In pictures: Meghan Markle's life before she married into the royal family
Meghan Markle’s path from Hollywood to royalty has been anything but ordinary
As Meghan Markle celebrates her 44th birthday today (August 4), it’s the perfect time to look back at pictures of the life she lived before stepping into the royal spotlight.
Born in California to Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, Meghan began her career with a small role on General Hospital.
She studied at Northwestern University, married (and later divorced) producer Trevor Engelson, and gained fame as Rachel Zane on Suits.
Everything changed in 2016 when she began dating Prince Harry. They announced their engagement in 2017 and married in May 2018 at Windsor Castle.
After stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry moved to California, where they now live with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Meghan Markle in Suits
As an actress, Meghan was best known for playing Rachel Zane on the hit legal drama Suits.
She portrayed the ambitious paralegal-turned-lawyer for seven seasons, building a strong bond with her co-stars along the way.
“We just became this whole family right out the gate,” she gushed during a 2017 panel at the ATX Television Festival.
Meghan exited the show after her romance with Prince Harry became serious. Many of her castmates supported her at the royal wedding at Windsor Castle, including Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty, and Gina Torres.
Meghan Markle’s old Instagram account
During her acting days, Meghan was also very active on Instagram. After marrying into the royal family, Meghan closed down her personal account as well as her blog, The Tig.
But some of her old Insta snaps will bring you some nostalgia for sure.
From filters to chic poses, Meghan definitely gained an Instagram following for a reason!
At the start of 2025, Meghan returned to Instagram with a personal account. She now shares business news and family updates on her account.
Meghan with her first husband Trevor Engelson
Meghan Markle and Trevor Engelson, a film producer and talent agent, dated for several years before marrying in a beach ceremony in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in 2011.
However, the couple struggled with long-distance.
Meghan was filming Suits in Toronto while Trevor remained in California.
They separated just over two years later in 2013. Their divorce was finalised in 2014, citing “irreconcilable differences”.
Meghan teams up with celebrities at DirecTV Beach Bowl game – 2014
In 2014, Meghan joined stars like Chrissy Teigen, Shay Mitchell, and Serena Williams at the DirecTV Beach Bowl in NYC – a celebrity flag football game ahead of the Super Bowl.
Playing for the blue team, Meghan helped secure a win and posed proudly with the trophy alongside her teammates.
Throughout the game, she defended against actress Nina Dobrev and was spotted enthusiastically hugging teammate Michael B. Jordan.
The event also marked a turning point in her friendship with Serena Williams. Though they first met at a Super Bowl party in 2010, Meghan later wrote on her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig that they bonded deeply during the game.
She said: “[We were] taking pictures, laughing through the flag football game we were both playing and chatting not about tennis or acting but about good old-fashioned girly stuff.”
The two remained close in the years that followed, with Serena attending Meghan’s royal wedding in 2018.
Meghan’s philanthropy work in 2014
Meghan was photographed speaking at the One Young World Summit in Ireland in 2014, where she addressed the gender pay gap, an issue she’s long been passionate about.
As a royal, her philanthropic work has consistently focused on women’s rights, particularly in underprivileged communities.
She maintained her connection to the organisation after becoming the Duchess of Sussex, returning in 2022 to deliver the keynote speech at the summit in Manchester, England.
Meghan’s daring Hollywood glamour in 2015
Meghan was no stranger to a red carpet and would often be seen at events in Hollywood. In 2015, she wore a daring, silver mini dress as she attended the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund awards.
Meghan’s Hollywood dinner in 2016
At the 2016 ELLE Women in Television dinner in Hollywood, Meghan walked the red carpet alongside stars like Abigail Spencer, Jordana Brewster, and Sarah Hyland.
The event was just months before she met Prince Harry in July of that year.
During an interview with TV host Keltie Knight, Meghan paused to wipe a tiny dot from Knight’s nose, saying: “Wait, hold on! You have one little dot… it was just water, I think.”
The clip resurfaced years later after Meghan became a duchess, with fans calling her a “girl’s girl” for the sweet gesture.
Meghan’s public appearance after first date with Harry
Harry and Meghan enjoyed their first date in early July of 2016.
Days later, on July 14, 2016, Meghan wowed as she stepped out in a red midi dress.
She looked every inch the princess in the red gown and nude heels with her brunette hair styled in waves.
First public appearance with Prince Harry – 2017
Meghan made her first public appearance with Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, just over a year after they were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend in the summer of 2016.
The couple announced their engagement on November 27, 2017, at Kensington Palace.
Read more: Why Meghan Markle and Prince Harry decided to leave the royal family in their own words
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