Before royalty and fame, Meghan Markle was a biracial girl growing up in Los Angeles, navigating identity in a world that often told her she didn’t fit in. With a Black mother and white father, she faced frequent questions and assumptions from strangers, especially when out with her mom. Raised partly by both parents until age nine, Meghan then lived full-time with her father, experiencing a childhood of latchkey independence, microwave dinners, and modest comforts.

Despite some disagreements about her upbringing, Meghan’s memories reflect the challenges of being different — in race, in status, and in how she saw herself. Her adolescence was shaped by insecurities and a sense of being an outsider. She called herself a “nerd” and focused on being “the smart one,” rather than the pretty or popular girl. Even as a child, she displayed remarkable drive — famously challenging a sexist TV ad at age 11.

Her father’s lottery win helped fund elite schooling, allowing Meghan to pursue her passion for acting. She juggled early jobs like babysitting and donut-selling with dreams of stardom. But breaking into Hollywood wasn’t easy — her biracial identity made her “not white enough” or “not Black enough” for many roles. By her early 30s, though, she embraced self-acceptance, stating that happiness took time but was possible.

Meghan rose to fame through her role in Suits and married Prince Harry in 2018, becoming the Duchess of Sussex. They had two children, Archie and Lilibet. But royal life brought health and emotional challenges. She suffered from postpartum preeclampsia and later, a miscarriage — experiences she’s since shared publicly to raise awareness and support others.