Before making headlines as the newest member of the royal family, Meghan Markle starred as the character Rachel Zane in American legal drama Suits. This acting gig was seven seasons of smolders, mystery, and the classiest professional office wear (hence the name "Suits"). Here, she's modeling on the set of Suits in a fabulous pencil skirt and cardigan. It's almost like foreshadowing her brief stint participating in royal press tours under the jurisdiction of Queen Elizabeth's fashion preferences.
During a 2018 interview with Esquire, Markle pointed out the similarities between herself and her character, saying, "I think each of our personalities have really become peppered into our characters. I'm a foodie in real life, so the creator made Rachel a foodie. There are certain elements about my sense of humor that have started to become much more of Rachel's character. We pride ourselves on being well-educated. And we don't want to sell ourselves short."
Meghan Markle looking cozy at her pre-royal life L.A. home with this comfortable jacket. Ain't nothing wrong with that - unless you're in the royal family. Which she isn't now, so get over it! She doesn't need a giant palace or personal servants to be happy. She got this $1.8 million home all on her own! As long as she has some comfy clothes, Prince Harry and her kids surrounding her, she could take on the royal family and the rest of the world's archaic institutions if she so dared.
The four bedroom, 3 bath, 2,262-square-foot house she stands in for this photo is located near downtown Hollywood. According to TMZ, Meghan lived here from 2011-2013 while she was married to producer Trevor Engelson. Unfortunately for Engelson (and luckily for Prince Harry), they divorced a few years of martial bumps and she vacated the California crib for a place in Toronto so she could her most famous role in Suits.
Why have one drink when you could have two - in each hand?! Here Meghan Markle's party ways are caught on camera. Chug, chug chug! And before you get all snooty and holier-than-thou on her, think back to your early twenties. Look us in the eye and say you didn't have fun living it up a bit. In fact, remember when Prince Harry, the so-called "Party Prince," had his partying days plastered as hot-and-fresh cover stories across supermarket tabloids?
As anyone who gets a new job likes to do, Meghan threw an iconic bash at her house once she landed her first big role. The main event? Her friends dug through her closet filled with affordable Zara outfits, dubbing the celebration "Sayonara Zara." She knew that soon enough, she'd be wearing COACH dresses and carrying designer bags, although she probably didn't anticipate the fancy hats needed to be the Duchess.
This photo probably gets the royals sweating with anxiety. From short shorts to mini skirts, Meghan Markle was serving looks far before she fell under the jurisdiction of the Queen's royal dress code. Here she's pictured leaving the New York set of NBC's The Today Show in 2016. In fact, did you know she was a frequent guest on the talk show? We totally forgot!
While she's had her fair share of interviews with news outlets, she worked closely with the staff of The Today Show as a premier fashion consultant and commentator. On top of her superb advice, she hired models of all shapes, colors, and sizes to feature the best fashion of the season. An insider dished to Elle that when Meghan joined the royal press tours she was very "aware of everyone watching her and want[ed] to be respectful" and that her style didn't "take away from the very important work she’s doing."
Christmas got a whole lot hotter on Deal Or No Deal, when Meghan Markle wore this spicy Santa outfit on Season 2 of the show. She stood beside multiple briefcases while on the show, including numbers 11, 24, and 26. Now that she's an ex-Duchess and mom of two, her iconic briefcase for the show went up for auction by Profiles in History for upwards of $6,000.
On top of this reality gig meaning that it was harder for Meghan to be taken seriously as an actress, this white fur-lined red frock and silvery high heels meant it wasn't all holly jolly standing on stage during the special episode. According to New Idea, "Several former models from the show have since spoken out about having to endure 'freezing' conditions in the light outfits and stand for hours in painful heels." At least this gives us an idea for a potential hit Hallmark film: A Duchess for Christmas. Genius, right? If any producers want a piece of that action, cut us in on the profits.
Just Meghan Markle playing around with some raspberries. Who said it's all business meetings, film sets, and press tours for this actress? The Queen might say unbecoming of a dutchess, but honestly, who's never done this? We're betting even the Queen did when she was a kid like 500 years ago. Foods with divots like raspberries and Bugles are just asking to become faux nail polish. We're not saying it'll be the next wildfire fashion trend, but we're no prophet!
In the wake of the world-shaking Oprah interview, Meghan Markle's best friend from Northwestern University spoke out on Instagram in defense of the actress. "Meg’s M.O. has always been kindness; goodwill runs in her bones. I know this to be true after 22 years of very close friendship. I have seen firsthand how she treats her friends and their families and her colleagues," she wrote. " She's funny. Like, laugh-out-loud funny. And smart. She’s more than just a cover story."
