Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has candidly revealed her struggles before meeting Prince Harry. The former actress admitted that she only found true happiness on her 33rd birthday after learning to be ‘kind’ to herself.
The couple first crossed paths in July 2016 when Meghan was 35 and Harry was 32. However, the Duchess said she had faced many challenges before this point.
In her previous lifestyle blog, The Tig, Meghan opened up about how “brutal” her 20s were and confessed that her teenage years were even more difficult.
She shared with her followers that she had a hard time fitting in during high school and often participated in extracurricular activities to avoid eating alone in the cafeteria.
Entering her early 20s, Meghan grappled with self-judgment regarding her weight, style, and desire to be as cool, hip, smart, or “whatever” as everyone else, she said.
Her turning point came at 24 when a casting director advised her to wear “less makeup” and be “more Meghan”. This became a mantra that she carried with her – to be “more Meghan”.
Interestingly, Meghan also wrote about her future in-laws on The Tig, seven years before her own Royal wedding. In one post, she discussed Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton and the grandeur associated with their ceremony.
“Little girls dream of being princesses. I, for one, was all about She-Ra, Princess of Power,” Meghan Markle once wrote on her blog, referring to the popular 80s TV show that chronicled the adventures of Princess Adora (She-Ra), Prince Adam’s (He-Man’s) twin sister.
Meghan went on to say: “We’re definitely not talking about Cinderella here. Grown women seem to retain this childhood fantasy. Just look at the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Royal wedding and endless conversation about Princess Kate.”
Before meeting her husband, Prince Harry, Meghan ran her blog for several years, sharing recipes, travel tips, and personal stories. However, she closed down the site in 2017, just a few months before her engagement to Harry was announced.
Now, Meghan is preparing to launch her new venture, an upcoming luxury brand called American Riviera Orchard, which has reportedly been in development for over a year and will feature items that are “close to her heart”.
