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00:00:00What three words describe Meghan Markle?
00:00:07Hmm.
00:00:09Stylish.
00:00:13Sophisticated.
00:00:15Hmm.
00:00:17Smart.
00:00:19Intelligent.
00:00:21Calculating.
00:00:23Assertive.
00:00:24Determined.
00:00:27Innovative.
00:00:28Innovative.
00:00:30It's a tough one just to keep it to three.
00:00:34Strong-minded.
00:00:36Self-aware.
00:00:37Ruthless.
00:00:40She is someone who is ambitious.
00:00:42She wants more.
00:00:45Ambitious.
00:00:47Ambitious.
00:00:49Ambitious.
00:00:50Ambitious.
00:00:51Ambitious.
00:00:52Ambitious.
00:00:52Ambitious.
00:00:53Ambitious.
00:01:00Megan lives in Montecito, in Santa Barbara, in California, and lives this barefoot dream.
00:01:24It's a gorgeous 15 million pound house.
00:01:30Megan's family home is in a quiet and exclusive Californian town.
00:01:35After dramatically quitting royal life in 2020.
00:01:38It could not be any different from their royal life in the UK.
00:01:45Ambitious.
00:01:45Ambitious.
00:01:46Ambitious.
00:01:46Ambitious.
00:01:47These intimate images shared by Megan and Harry depict an idyll life.
00:01:53Harry goes surfing he can pick his kids up from school his royal life was very
00:01:59different and it was what he and Megan decided they no longer wants to be part
00:02:04of
00:02:06today Meghan Markle is one of the most famously divisive people in the world
00:02:12but who really is the woman behind the headlines
00:02:18her life now is a world away from where she grew up
00:02:27just 70 miles from Monte Cito four decades ago
00:02:32growing up Megan Markle lived in a place called Woodland Hills
00:02:40in the valley of Los Angeles
00:02:42this charming family photo shows a young Megan with her parents
00:02:49Tom and Doria split up when she was just two years old and she bounced between the two parents as
00:02:58she grew up
00:02:59in the early 1990s Los Angeles is a troubled city and Megan witnesses this first hand
00:03:10they have let us go home during the riots and there was ash everywhere I said oh my god mommy it's snowing
00:03:20snowing but a mother corrects her LA is on fire and this shocking footage is the catalyst
00:03:29Rodney King was a black man who was stopped by the police
00:03:36it was a traffic stop that resulted in several police officers beating him they went to trial
00:03:44with the officers and they got off
00:03:48upon that verdict
00:03:51city exploded
00:03:59it just felt like a lot of prejudice
00:04:02in terms of racism
00:04:06Los Angeles was not always this melting pot Hollywood makes it out to be
00:04:10although this school photo shows a happy and relaxed Megan she still faces challenges as a biracial child growing up in 1990s Los Angeles
00:04:27just as black and white when mixed make gray in many ways that's what it did to my self-identity it created a murky area of who I was a haze around how people connected with me I was a haze around how people connected with me
00:04:39I was gray
00:04:42on one occasion she had to fill in a form amongst the many questions was one about her ethnicity and she had to tick a box issue was she white or was she black what was she and she didn't know which one to tick
00:04:57she said she felt lost because she didn't know what to choose and her dad says just make your own box and she said that really changed her thinking
00:05:10okay
00:05:13okay am I there I wonder okay see you later bye bye
00:05:21this cute moment from 1993 is one of Megan's first appearances on camera
00:05:28but that same year she makes national headlines for the very first time
00:05:34I don't think it's right for kids to grow up thinking these things that just mom does everything
00:05:40there is a lovely story about Megan of when she was very small and it says a lot about Megan as a character and how that developed in later life
00:05:48Megan is shocked by an advert she believes is sexist women women are fighting greasy pots and pans and I said wait a minute how could somebody say that
00:05:59Megan even as a very young child looked at that and thought hold on a minute it's not women across America everyone does washing up or at least they should do
00:06:08even at a young age Megan shows herself to be a tenacious campaigner writing letters to get the wording changed from women to people
