Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Meghan Markle

Suits fans know Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane—the whip-smart paralegal and queen of pencil skirts. Royal enthusiasts know her as the wife of Prince Harry, aka the Duchess of Sussex. Fans of her eye-opening podcast see her as a bold advocate who raises awareness about key issues and gives back. But these aspects only scratch the surface when it comes to Markle's thriving career and personal life.

The royal is now officially retired as an actress and has stepped down as a working member of the royal family, but she's been keeping busy with multiple successful endeavors, from her Netflix projects and Archetypes podcast to the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Shortly before the brand's launch, she said on Instagram, "This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language, beautifully weaving together everything I cherish—food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the everyday."

The duchess is also a proud mom of two and has published a children's book called The Bench, which became a #1 New York Times Bestseller just a week after its release. In response, Markle wrote on her website, "While this poem began as a love letter to my husband and son, I’m encouraged to see that its universal themes of love, representation and inclusivity are resonating with communities everywhere."

Keep reading for all the details on her career, her marriage, her net worth and more.

Fast Facts

• Official Royal Title: Duchess of Sussex
• Hometown: Los Angeles, California
• Birthday: August 4, 1981
• Spouse: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
• Children: Prince Archie of Sussex, Princess Lilibet of Sussex
• Star Sign: Leo

Early Life

Meghan Markle was born to former makeup artist Doria Ragland and television lighting director Thomas Markle Sr. in Canoga Park, Los Angeles. According to Time magazine, her parents got divorced seven years after she was born, and throughout most of her childhood, Markle lived with her dad full-time while her mom pursued a career. At the time, she would occasionally visit the set of her father's show, Married… with Children.

She told Esquire in 2018, "Every day after school for 10 years, I was on the set of Married... with Children, which is a really funny and perverse place for a little girl in a Catholic school uniform to grow up. There were a lot of times my dad would say, 'Meg, why don't you go and help with the craft services room over there? This is just a little off-color for your 11-year-old eyes.'"

Markle attended Immaculate Heart High School, where she participated in school plays and musicals, then went to Northwestern University in 1999 and made plans to pursue a career in politics. However, she switched gears and double majored in theater and international studies, earning her degree in 2003.

Early Acting Career and Suits

The California native got her start as an actress and landed her first credited role in 2001 as Jill in the soap opera, General Hospital—another show her father previously worked on. Since then, Markle has made appearances in shows like Century City, CSI: NY, Without a Trace and Fringe. Also, in 2006, Markle joined the show Deal or No Deal as a briefcase model and appeared in the second season—although she didn't find the experience too enjoyable.

It was solely about beauty and not necessarily about brains. I didn't like feeling forced to be all looks.

Meghan Markle

On her Archetypes podcast, she revealed, "I was surrounded by smart women on that stage with me, but that wasn't the focus of why we were here and I would end up leaving with this pit in my stomach. Knowing that I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage. I didn't like feeling forced to be all looks and little substance."

Markle added, "It was solely about beauty and not necessarily about brains. I didn't like feeling forced to be all looks." Fortunately, her time on the show was short-lived. After landing a few other minor roles, Markle's fame skyrocketed in 2011, when she landed her breakout role as Rachel Zane in Suits. In 2017, when asked about how the series changed her life, Markle noted that she didn't expect it to become such a huge success. She told Glamour UK, "I've done so many pilots that have never saw the light of day and we didn't know what Suits was going to become at the time. So it's been such a good transition! The first year, we were in such a bubble—the show wasn't airing in Canada and now, there's security and police and fans and tears when we're filming so it's been such a wild ride for all of us."

Markle remained on the USA legal drama for seven seasons, and during the show's run, she served as a counselor for the organization One Young World. (Fun fact: She also donated food from the set of Suits to St. Felix Centre's Community Meals Program, per Harper's BAZAAR.) Although NBC released a spin-off series called Suits LA in 2025, Markle did not return to reprise her character.

Personal Life

Did you know that Markle was married before she tied the knot with Prince Charming Harry? After seven years of dating, she married film producer Trevor Engelson in September 2011. However, after 18 months of marriage, they called it quits, citing irreconcilable differences.

