Meghan Markle, born Rachel Meghan Markle on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, is an American actress, humanitarian, and member of the British royal family through her marriage to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. She graduated from Northwestern University with a dual degree in theater and international studies and began her acting career with small TV roles before gaining fame as Rachel Zane in the legal drama series *Suits* (2011–2018). In addition to acting, she ran a lifestyle blog called The Tig and launched clothing lines, gaining recognition for her fashion sense[1][2][4][6]. Meghan’s parents are of mixed heritage—her mother is African American and her father is of Dutch and Irish descent. She was previously married to producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2013. Meghan began dating Prince Harry in 2016, and they became engaged in 2017. Before their wedding in May 2018, she converted to the Church of England. Upon marriage, she received the title Duchess of Sussex[1][2][4]. As a royal, Meghan focused on humanitarian causes, particularly women's rights and gender equality. She has been involved with organizations like UN Women and World Vision and participated in military support tours. In 2020, Meghan and Harry stepped back from senior royal duties to pursue independent charitable and creative projects, founding the nonprofit Archewell and engaging in media ventures including a Netflix docuseries and a podcast. They now live in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. Meghan’s presence in the royal family has contributed to discussions about race, media treatment, and modernization of the monarchy[3][4][5][6].