After considering a career in politics, she turned to acting and made her first appearance as a nurse in an episode of General Hospital in 2001.
Her big break came with a role as paralegal Rachel Zane in Suits, with her newfound fame giving her the chance to push her charity projects.
After divorcing film producer Trevor Engelson in 2013, she went on to wed Prince Harry in 2018 and the couple welcomed their first child, Archie, the following year.
Meghan struggled with her mental health during her time as a senior royal as she faced racism from parts of the media and rifts in the Royal Family.
Join Metro.co.uk as we look over the duchess’ life in pictures in honour of her big day.
Rachel Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in Canoga Park, Los Angeles (Picture: Backgrid)
Her parents are Doria Ragland, a clinical therapist and yoga instructor, and Thomas Markle, a television lighting and photography director (Picture: Backgrid)
The future royal on stage as she attended Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse (Picture: Mega)
Meghan grew up in a prosperous part of Los Angeles and frequently visited the set of Married… with Children, where her dad worked (Picture: Mega)
She campaigned for gender equality from an early age, writing to Procter & Gamble about a sexist advert when she was just 11
With a friend as she continued her studies at a girls’ Roman Catholic college (Picture: Mega)
Meghan said she ‘struggled to find her place‘ as a teenager (Picture: Mega)
The duchess graduated from Northwestern University School of Communication in 2003 and considered going into politics while working as an intern at the US embassy in Argentina (Picture: Channel Five)
She decided to go into showbusiness but had trouble getting roles as she was told she ‘wasn’t black enough for the black roles but wasn’t white enough for the white ones’ (Picture: Patrick McMullan)
Her first TV appearance was on General Hospital in 2001, while she also appeared on CSI and Castle and was a ‘briefcase girl’ on Deal or No Deal (Picture: NBCUniversal Media)
She married film producer Trevor Engelson in September 2011, but the couple divorced two years later (Picture: Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Meghan got her big break in 2011 starring opposite Patrick J. Adams in Suits (Picture: Shane Mahood/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
She became involved in charity work during her acting career but bowed out of Suits at the end of the seventh season (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)
Prince Harry and Meghan at an official photocall to announce their engagement in 2017 after a year of dating (Picture: 2017 Getty Images)
The couple got married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, on 19 May 2018 (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Meghan threw herself into royal life and was spotted giggling with the Queen during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 (Picture: Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand (Picture: Getty Images AsiaPac)
The so-called ‘fab four’ Meghan, Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a Christmas Day Church service on the Sandringham estate on December 25, 2018 (Picture: WireImage)
Meghan later revealed she struggled with her mental health and had experienced suicidal feelings during her time as a senior royal (Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The pregnant duchess helps volunteers in the kitchen during a visit to One25 charity in Bristol in February 2019 (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
The royal couple pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019 (Picture Getty Images Europe)
Meghan stands alongside other members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour in June 2019 (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
The duke and duchess with son Archie in Cape Town on day three of their tour of Africa (Picture: PA)
Meghan and Harry attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality at Windsor Castle on October 25, 2019 (Picture: Reuters)Pic
The couple is seen in their first public appearance after announcing their decision to step back as senior royals in January 2020 (Picture: Reuters)
Reports suggested tensions were high in the family as they attended the Commonwealth Day Service on March 9, 2020 (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
Meghan and Harry moved to California in March 2020 and told the Queen they would not return as working royals in February 2021 (Picture: Reuters)
The duchess has spent the past few years speaking out about racial inequality and feminism and scoring lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify (Picture: PA)
Meghan and Harry lifted the lid on royal life in an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 (Picture: AP)
They welcomed their daughter Lilibet on June 4, 2021 (Picture: Misan Harriman via Instagram/AFP)
![*PREMIUM EXCLUSIVE* Incredible photos show Meghan Markle growing up like a normal American girl, from cute child in adorable dresses to giggling teenager hangin out at school with friends. 04 Dec 2020 Pictured: 1985 school talent show. Photo credit: MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA719209_010.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](http://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PRI_193176718-e1628072049562.jpg?quality=90&strip=all)
![*PREMIUM EXCLUSIVE* Incredible photos show Meghan Markle growing up like a normal American girl, from cute child in adorable dresses to giggling teenager hangin out at school with friends. 04 Dec 2020 Pictured: Knots berry farm park 1988. Photo credit: MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA719209_028.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](http://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PRI_193176790.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
![*PREMIUM EXCLUSIVE* Incredible photos show Meghan Markle growing up like a normal American girl, from cute child in adorable dresses to giggling teenager hangin out at school with friends. 04 Dec 2020 Pictured: high school 1995. Photo credit: MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA719209_007.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](http://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PRI_193176792.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
![*PREMIUM EXCLUSIVE* Incredible photos show Meghan Markle growing up like a normal American girl, from cute child in adorable dresses to giggling teenager hangin out at school with friends. 04 Dec 2020 Pictured: 6th grade graduation at HRLRSH. Photo credit: MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA719209_013.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](http://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PRI_193176721-e1628070406580.jpg?quality=90&strip=all)
