Royal lookalike: “People tell me I’m prettier than Meghan!”
Sarah Mhlanga, 35, is bursting with confidence since learning how to sparkle like Markle
With her long dark hair, toned figure and dimpled smile, Sarah Mhlanga could easily be mistaken for Meghan Markle.
But despite her striking resemblance to the former Suits actress, Sarah only found out who Meghan was last summer. Since then, she has dedicated all her spare time to being a lookalike, and says that Meghan has helped boost her confidence.
Sarah, who lives near Manchester with her husband, Jabulani, 37, and their two children, Josiah, eight, and Mimi-raie, five, says, “I used to dislike my nose and wasn’t happy with my face, but Meghan has changed all that for me and helped me learn to love how I look. People now say I’m even prettier than the future princess.
“My life has been a whirlwind since Harry and Meghan got engaged. I can’t even walk down the street without people commenting on the likeness between us. But although I naturally have similar features to Meghan, I also work hard on my body and have so far lost a stone since starting lookalike work in December. It’s hard work, but worth it to have the body of a princess.”
DOUBLE TAKE
Sarah first discovered that she looked like the future royal in August last year.
She explains, “I was waiting in the queue in IKEA when the cashier gasped and said I looked exactly like Meghan Markle. I’d never heard of the actress before, but as I scrolled through Google Images later that afternoon, I was struck by the resemblance. And even my children screamed, ‘That’s you, Mummy!’ when they saw the photos.”
Sarah didn’t think any more about her doppelgänger until a few months later, in November 2017, when Harry and Meghan got engaged
She says, “On the day of the engagement, I received over 300 messages from friends and family, who were shocked at how similar we looked. I was thrilled by the compliments and posted a photo of myself next to one of Meghan on social media. Before I knew it, people I didn’t even know were commenting on the likeness, even though my olive skin is a result of my Italian heritage and Meghan’s mum is African American.”
Soon, Sarah’s copycat appearance began affecting her day-to- day life.
She says, “People started stopping me in the street on the school-run. And one day a man asked to take a selfie with me on the train because he was convinced I was the real deal. Some people have even said that I’m prettier than her! It’s incredibly flattering, as Meghan is stunning. I love all the attention and being treated like a princess.”
Since the engagement, Sarah has been inundated with offers of interviews and appearances as a Meghan lookalike.
SURREAL
She says, “I’ve always done modelling alongside my career as a performing arts teacher. I decided to give lookalike jobs a go and haven’t looked back. My first one was in December for Heritage Trains. A group of little girls dressed as princesses all gathered around me and gave me flowers. It felt really surreal. I’ve also worked
alongside Prince George and Princess Charlotte lookalikes for another campaign.”
Now, Sarah does three or four shoots a week around her teaching work, earning around £200 each time. But it’s not cheap to emulate a royal, and she puts what she earns back into looking the part.
She explains, “I love Meghan’s look and I’ve updated my whole wardrobe with smart pencil skirts and mid-length dresses to match hers. I see her in an outfit and know it will look good on me too because of our colouring. My favourite outfit is the cream tie-belt coat she wore for her engagement photos, but while I can’t afford the £296 price tag of Meghan’s designer number, I found a high-street alternative from Lipsy, which cost £150.
“I also spend around £50 on make-up, £50 on skincare and £40 on hair treatments each month to make sure that I always look as immaculate as her. I used to want to be blonde and would wear very heavy make-up, but Meghan has made me embrace who I am and I much prefer her more natural look.”
STRICT DIET
Sarah has even overhauled her diet to keep in line with the future princess’ athletic shape. She says, “I’ve cut out gluten, dairy, carbs, sugar and alcohol from my diet. I just eat fruit and veg, and occasionally treat myself to a hot chocolate in the evening. I miss having toast in the morning and cocktails with my friends. My diet might sound extreme, but I’ve dropped a stone since becoming a Meghan doppelgänger, so it’s definitely worth it.
As the royal wedding approaches, Sarah is already fully booked for the big day, with a range of guest appearances and parties to attend. But that isn’t going to stop her from enjoying the celebrations.
She says, “We had 250 guests at our wedding. I went for a traditional strapless princess dress with a big skirt, but I think Meghan will go for something more slim-cut and sophisticated.
“It would have been great to receive an invitation – even though it might have caused some confusion! But instead it’s going to be one of the busiest days of my career. I can’t wait!”
❛I’VE LOST A STONE SO FAR – IT’S HARD WORK, BUT IT’S WORTH IT TO HAVE THE BODY OF A PRINCESS❜