00:06:20the gloves are coming off people are fighting greasy pots and pans with ivory clear
00:06:27it is Megan's first taste of fame because when they changed it the TV networks wanted to know about it as well so it was Megan's first time that she was interviewed in that way
00:06:36Megan's confidence speaking out about an issue she believes in
00:06:42if you see something that you don't like or offended by until on television or any other place write letters and send them to the right people and you can really make a difference for not just yourself but lots of other people
00:06:56to the amazing thing to do which shows to me that she was brought up with enormous confidence in herself
00:07:02this sweet home video shows Thomas Markle using one word that perfectly describes young Megan
00:07:09determined determined
00:07:15this first taste of fame impacts the path Megan takes
00:07:21she dedicates her time to passionately rehearsing dance and performing
00:07:25captivating audiences as Red Riding Hood in a school play
00:07:32you're looking very strange
00:07:36what big ears you have
00:07:38I'm better to eat you with my
00:07:41Megan appeared in lots of plays at school
00:07:44but she didn't see herself as being an actress for her future
00:07:48those who knew her saw her as being a lawyer, a diplomat
00:07:55she took the exams for the state department and failed them
00:08:00so she thought she'd dry her hand out at acting
00:08:03after earning a degree in theatre in international studies
00:08:21Megan is now a struggling actor
00:08:23looking for her big break
00:08:25this is when she meets well-connected film producer
00:08:28Trevor Engelson
00:08:30at the time he was a producer and was just Mr. Fun
00:08:34he answers the phone, it's Trevor from Endeavor
00:08:37like he is Mr. Personality
00:08:39he's the cutest
00:08:41and not only was he fun
00:08:43in the sense of Megan being a young woman in Hollywood
00:08:46he also was heavily connected
00:08:49Trevor was very sweet, very ambitious
00:08:53and tried to give her a platform as much as you can in Hollywood
00:08:57he had contacts, he had the network, he was well respected
00:09:02so for a struggling actress who was trying to make it in Hollywood
00:09:07he was an obvious person that could open doors
00:09:10I think he did as much as he could
00:09:12and you know what, he was the biggest cheerleader for her success
00:09:15Megan finally gets her big break
00:09:28on the new game show
00:09:30Deal or No Deal
00:09:31So she was a briefcase girl
00:09:35all these pretty girls doled up and held a briefcase with a number on it
00:09:4011, 11, go
00:09:43and they took turns literally on opening their briefcase
00:09:45Megan, open the case
00:09:47She's kind of laughed about it now but she was trying to get any work she could
00:09:50She was always looking for the next thing, she was using Deal or No Deal to get her next job
00:09:55Megan quits Deal or No Deal, her final episode airs in 2007
00:09:59then she struggles to find her next big break
00:10:02Megan's career was going nowhere, not for lack of talent but for lack of opportunity
00:10:05Her partner Trevor uses his connections to help Megan out
00:10:09She appears as a blink and you'll miss it sassy bartender in one of Trevor's own films
00:10:12Remember me?
00:10:13It was the best thing
00:10:14She was using Deal or No Deal to get her next job
00:10:16Megan quits Deal or No Deal, her final episode airs in 2007
00:10:20Then she struggles to find her next big break
00:10:22Megan's career was going nowhere, not for lack of talent but for lack of opportunity
00:10:26Her partner Trevor uses his connections to help Megan out
00:10:30She appears as a blink and you'll miss it sassy bartender in one of Trevor's own films
00:10:33Remember me?
00:10:36Megan!
00:10:38You're all great
00:10:40Do not speak like this
00:10:44And then she manages to land a small role as a cute courier girl
00:10:48In comedy, Horrible Bosses
00:10:51What's going on here?
00:10:52Sorry?
00:10:53This one of those hidden camera shows?
00:10:54What do you mean?
00:10:55What I mean is like you're way too cute to be just a FedEx girl
00:10:58You gotta be like a model or actress or something, right?
00:11:00Like what happens when I...
