Meghan MarkleEverything you need to know about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visiting Belfast, March 2018
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Belfast, March 2018. Photograph by the Northern Ireland Office (CC BY 2.0).

Timeline

Twenty-four dated events, each with its evidence — the spine of the record.

1981 — Birth in Los Angeles

Rachel Meghan Markle is born on 4 August 1981 in Los Angeles, California, to Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle.

c. 1988 — Parents divorce

Her parents divorce when she is about six. She later describes being raised between two households in Los Angeles. (Approximate date; reported in biographical profiles.)

1993 — The Ivory soap letter

Aged eleven, she writes to Procter & Gamble and public figures objecting to an Ivory dish-soap commercial tagline, “women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.” The story is covered on Nick News; the slogan is later changed to “people all over America.”

1999 — High school graduation

She graduates from Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles.

2003 — Northwestern graduation

She graduates from Northwestern University’s School of Communication with a double major in theatre and international studies. During college she interns at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires.

2002–2010 — The working-actor years

Early credits accumulate: a 2002 debut on General Hospital, small film and TV parts, and a 2006–2007 stint as a briefcase model on Deal or No Deal. Guest roles include 90210, Fringe, and Castle.

2011 — Cast in Suits; first marriage ends

She is cast as Rachel Zane on the USA Network’s Suits, filmed in Toronto. She had married producer Trevor Engelson in Jamaica in September 2011; the marriage ends in divorce in 2013.

2014 — Launches The Tig

In May 2014 she founds The Tig, a lifestyle website named after Tignanello wine, covering food, travel, fashion, and interviews with women she admires.

2015 — UN Women address

As an Advocate for Political Participation and Leadership for UN Women, she delivers a March 2015 address in New York opening with “I am proud to be a woman and a feminist.” The speech is widely reported, including by AP.

2016 — World Vision; meeting Prince Harry

She becomes a Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada, traveling to Rwanda for a clean-water campaign. In July 2016 she meets Prince Harry, reportedly on a blind date; the relationship becomes public that autumn.

2017 — The Tig closes; engagement

She closes The Tig in April 2017. In September she appears on the cover of Vanity Fair and makes her first joint public appearance with Harry at the Invictus Games in Toronto. Their engagement is announced on 27 November 2017.

19 May 2018 — The wedding

She marries Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in a ceremony watched around the world. Her Givenchy gown is by Clare Waight Keller; Bishop Michael Curry preaches; the Kingdom Choir sings. She becomes the Duchess of Sussex.

September 2018 — Together: Our Community Kitchen

The cookbook Together: Our Community Kitchen is published, supporting the Hubb Community Kitchen at London’s Al Manaar mosque. She writes the foreword — her first royal charitable project.

October 2018 — First royal tour

The couple’s first overseas tour covers Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand (16–31 October), timed to the Invictus Games in Sydney.

January 2019 — Patronages announced

On 10 January 2019 Kensington Palace announces four patronages: the National Theatre, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Mayhew (animal welfare), and Smart Works (women’s employment support).

6 May 2019 — Archie is born

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is born in London.

September 2019 — Vogue and the Smart Set

She guest-edits the September 2019 issue of British Vogue (“Forces for Change”). The same month, her Smart Works capsule collection, the Smart Set — five workwear pieces, one donated per item sold — launches and sells out.

8 January 2020 — Stepping back

The couple announce on Instagram that they will “step back” as senior members of the royal family and work to become financially independent. A Sandringham agreement follows: they will not use HRH styles and will repay Sovereign Grant funds spent on Frogmore Cottage.

March 2020 — Final royal engagements

Their last engagements as working royals take place in early March 2020, concluding with the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on 9 March.

2020 — Archewell; Netflix and Spotify deals

The Archewell Foundation is announced in April 2020. A multi-year Netflix partnership is announced in September 2020 (reported values were never confirmed by either party). Archewell Audio’s Spotify partnership is announced in December 2020 with a holiday special.

7 March 2021 — The Oprah interview

The CBS primetime interview with Oprah Winfrey airs. Markle discusses her mental health during her royal tenure (“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore”) and the couple’s reasons for leaving. Buckingham Palace responds that “some recollections may vary.”

2021 — Lilibet, The Bench, 40x40

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor is born on 4 June 2021. Her children’s book The Bench is published on 8 June. In August she launches 40x40, asking 40 friends to give 40 minutes of mentorship to women re-entering the workforce.

2022 — Archetypes and the Netflix docuseries

Archetypes, her 12-episode Spotify podcast examining labels applied to women, premieres in August and wins a People’s Choice Award. The Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan is released in two volumes in December.

2023–2026 — New chapters

The Spotify partnership ends by mutual agreement in June 2023. Harry’s memoir Spare is published in January 2023. In March 2023 the couple’s site begins using “Prince Archie” and “Princess Lilibet.” Her lifestyle brand launches as American Riviera Orchard (2024), renamed As Ever (2025); the Netflix series With Love, Meghan premieres in March 2025, and her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder launches in April 2025.

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