The royal family would undoubtedly like you to forget that Meghan Markle was ever a "briefcase girl" on the game show Deal Or No Deal. The show, hosted by Howie Mandel, consisted of a contestant choosing one of 26 briefcases (each one held by a model). Each briefcase had a value of up to $1 million that the contestant would eliminate. In between choosing, they would be offered a deal that they could take or reject and keep playing.
Meghan commented on her time as a briefcase girl to Esquire in 2018: "I would put that in the category of things I was doing while I was auditioning to try to make ends meet... Definitely working on Deal or No Deal was a learning experience, and it helped me to understand what I would rather be doing... I was the ill-fated number 26, which for some reason no one would ever choose. I would end up standing up there forever in these terribly uncomfortable and inexpensive five-inch heels just waiting for someone to pick my number so I could go and sit down."
The Royal Family probably have huge fits over Meghan Markle's escapades. Here, she was pictured getting super cozy with her teammates while wearing strategically tight clothing (for the camera?). It couldn't have been easy on the eyes for anyone in the House of Windsor! Although, we certainly appreciate the photo.
Of course, it's all a bit of harmless fun, and we should all be free to wear whatever clothing feels comfortable and enjoy friendships with whomever we choose. Nevertheless, King Charles III is likely firmly convinced that such scandalous behavior simply isn't done by royalty...as if he's one to talk.
You're telling me that this picture of Meghan Markle posing with her friend Cecilia Donnellan was taken in 1998? Since this adorable Christmas photo was taken, Meghan has traversed the screens of TVs in living rooms around the world! But what's really shocking here is how much she hasn't aged. Her sleek gray slip dress looks straight from the set of Suits or an elegant royal Christmas celebration. Although, the fit is probably a bit too scandalous for the Queen...
The Christmas-themed dance was held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles to surround the bash with a glimmer of elegance. Get this: Meghan was only 15 at the time! Now the world is excited to see the Christmas cards of the 39-year-old ex-royal's ever-growing family. Imagine little Archie wearing a tiny Santa hat... Better yet, Prince Harry and Archie wearing Santa hats. Too cute!
Suits was a legal drama on USA that ran from 2011 to 2019. Meghan Markle was one of the show's stars. The show featured pretty much everything that could make the Queen of England blush. Meghan Markle's character, Rachel Zane, was a senior paralegal on the show. And much like most ambitious women in drama shows, she's caught up in a complex relationship with an equally capable character.
Meghan told Marie Claire in 2013, "Before Suits, I did a pilot every single year. I even did a pilot for ABC with Patrick J. Adams, who plays Mike Ross on the show, like six years ago. So long! TV has always seen us in the same way. He's the rough-around-the-edges guy, I'm the polished girl, and there's that, 'Will they ever be together?' tension. It's crazy to finally have a pilot that has more than the longevity of one season—this is like my cup runneth over."
As shocking as it may be to hear, Meghan Markle had a life before marrying Prince Harry. She not only lived with someone else but got married and - dun dun dun - divorced! Here she is with her ex-husband Trevor Engelson at the COACH Legacy Photo Exhibit. The couple got married in 2011 and divorced in 2013. Trevor Engelson is an American film producer and literary manager.
Their wedding celebration lasted four days at the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in September 2011. They dated for six long years before finally getting engaged in 2010. At the ceremony, Meghan wore a strapless white gown with a jeweled belt, reminiscent of Kate Middleton's royal wedding reception dress. Unfortunately, Meghan's history of divorce has made her a target of critics who label her "damaged goods" who's not good enough to be partnered with the elite Prince Harry.
Okay, she didn't actually pose for this magazine, but this tank is certainly enough to give the royal family a royal heart attack. While she participated in her fair share of modeling gigs that delved into this territory, Meghan actually had a different job while she was auditioning for her first acting gigs. She had to pay the bills somehow, and it didn't include stripping down but rather beautiful handwritten calligraphy!
In October 2016, Meghan told Good Housekeeping that she "used to be a calligrapher for weddings and events — that was my side job while I was auditioning. I think handwritten notes are a lost art form. When I booked my first pilot, my dad wrote me a letter that I still have. The idea of someone taking the time to put pen to paper is really special." The more you know!
