You've Come A Long Way, Meghan
YOU South Africa|24 May 2018

Tomboy, student, actress and now royal bride – we track Meghan Markle’s incredible journey

Kirstin Buick
You've Come A Long Way, Meghan

IN THE space of 18 months she’s gone from a relatively wellknown TV actress to one of the most famous women in the world – a sparkling American beauty who won the heart of a prince, captivated the British public and breathed fresh air into the royal family.

Yet for Ava Burrows, the second wife of Meghan Markle’s granddad, the idea of the wild-haired little girl she knew wedding a blue-blood is nothing short of bizarre. “Meggie marrying a prince? Who’d have thunk!” she said, slapping her knee and laughing when a journalist came knocking.

And you can’t really blame her. To the outside world Meghan (36) may be impossibly glossy and enviably confident but once upon a time she was a cute tomboy fooling around in the backyard.

She’s come a long way, transforming from a happy-go-lucky Los Angeles lass to a glossy Hollywood actress – and now a dazzling duchess.

Here’s an in-depth look at Meghan’s life.

WHEN THOMAS MET DORIA

Thomas Markle (now 73) was a lighting director with a promising career when he moved to Los Angeles in his mid-thirties, newly divorced from Roslyn Loveless whom he’d married fresh out of high school. They had two children, Samantha and Tom Jnr, who lived with their mom in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Footloose and fancy-free, Thomas met Doria Ragland (now 61), a beautiful African-American twenty something working as a temp on the set of the TV show General Hospital.

“I like to think he was drawn to her sweet eyes and her Afro,” Meghan said. “Plus their shared love of antiques. Whatever it was, they were married and had me.”

Meghan was born in LA on 4 August 1981 – the Queen Mother’s 81st birthday.

Tom Jnr and Samantha, then 14 and 16, came to live with their dad around then. According to Tom Jnr, their dad became a changed man after Meghan was born.

Denne historien er fra 24 May 2018-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra 24 May 2018-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YOU SOUTH AFRICASe alt
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024