Meghan Markle was once crowned ‘the most searched for person online in the UK’ before she decided to head to the U.S. with Prince Harry.
Sadly, the Duchess of Sussex has not publicly visited the UK or been seen with the Royal Family since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
The former actress and Prince Harry both stepped down as working members of the family two years prior to the late Queen’s death.
And since then, the couple’s relationship with the royals has been somewhat rocky.
However, Meghan’s initial introduction to life in The Firm and her husband’s family appeared to be a great success.
Meghan and Harry announced their engagement on November 27, 2017 and the following month had completed their first official royal outing together.
Andrew Morton shared in his book, Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, exactly how Harry acquainted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with Meghan’s acting work.
The royal biographer also described how the American divorcee quickly became a sensation and soon the public wanted to know everything about Harry’s new girlfriend.
The late Queen Elizabeth appearing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018
Meghan in character as Rachel Zane in the first season of the US legal drama, Suits
Internet searches in the UK at the time for ‘Meghan Markle’ were ‘outstripping those for the recently released iPhone 8,’ Mr Morton wrote.
The new tech had only been released in the September but lots of people were interested in the next royal bride.
It only continued as time went on and in 2018, Meghan was crowned the most searched-for person in the UK compared to the year before.
The royal author described how, ‘everyone wanted to dial into the charismatic Ms Markle, including the Queen, her family and her staff’.
Harry took steps towards introducing Meghan’s acting career to his family, including his grandparents.
The Prince ‘made an edited YouTube version of her show Suits to set before the Queen and Prince Philip,’ Mr Morton wrote.
Harry had hoped the footage would help them, ‘understand more clearly what their grandson saw in her,’ the royal author revealed.
Meghan had played paralegal Rachel Zane in the legal drama since the show began back in 2011 and starred in seven seasons overall.
Harry and Meghan in conversation with the Queen at Royal Ascot in 2018
Meghan playing paralegal Rachel in Suits with co-star Patrick Adams as Michael Ross
The American actress in a bedroom scene with Patrick Adams in Suits
Harry’s edited video seemed to be a success as Meghan was invited to spend Christmas at Sandringham in 2017. The gesture from the late monarch broke royal tradition that only spouses who were married to members of the family would be invited.
It was revealed back in 2020 that the Queen had later offered Meghan the opportunity to continue with her acting career.
A source told The Sun that before the royal wedding in May 2018 the late monarch ‘made the offer’ to Meghan which would ‘give her freedom to continue her acting career’.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly hoped it would help give the actress a ‘smooth transition’ into royal life – but the Suits star was said to have turned down the offer because she ‘wanted to become a working member of the royal family’.
Other Royal Family members were fans of the show, including Prince William and Princess Kate who regularly watched it before even meeting Meghan.
Harry revealed in his book, Spare, how William and Kate’s mouths ‘fell open’ when he revealed Meghan starred in Suits.
He wrote, ‘Willy and Kate explained that they were regular – nay, religious – viewers of Suits’.
Prince Charles also seemed curious about Meghan’s role in the television show and asked about Suits when they first met.
The cast of season two of Suits, Meghan is pictured second right as her character, Rachel
Meghan playing Rachel with co-star Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter in the American legal drama
When the future Duchess of Sussex explained her role in Suits, Harry wrote how Charles replied ‘Marvellous’ and added, ‘How splendid’.
After announcing their engagement in November 2017, Meghan’s life in the royal world began and she had already completed her first royal engagement on December 1 with Harry by her side.
They went to Nottingham to visit an arts centre and the couple met a group of charities involved in HIV/Aids.
The engagement was a success and the Mail wrote at the time how the future Duchess made it ‘look easy’ as she introduced herself to eager fans with, ‘Hi, I’m Meghan’.
One person in the crowd gushed: ‘She’s beautiful. Only a prince can have a lady like that!’
Meghan’s transition into royal life marked the end of her acting career and there were reports before her engagement to Harry that she had quit Suits.
She reportedly told TV bosses that she would not be returning for the show’s eighth season, according to The Daily Star.
A source told the website: ‘Meghan knows she can’t really act at the same time as being a princess and is happy to make this career sacrifice.
Meghan pictured in episode 612 of Suits, with Patrick Adams as Michael Ross
Meghan alongside Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt, Amy Acker as Esther in Suits
‘She really enjoys her charity work with Unicef and will broaden out her charity commitments when she becomes a full-time royal.’
It was later revealed how the show planned for Meghan’s exit before her engagement to Harry was even announced as producers sensed the relationship was serious.
Suits creator Aaron Korsh explained on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme how the team decided to ‘take a gamble that these two people were in love’ – and made preparations for her potential exit well in advance.
Meghan was even put forward for an Emmy award for her role as Rachel on her final season of Suits but never ended up being nominated.