00:11:01Allegedly, Megan was likely disappointed that he didn't help her out more in the industry
00:11:07I think they had a very tempestuous relationship
00:11:10And it was a lot about Megan saying, I'm not getting what I want
00:11:13You need to help me get what I want
00:11:15What I did hear was that she found it very frustrating that he wasn't getting her more deals
00:11:20Bigger storylines and bigger plotlines
00:11:22I think she was quite tough on Trevor Engelson
00:11:33In 2010, Megan reportedly comes up with a plan to make it big in Hollywood
00:11:40Reportedly, Megan started a blog called The Working Actress
00:11:43And it was kind of how to get ahead, how to manipulate the system, how to game the system when you're a struggling actress on the up
00:11:52Megan keeps her identity a secret, posting anonymously
00:11:57The Working Actress blog, in my opinion, was a marketing strategy from a savvy, young, ambitious actress
00:12:05Actress, keep in mind when The Working Actress blog launches, Gossip Girl is the hottest show on television
00:12:12Why'd she leave? Why'd she return?
00:12:15Send me all the deets
00:12:17And who am I?
00:12:19That's one secret I'll never tell
00:12:21The only one
00:12:23XOXO Gossip Girl
00:12:25And it's all about this anonymous blogger who is wreaking havoc on everyone's lives
00:12:30But it's the anonymous blogger part that's interesting
00:12:32How to hitchhike
00:12:34One of the things The Working Actress talked about was trying to get a golf cart around studios
00:12:40And she said, well, it really helps if you try and get a man's attention if you're a woman
00:12:44Flash a little smile, stick out your thumb, and grab a ride with a passing cart
00:12:50And another thing she said in the blog was that
00:12:53Red is such a good color on you, it makes me look like a whore
00:12:56And her friends said something along the lines of, oh, sorry, red's not your color
00:13:01And she said, sometimes I need to look like a slut
00:13:05So it's helpful to know that red gets the job done
00:13:08So you could really tell from this blog that she's a manipulative person, I'm afraid to say
00:13:15And she knew how to use her feminine energy to get what she wanted
00:13:19I wonder if the ultimate objective was the big reveal
00:13:25Who is the working actress? I don't know, do you know who the working actress is?
00:13:28Oh my gosh, she's so funny, she's so cute, she's had such a hard time
00:13:31Wow, we think she's finally gonna make it, who is it?
00:13:34And then she reveals herself, and now she's on the cover of all of these magazines
00:13:38She is the working actress
00:13:39But the struggling actor never does reveal herself
00:13:44The blog runs for two years before she shuts it down in 2012
00:13:48Because Meghan has finally got her big break
00:13:52One that will catapult her to stardom
00:13:55And put her on a collision course with an institution
00:13:59That dates back more than a thousand years
00:14:09Meghan Markle is just one of thousands of struggling actors in Hollywood
00:14:31After seven years of auditioning
00:14:36She's about to land a role that will change her life forever
00:14:42Meghan is cast as driven and smart paralegal
00:14:46Rachel Zane
00:14:48In a new legal drama called Suits
00:14:50Mike Ross?
00:14:52Hi, I'm Rachel Zane, I'll be giving you your orientation
00:14:56Wow, you're pretty
00:14:58Good, you hit on me, we can get it out of the way that I'm not interested
00:15:01No, I'm sorry, I wasn't hitting on you
00:15:02Meghan seemed to have that mixture of smarts, sassiness, sexiness, toughness
00:15:08And finally, this is where you'll live
00:15:12She was playing a, to use a phrase, a ball buster
00:15:15Wow
00:15:16I gave you that for a reason you haven't taken one note
00:15:18It's because...