Sporting a fashionable, dazzling prom dress and flowery corsage - let's face it - she looks a lot better than anyone in the royal family, on a good day. Let's hope she had a chaperone. and left plenty of room for Jesus on the dance floor. Dressed in a dazzling white dress and a curly updo, she tied the entire look together with classic 90s brows and shimmery makeup. These photos are practically a period piece for the decade.
Then only 17 years old, the prom took place in Catholic school style given her attendance at Immaculate Heart High School. We'd love to wear her entire ensemble to our next fancy event... TBD, obviously. It almost looks like she cosplaying as her younger self. Like, there's no way she's actually aged since this picture was taken... What is her secret?! There has to be a serum or something!
Meghan Markle is for sure a woman with a lot of skeletons in her closet. In fact, she actually murdered three people! Okay, okay, she isn't actually a serial killer, but she did play one on TV, on the crime drama series Castle. The series hinges on solving mysteries sprinkled with some humor. The protagonist, Rick Castle, decides to partner with NYPD detective Kate Beckett to solve crime cases that resemble the plot of Castle's fiction novels. After that case is solved, they decide to stick together and solve cases all around the New York area.
Meghan appeared in Season 4, Episode 17 of the series titled "Once Upon A Crime." She played the character Charlotte Boyd, a real estate broker, who's found unconscious in bed wearing a Sleeping Beauty costume. Characteristically evasive of the detectives' questions and creative with her alibis, she's eventually arrested and charged with the murders of multiple people. Turns out she dressed up her victims in fairy tale costumes and tried to do the same to keep the detectives off her scent... Oh, spoiler alert, by the way!
Not everyone can take a stunning selfie like this, but why she thought she needed a MySpace angle with all of her natural beauty - it is difficult to say. We're all victims of the pressures of social media, especially now in the age of Instagram filters and editing apps like FaceTune. She doesn't need any of the editing, obviously. She already looks like the ideal filter. And that gaze is so captivating, no wonder Harry fell for her.
Try not to fall in love yourself. The royals wouldn't like it. She already has a ton of drama floating around, but her original social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and the like were all taken down once she joined the royal family, so we doubt there will be any sultry selfies posted anytime soon. A lack of social media doesn't stop these former royals from releasing photos, fortunately. In February 2021, she and Harry announced they were expecting their second child with a heartwarming maternity photoshoot.
An actual photo of Meghan Markle just not having any of it with the royal family. Nah, but for real it's from a table read for Suits. Much of her experience with the hit show hinged on her on-screen relationship and off-screen friendship with Patrick J. Adams. However, the fact that she's obviously gorgeous and has great chemistry with her male co-star didn't define her character as just another "hot girl." Meghan praises the fact that Rachel is written with clearly defined goals and an ambitious personality.
She told Marie Claire about her experience acting for Suits, saying, "I will say that working in the embassy has rooted my performance for this in a different way. I love the intelligence that's written into Rachel. Look, my very first audition was for 'Hot Girl #1' in some movie. It's the ultimate for me that the writers are able to go 'Sure, you can be a pretty girl, but there's so much more to her.'"
Meghan Markle looks more vicious in this still from Castle. You can catch her in Season 4, Episode 17 - but you may not see her the same way again. Long before she landed the role of Rachel Zane in Suits, the show Castle hired her for a one-off episode with her cast as the primary villain. Nathan Fillon, who played the protagonist Rick Castle, recalled his brief time working with her during a 2018 interview with ET.
"I remember the entire episode, and I remember she was one of our fairy-tale princesses," Fillon said. "I forgot that she was the murderer, and I am shocked! I am shocked!" When the interviewer informed him of her royal wedding to Prince Harry, Fillon jokingly feigned surprise. "What a wonderful surprise! How lovely for her! Congratulations." She seemed to have left a fine impression on him! So what's the problem, royals?
Here Meghan Markle is looking a little too hot for Buckingham Palace. Who needs titles? We don't need no stinkin' titles! I mean, just look at her! She's practically steaming up the windows at Buckingham Palace. I don't know about you, but I would not be able to concentrate on anything if I had to sit in a room with her looking like that.
It's a good thing Prince Harry is so well-behaved. He must have a lot of self-control. I'm not sure I could resist if I were in his shoes. Then again, maybe that's why he's so well-behaved. He knows if he misbehaves, he might get a glimpse of what's under those royal robes… of course, we're just speculating here. But really, who can blame us? With Meghan looking like that, it's hard to think about anything else!
