This archive report was first published on 29 August 2019.
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. She is an American-born member of the British royal family and a former actress.
Before becoming a royal, Meghan pursued a career in acting, landing minor roles in movies and TV series while still a university student. Her breakout role came in 2011 when she played Rachel Zane in the popular TV legal drama Suits, a role she held until 2017.
As her relationship with Prince Harry gained attention, Meghan became the most-Googled actress of 2016. Despite her high profile, many people still have questions about the Duchess, and here are some lesser-known facts about her.
One of the lesser-known facts about Meghan is that her on-screen name, Rachel, is actually her real first name. Her full names are Rachel Meghan Markle.
Another interesting fact about Meghan is her connection to William Shakespeare. According to MyHeritage.com, Meghan's family tree shows that she is related to Shakespeare on her father's side and Shakespeare's mother's side.
Before becoming a royal, Meghan ran a lifestyle website called The Tig, which focused on food, travel, fashion, and beauty. The website was launched in 2014 and closed down when she got engaged to Prince Harry.
Meghan has also been involved in humanitarian work, including being the Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada in 2016. She has traveled to Rwanda for the Clean Water Campaign and made a presentation at the United Nations headquarters for the HeForShe gender equality campaign in 2014.
Additionally, Meghan has a background in calligraphy and has worked as a professional calligrapher, doing fancy penmanship for weddings and events as a side job while auditioning for parts.
Photos: Instagram @sussexroyal