00:15:19Because you were too busy ogling me to listen to a word I've said
00:15:22She wasn't one of the main actors or actresses on that show
00:15:24But she had a pretty significant part
00:15:29Suits became a very well-watched programme
00:15:34That's how her fame started to grow
00:15:38For Meghan, success comes at a personal cost
00:15:42Impacting her relationship with film producer Trevor Angleson
00:15:45Trevor Angleson
00:15:50When she got the job in Suits, she was filming in Toronto
00:15:55She was leaving behind Trevor in LA
00:16:00She was leading essentially a separate life from him
00:16:15Although their relationship is under strain
00:16:18Meghan marries Trevor in September 2011
00:16:21Trevor and Meghan got married in Jamaica
00:16:23They had about 100 people at the wedding
00:16:26It was more of a party than a marriage
00:16:31Reportedly, she had little bags of marijuana on each table setting
00:16:40Meghan's marriage to Trevor only lasts two years
00:16:43They split in 2013
00:16:47No relationship can really survive
00:16:50But with that shooting schedule and the long distance
00:16:54And then the back and forth
00:16:56When she got divorced, she just sent the rings back to Trevor in the post
00:17:01She was living in Toronto at the time
00:17:04She just sort of washed her hands of Trevor
00:17:06Took the rings off, posted them back
00:17:08The rings in the FedEx envelope, shipping them to Trevor
00:17:11Is our first sign of how willing she is to burn a bridge
00:17:17I think that there is a pattern of ghosting people
00:17:26And it's one of the first people of really seeing that callousness
00:17:32Trevor was in bits
00:17:35Trevor was in bits
00:17:37I think his friends just felt she cast him aside
00:17:41Meghan leaves her marriage behind just as a star is rising
00:17:54She was being invited to different opportunities across Los Angeles
00:18:00Brands were starting to take notice for her
00:18:04Especially brands who are interested in dressing her
00:18:07Good night guys, good to see you again, bye
00:18:09Meghan enjoys her new level of fame
00:18:12But she doesn't stop here
00:18:15She does whatever she can to raise her profile
00:18:18Including filming a provocative food video for Men's Health magazine
00:18:23It's very sexualized video of her grilling meat burgers on her barbecue
00:18:32Very provocatively
00:18:34Maybe she was trying to do anything that she could to get herself a bit of coverage at that point
00:18:50On the one hand, you can say, well, how can this woman who feels objectified
00:18:56And is a feminist and talks about feminism
00:18:58How can she basically be some little sex kitten?
00:19:02Well, I would say because this is a woman very much in control
00:19:06She is sizzling in so many different ways
00:19:09But I kind of quite like it
00:19:13Sex sells
00:19:15No matter what decade, what century you're in
00:19:17She's also a woman who's very attractive
00:19:20She has a great body
00:19:22She knows how to come across on screen
00:19:24So, she embraced it
00:19:27Not satisfied with her success in America
00:19:31Meghan seeks out new opportunities abroad
00:19:34She pays for her own flight to London to host a charity fundraiser for organiser Nick Eade
00:19:53Meghan had star quality running through her vein
00:19:55You felt a real aura there, an aura of kindness, she shone
00:20:06This isn't just a trip for a charity event
00:20:09Meghan is on the lookout for new opportunities
00:20:13While we were chatting, she said to me that she was looking at the possibility of being in a West End show
00:20:17She was really interested in that
00:20:20I said yes, I'll try and find you an agent
00:20:24I took her to one agent who actually very funnily actually said to her that she would be great in pantomime
00:20:32Because it makes lots of money and you could be a princess
00:20:34Meghan reportedly is desperate to raise her profile in the UK
00:20:45Tabloid journalists are inundated with requests to meet her
00:20:50She met with a journalist and she basically said, you know, I want to meet an English guy
00:20:56You know any nice interesting men
00:20:59She's spoken about this man who was following her on the internet called Ashley Cole
00:21:07In 2013, footballer Ashley Cole has earned a reputation in the tabloids as a womaniser
00:21:14The fact that I know him more for his wing than his talent on the field says a lot
00:21:18My colleague advised her against it because he didn't have a very good reputation at the time
00:21:22But basically she was here to meet somebody interesting preferably famous, you know, she didn't even try to hide it
00:21:30This time Meghan leaves the UK empty-handed
00:21:38In 2014 suits is in its fourth season
00:21:42Meghan is a regular on the red carpet
00:21:45And she decides to take advantage of her growing popularity with a blog called The Tig
00:21:53The Tig is a lifestyle site that I launched last year and it's really just about an inspired lifestyle
00:22:00The stylish and modern-looking blog gives Meghan a way to connect directly with the public
00:22:05What the Tig did for Meghan was it gave her a little bit of credibility?
