Meghan Markle is an American member of the British royal family and a former actress who is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. She has an estimated net worth of $5 million as of 2023, which she earned from her acting career, endorsements, and royal duties. She is also known for her charity work and advocacy on various issues, such as women’s empowerment, social justice, and mental health.
In this article, we will explore Meghan Markle’s early life, career, personal life, net worth, controversies, and future plans.
Meghan Markle’s Early Life and Education
Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, to Doria Ragland, a social worker and former makeup artist, and Thomas Markle Sr., a television lighting director and director of photography. She has a mixed-race heritage, as her mother is African American and her father is Caucasian. She grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in Hollywood and attended a private school. She was interested in acting from a young age and participated in school plays and musicals.
Meghan Markle graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with a double major in theater and international studies. She also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, for a semester and completed an internship at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Northwestern Community Ensemble choir.
Meghan Markle’s Career and Personal Life
Meghan Markle began her acting career in 2001 with small roles in television shows and films, such as General Hospital, Century City, CSI: NY, The War at Home, Remember Me, and Horrible Bosses. She also appeared in several commercials and game shows. Her breakthrough role came in 2011 when she was cast as Rachel Zane, a paralegal-turned-lawyer and love interest of the main character Mike Ross, in the legal drama series Suits. She played the role for seven seasons until 2018 and received critical acclaim and popularity for her performance.
Meghan Markle had several relationships before meeting Prince Harry. She dated actor and producer Trevor Engelson from 2004 to 2011 and married him in Jamaica in 2011. However, the couple divorced in 2014 due to irreconcilable differences. She then dated celebrity chef Cory Vitiello from 2014 to 2016 and was briefly linked to golfer Rory McIlroy in 2014.
Meghan Markle met Prince Harry through a mutual friend in July 2016 and started dating him soon after. They made their first public appearance as a couple at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September 2017. They announced their engagement in November 2017 and married at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. The wedding was attended by celebrities, royals, and dignitaries from around the world and watched by millions of people on television and online. Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex upon her marriage and joined the British royal family.
Meghan Markle gave birth to her first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, on May 6, 2019. She revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage in July 2020 in an op-ed for The New York Times. She gave birth to her second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4, 2021. The couple named their daughter after Queen Elizabeth II’s nickname and Prince Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle’s Net Worth
Meghan Markle’s 2023 net worth is projected at $5 million. She gained millions from performing and sponsorships. Suits paid her $50,000 each episode, or $450,000 per season. She also made money from other TV and cinema roles. She promoted Reitmans, TIGI Bed Head, Birks Group Inc., Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL), etc. She started The Tig lifestyle blog in 2014 but shut it down in 2017.
Meghan Markle earned royal wages until she and Prince Harry resigned in January 2020. They declared financial independence and shared their time between the UK and North America. First they traveled to Canada, then to California. They acquired a $14.65 million Montecito, Santa Barbara house in July 2020.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have substantial Netflix and Spotify content agreements. They founded Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio, a podcast. They also published novels under Penguin Random House for many years. In June 2021, Meghan Markle published her first children’s book, The Bench, inspired by Prince Harry and Archie.
Controversies and Future Plans
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been embroiled in various scandals since retiring. They have been attacked for their lack of transparency, use of public funding, security, media relations, and political and social activity. They have also sued British media for privacy and slander.
Some royal family members and staff have accused Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of racism and bullying. In a surprise interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, they disclosed that an anonymous royal family member had worried about Archie’s skin color before his birth. They also alleged that the institution did not support and protect them and that Meghan Markle had considered suicide due to pressure and scrutiny.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wish to concentrate on their family and Archewell, their umbrella foundation for social efforts. They aspire to inspire good change and empower communities worldwide via their platform. They continue their charitable work and campaigning on women’s empowerment, social justice, mental health, environmental conservation, and veterans’ care. They’ve helped Smart Works, Sentebale, WellChild, African Parks, CAMFED, Girl Up, etc.
Meghan Markle is an incredible professional and personal success story. She is a proud mother, loving wife, great actress, best-selling book, clever producer, ardent campaigner, and contemporary royal. She has persevered through numerous obstacles and scandals. She has several goals and a $5 million net worth as of 2023. She inspires many to chase their ambitions and change the world.