Imagine being a regular girl from Los Angeles and then suddenly finding yourself at the heart of the royal family! From TV shows to castles, Meghan Markle’s journey is more dramatic than most movies. Her origins are a blend of culture and history that have shaped her into who she is today.
Meghan Markle, best known for her role as Rachel Zane in *Suits*, was born on August 4, 1981, in sunny Los Angeles. Her family history is a true mix of cultures! On her mother’s side, her roots trace back to Africa, where Meghan’s ancestors were slaves on plantations in the southern United States. On her father’s side, the picture is quite different: Meghan’s ancestors came from Germany and Switzerland. In the 18th century, Johann Markel left his native Germany and moved to Pennsylvania. His son, Conrad Markel, married Katharina Hovis, whose ancestors were from Prussia and Switzerland. Due to a clerical error in the census, their surname was changed to “Markle.”
Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, grew up in Pennsylvania but moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a lighting director for television. He married Doria Ragland, a yoga instructor and social worker, with whom he had Meghan. When Meghan was six years old, her parents divorced, and she stayed with her mother in a less affluent part of Los Angeles. Even after becoming a well-known actress, Markle experienced discrimination. She has said that because of her mixed race, she was considered “too light” for black roles and “too dark” for white ones.
On her father’s side, Meghan has a half-sister with multiple sclerosis and a half-brother who has had legal troubles related to domestic violence.
