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California girl - Markle was born in Los Angeles to Thomas Wayne Markle and Doria Ragland (pictured).

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Beginnings - Growing up in a place very different from Buckingham Palace, Markle started getting a taste of fame on a Nickelodeon show and other TV series.

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Rising star - Since her father worked in the entertainment industry, Markle spent a lot of time in and around it. However, she was only discovered by an agent after acting in a film in college.

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She struggled with her appearance - Long before she was a duchess, Markle wrote an open letter, titled "I'm More Than An 'Other,'" about creating her identity and finding her voice as a mixed-race woman.

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Tackling racial identity - She reflected on the difficulty of growing up in a non-diverse area, hearing her mother called the N-word, and being ethnically ambiguous in an acting world of clearly defined labels.

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She faced a choice - "You continue living your life feeling muddled in this abyss of self-misunderstanding, or you find your identity independent of it." You can tell which one she chose.

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On-screen gigs - Markle appeared in an episode of the soap opera 'General Hospital,' and then went on to act in episodes of various other series, such as 'CSI: New York,' '90210,' and 'Without a Trace.'

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Her claim to fame -

But it was in 'Suits' that Markle rose to fame. She played Rachel Zane, one of the show's main characters.

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Her first wedding/divorce - In 2011, she married American film producer Trevor Engelson after the couple had been together for five years. However, they divorced just two years later in 2013.

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She's always had a flare for fashion - Markle was into fashion before she met Prince Harry, even becoming an ambassador for Canadian retailer Reitmans, for whom she helped design two capsule collections.

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Enter: Prince Charming - Markle met Prince Harry on a blind date in 2016, and rumors quickly surrounded the two. The couple appeared together for the first time in Toronto at the Invictus Games, of which Prince Harry is patron.

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A rocky start - Markle was subject to some racist and sexist slander when their relationship first hit the news.

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But she quickly became adored - She is positively radiant on walkabouts, where well-wishers eat her up.

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From actress to duchess - The royal wedding was the moment everything palpably changed.

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Couple goals - The two aren't afraid of some PDA, and the press is glad for it.

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She's been a breath of fresh air - All of her "rule-breaking" has been endlessly entertaining. She and sister-in-law Kate Middleton share that in common.

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A strange plot twist - Although Markle became a duchess due to her marriage to Prince Harry, she was actually already related to the British royal family...

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Meant to be? - Researchers of the New England Historic Genealogical Society revealed that she's a descendant of King Edward III of England, which makes her a very distant (more than 240 times over) cousin to her husband!

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She began getting to know the young ones - And started fueling the public's desire for a little one of her own. Luckily, one wasn't far behind.

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Pregnancy announcement - The Kensington Palace Twitter account announced on October 15, 2018, that the royal couple was expecting.

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Pregnancy with flare - Markle certainly raised the bar for maternity looks. People raved about her clothing throughout her pregnancy.

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Baby boy born! - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on May 6, 2019.

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Archie is sixth in line to the throne - Behind Prince Harry, of course. And their second child, daughter Lilibet, is seventh in line to the throne.

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More great-grandchildren for the Queen - Archie was Her Royal Highness and Prince Philip's eighth great-grandchild. The couple's second child was their 11th. Sadly, in November 2020, Markle revealed in an essay in The New York Times that the couple had previously suffered a miscarriage.

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Friends or enemies? - However, every story has its controversies. There have been numerous articles pondering whether Kate Middleton and Markle actually get along, or if it's all just for the cameras.

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Christening -

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also had a landmark event with Archie's christening. They opted for making it very private, and did not pose for press photos after the ceremony had occurred.

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Duchess and queen - Royalty met (Hollywood) royalty when Meghan Markle got to spend some time with Queen Bey at the UK 'The Lion King' premiere.

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A lot can change -

In January 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that they were stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, and that they would be living between the UK and North America. Having followed through with their plans, the couple and their children now live in the Los Angeles area.

Sources: (People)

See also: Looks of love on Harry and Meghan's wedding anniversary

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