One thing the Queen would definitely not want you to know is that Meghan Markle used to live outside. Okay, not really. But drinking outside, though - pretty sure that's illegal! Okay, calm down. We're just pulling your leg. This photo was obviously taken as part of a publicity campaign of some kind while she was on holiday. The duchess revealed to People Magazine where her favorite vacation spots are and why she enjoys them so much:
"...sheets of hand-torn pasta woven through luscious bolognese. Flirting with boys in Venice, when my best friend and I backpacked through the country for spring break ... the perfection of a scoop of Nutella gelato dripping down your chin," were some of her favorite things to do in Italy. Everywhere from Budapest, Hungary, to staying near home in the States, Meghan did yoga anywhere and everywhere she landed!
Not everyone can pull off a jumpsuit, but Meghan Markle does it with ease. It's not a part of the royal family uniform, but that's not really their problem anymore - although the royal family may hate this tight jumpsuit, Harry's got no complaints. And neither do we! Honestly, we could see this outfit on spring and summer trend lists already. The cutout in the back is specifically on trend right now, even if the rest of the suit isn't exactly up to date.
Like we already established, vacation wear is kind of Meghan's thing. At least, it was until the royal family stomped it out of her. Turns out back cut outs and clinging fabric doesn't quite fit under royal protocol. In order to make a good impression, Meghan gladly followed (most of) the Queen's fashion rules, but we're sure she's glad to be back in the comfy athleisure and sundresses she was known for.
Well, not exactly slumber-party chic; this photo's a little more mature, if you're catching our drift. Meghan Markle looking pristine in a silky pajama shirt and pretty much nothing else definitely hints to a Suits scene that's rated at least PG-13. This may have been hard for the royal family to come to terms with, but we certainly aren't complaining, and we doubt Harry is either. Apparently, Meghan earned upwards of a quarter million dollars for each episode of Suits.
In fact, the off-screen chemistry is continually credited as a driving force of the show's raging success. Royal expert Andrew Morton wrote about her relationship with her Suits co-star saying, “When [Meghan] began the standard table read of the script, it was obvious that Meghan and Patrick generated chemistry – this elusive quality, the showbiz equivalent of lightning in a bottle. It was vital that they had a spark as the ups and downs of their love story would be a narrative arch throughout the series, if the show was picked up by the network.”
Here is a photo of Meghan Markle photobombing the beach. We actually didn't even notice the beach at first. Anyway, now that Markle is away from the royal family, she can look forward to more sunny days like this and can keep up with 21st-century fashion trends without a 94-year-old Queen breathing down her neck.
Like, you can't ignore that stretch of bare leg she's sporting, which never would have flown back at the palace. Never mind the disheveled hair, trendy sunglasses, and sheer tunic top... Who does she think she is? A normal woman? We can hear the inhabitants of Buckingham scoffing already, for if a lady does not wear hosiery or a fancy hat, then is she even considered a lady?
This crotchet watermelon bikini sure is something. And it looks great on Meghan. Is this what Harry Styles was singing about with "Watermelon Sugar?" Aside from the adorable swimsuit, Meghan is known for her wanderlust, at least before the royal family disaster. At least her husband Prince Harry shares the same affinity for travel, so Meghan isn't completely cut off from her roots.
It's difficult for a high-priority prince and Hollywood actress to spend some alone time together, so when they began dating, it was essential that Prince Harry whisked her away to his favorite reclusive vacation spot that has since become their staple holiday: Botswana, Africa! Not only did they fall in love on this landlocked country, but it's also where the stone on Meghan's engagement ring originated. Talk about romantic!
Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in bed with Patrick J. Adams as Michael Ross. If the queen didn't see this, we're sure she avoided it on purpose. Especially when you know that Adams defended his former co-star after the release of the tell-all interview with Oprah in early March 2021. He took to Twitter to share his thoughts about bullying accusations targeted at Meghan by palace staff.
In a long thread of tweets, Adams wrote, "Meghan Markle and I spent the better part of a decade working together on Suits. From day one she was an enthusiastic, kind, cooperative, giving, joyful and supportive... She fell in love, moved to a new country, became a household name across the entire globe and began the difficult work of trying to find her place in a family dynamic that can at best be described as complicated and at worst, seemingly archaic and toxic. It’s OBSCENE that the Royal Family, who’s newest member is currently GROWING INSIDE OF HER, is promoting and amplifying accusations of “bullying” against a woman who herself was basically forced to flea the UK in order protect her family and her own mental health."
