. The former actress was born in Los Angeles in 1981 and is best known for her portrayal of Rachel Zane on the television show “Suits.”
Not all media coverage of Prince Harry’s then-girlfriend was positive, however. In fact, in October 2016, the royal palace released a statement on behalf of the Duke, describing the media coverage as “harassment” and “abuse,” even having “racial undertones.”
Much of the initial criticism towards Meghan was rooted in her first marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson, to whom she was married for three years and divorced in 2013. She also had a blog, the Tig, which was closed down in 2017.
She had once written on her blog: “I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches — I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works.”
Still, Harry and Meghan proved that their love was strong enough to last. The Duke and Duchess’ wedding was in the media spotlight for months ahead of the event, which took place on May 19, 2018. The royal ceremony differed from others in the past, featuring elements of Meghan’s African American roots, such as a gospel choir. The ceremony was attended by many high-profile Hollywood personalities such as George and Amal Clooney.