Introduction to the Royal Family

Fast-forward to 2016 when the actress started a new relationship with Duke of Sussex and husband-to-be, Prince Harry. Markly and Harry hit it off after they were introduced by a mutual friend, and after a few months of dating privately, Prince Harry publicly confirmed their romance on the royal family's official website. 

Following the announcement, the couple were spotted together in public on several occasions, including a charity polo event, Pippa Middleton's wedding reception and a three-week romantic getaway in Africa. After a year and three months of dating, the pair announced their engagement in November 2017 and Markle confirmed that she would officially retire from acting.

The royal couple tied the knot on May 19, 2018 and they now share two children: Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, whom they welcomed in May 2019, and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born in June 2021. But before they welcomed their second child, they announced in 2020 that they were stepping down from their royal duties.

The duo made headlines in 2021 after sitting down with Oprah for their bombshell interview, where they discussed their marriage, life behind palace walls and how they navigated the intense media scrutiny. But the duo isn't harping on the past. Now, Markle and her family live in Montecito and have been attending several charity events as they pursue new endeavors, including Markle's new brand, As Ever.

Family & Children

Markle's son, Archie, is 5 years old, and her daughter, Lilibet, is 3 years old. The proud mom typically keeps her children out of the spotlight to maintain their privacy, but both she and her husband have mentioned their kids on a few occasions—and they even made a cameo in their parents' Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. In 2024, Markle told CBS News Sunday Morning, "Our kids are young. They’re three and five. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them."

When Markle appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2021, she revealed that Archie loves being a big brother. She said, "Everyone talks about what it's like for the second child, but no one talks about the adjustment for the first child when the second one comes along. So I think they have this moment of, 'Oh, this is fun. Oh, this how it is now.'"

Our kids are young. They’re three and five. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them.

Meghan Markle

As for Lilibet, Markle has opened up about the values she tries to instill in her daughter. During her visit to Colombia in 2024, she said in a statement, "Part of the role modeling that I certainly try to do as a mother is to encourage our daughter—who, at 3, she has found her voice. And we're so proud of that because that is how we create the conditions in which there's a ripple effect of young girls and young women knowing that if someone else is encouraging them to use their voice and be heard, that's what they're going to do." 

Personal Style

Markle has gone through quite the style evolution over the years. Before she joined the royal family, Meghan’s style could be described as classic and casual, often opting for denim and tailored button-up shirts. (FYI, thanks to Markle's sartorial knowledge, she previously launched a successful lifestyle blog called The Tig and developed a huge online platform by 2014.) Then, when she became a duchess, her style became more sophisticated as she donned neutral colors, chic minimalist dresses and monochromatic power suits.

Meghan is the epitome of classic beauty with a graceful, elegant style that comes to life not only in the clothes that she wears, but also in the confidence she exudes. 

Caitlin Yacopetti, Stitch Fix Stylist

When she stepped away from the royal family in 2020, there was another shift in her style choices—and according to Markle, it was intentional. In her Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, she revealed that after she married Harry, she "rarely wore color" to avoid standing out amongst the royal family. But now, she doesn't shy away from bold colors, and she's embracing the California-casual look.

According to Stitch Fix Stylist Caitlin Yacopetti, Markle's style aesthetic remains "timeless and graceful." She exclusively told PureWow, "Meghan is the epitome of classic beauty with a graceful, elegant style that comes to life not only in the clothes that she wears, but also in the confidence she exudes."

Ventures & Businesses

Markle is keeping busy lately, as evidenced by her many projects and her impressive net worth (which reportedly stands at $60 million when combined with her husband).

According to Forbes, in September 2020, Markle and her husband signed a five-year, $100 million contract with Netflix to produce documentaries, films, scripted shows and children’s programs. So far, they've delivered three series, including Live to Lead and Harry and Meghan and With Love, Meghan. Also, in December 2020, the couple landed a three-year podcasting deal with Spotify and Meghan launched her 12-episode podcast, Archetypes, in 2022. However, she has since cut ties with the platform and teamed up with Lemonada Media. Fans can also look forward to Markle's new lifestyle brand, As Ever, which will sell a variety of items including preserves.