What was Meghan Markle’s life like before she became the Suits star and a royal?

Meghan Markle’s journey to establishing herself as an actor in Hollywood was a royal one. She navigated through a series of different jobs before her breakthrough role in the legal drama Suits as Rachel Zane opposite Patrick Johannes Adams as Mike Ross.

Meghan Markle watches her husband Prince Harry play in an exhibition sitting volleyball match, in Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday, May 11, 2024.s. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)(AP)

This role, now streaming on Netflix, catapulted her into the limelight. However, before she landed on The Legal Minds’ set- or shall I say Suits’ set?- Markle navigated the entertainment world through various other avenues.

One of Markle’s notable talents was calligraphy. Her exceptional handwriting skills proved to be an initial source of income, allowing her to support herself financially during her auditioning days. Although calligraphy is now considered a dying art, it was a crucial skill that enabled her to make ends meet until she secured her role on Suits in 2011.

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Meghan Markle’s unique calligraphy skill paid the bills

In a 2013 interview with Marie Claire, The Duchess of Sussex shared, “I knew I wanted to do acting, but I hated the idea of being this cliché — a girl from L.A. who decides to be an actress. I wanted more than that, and I had always loved politics.”

Growing up with a father who was a photography and lighting director, Markle had the unique opportunity to witness the behind-the-scenes aspects of filming on the sets of ‘Married… with Children.’

Despite her love for the entertainment industry, her passion for politics led her to pursue international relations as a second major alongside theatre at Northwestern University, then to Argentina, where she interned at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires.

And just as her political career seemed poised to take off, life redirected her to her childhood talent of calligraphy. However, a source told the Daily Mail that Markle has not given up on her political ambitions. Ven some netizens speculated that she might be eyeing a run for the presidency.

During her time at Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, Markle attended a handwriting class, which opened doors for her later in life. Reflecting on this period, Markle told Esquire back in 2018, “What it evolved into was my pseudo-waitressing job when I was auditioning. I didn’t wait tables. I did calligraphy for the invitations for, like, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton’s wedding.”

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Meghan revived a ‘lost art’

Patton praised Markle’s calligraphy, saying, “I just thought Meghan did a beautiful job. It really is a lost art, and it was so nice to create something without a device that doesn’t use a battery or need to be plugged in.”

Markle’s calligraphy skills even led to deals with high-end brands like Dolce & Gabbana for their holiday correspondence.

“I would sit there with a little white tube sock on my hand so no hand oils got on the card, trying to pay my bills while auditioning,” she recalled.

Even after marrying Prince Harry and becoming a royal, Markle did not abandon her pre-wedding passions. She designed the logo for her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchards, using her own handwriting.