Meghan Markle: The American star with a social conscience

Meghan Markle – best known for her role in the hit US TV series Suits – is an American actress, humanitarian campaigner and former lifestyle blogger.

She rose to fame playing law student Rachel Zane in the popular legal drama, after parts in CSI: Miami, sci-fi show Fringe and movies such as Remember Me and Horrible Bosses.

Described in the press as “sassy, smart and vivacious”, the 36-yearold Californian is a star with a social conscience.

As well as being a global ambassador for World Vision Canada, she is committed to gender equality and empowering women through her work as a women’s advocate for the UN.

The yoga-loving, self-confessed foodie has her own clothing line, was active on Instagram and Twitter before her relationship with Harry grew serious, and had a fashion and lifestyle website thetig.com, where she posted candidly about her own outlook and experiences.

Markle opened up about everything from her charity work in Rwanda and the importance of focusing “less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings” to her celebrity hairdresser and favourite body lotions.

In her own words, she’s “an actress, a writer, the editor-inchief of my lifestyle brand The Tig, a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes”.

In what was seen as a sign of Markle getting ready to marry into the royals, she brought an abrupt end to her blog in April 2017.

She removed all posts and closed the site but gave no explanation as to why.

In September 2017, her engagement to Harry looked set when she graced the cover of US magazine Vanity Fair and opened up publicly about their relationship.

“We’re two people who are really happy and in love,” she said.

Rachel Meghan Markle was born on August 4 1981, to clinical therapist mother Doria who she describes as “free spirited” and TV lighting director Thomas – who she has said is “the most hardworking father you can imagine”.

The actress closed her blog.