00:22:11The Tig was a really great idea and for Meghan to come up with that and to create it and curate it
00:22:17And I'd spend a lot of time doing it was really impressive
00:22:21It shows that she's very commercially minded
00:22:24She used this platform to elevate herself to schmooze to interview celebrities that were bigger than she was
00:22:33You are who you associate with
00:22:35It was a way for her to build her brand and to build awareness around her
00:22:43Meghan is now a successful TV star and influencer
00:22:48And her drive to be more famous isn't slowing down
00:22:51I think she's one of those people that wants to do more, you know, she's ambitious
00:22:57Meghan had incredible drive incredible ambition and she was clearly going up the ladder
00:23:05She has another dream
00:23:08To become a movie star
00:23:10But whether it's playing an LA party girl
00:23:13So who's the victim?
00:23:14Guy I met online
00:23:17Or a skilled portrait photographer
00:23:19There you go
00:23:21Okay, no not as we're not saluting the Sun so something else
00:23:26Meghan struggles for critical acclaim
00:23:37Meghan's latest movie role sees her travel to Budapest
00:23:41To star in a low-budget London gangster film
00:23:44Antisocial
00:23:46It was an attempt through my ambition to get into film
00:23:51It's a very rare thing to do very difficult thing to do
00:23:57Actor Josh Myers is one of Meghan's co-stars
00:24:01I'd never at that point heard of who she was nothing
00:24:04I did a little research, I thought, okay, cool, yeah, she looks nice, pretty
00:24:10Hopefully she can act
00:24:12Meghan plays a street artist's girlfriend
00:24:16Who gets dazzled by the glamorous London nightlife
00:24:19Thank you, where's Carrie tonight?
00:24:20Oh, she's working tonight, huh?
00:24:21Oh, where's she work?
00:24:22She's the table dancer
00:24:24She's good
00:24:25Nice
00:24:26When she was on set, she was in the zone
00:24:31Meghan's naive character struggles to cope with London's criminal underworld
00:24:36I hate violence
00:24:38I'm from a sleepy little beach town outside of LA
00:24:42And I am
00:24:44I'm just not used to that
00:24:45Yeah, baby kept herself a little bit to herself on set really
00:24:48But that's getting into character and being around all these new people
00:24:51And wanting to impress and show, right, you've got me for this role
00:24:55I'm going to smash it for you
00:25:00Anti-social is released to poor reviews
00:25:04And is only shown in a few cinemas in the UK
00:25:09We all thought it was going to be a big British film
00:25:12You know, it should have done a lot better than it did
00:25:18Meghan fails to set the movie world alight
00:25:22Meghan fails to set the movie world alight
00:25:26But her celebrity status does open other doors
00:25:29The United Nations asks her to be a spokesperson for gender equality
00:25:35She said, thanks so much, yeah, I'd love to come and do something
00:25:38But actually what I'd really like to come and do
00:25:40Is I'd like to become an intern in New York
00:25:42She shadows some of the most preeminent people at the UN
00:25:48And she sits in on very high-level meetings
00:25:51And I think that that's something you see throughout the entirety of Meghan's life
00:25:56She doesn't just pay lip service to something
00:25:58She's going to do something
00:26:00She wants to do it well
00:26:02She wants to do it properly
00:26:04And she wants to do it herself
00:26:06And then they ask her to make a speech at one of their big conferences
00:26:10Meghan confidently addresses the audience at a UN Women Conference
00:26:16Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome American TV and Film Actress
00:26:21And UN Women's Advocate for Political Participation and Leadership
00:26:26Meghan Markle
00:26:30Well, good evening
00:26:32That doesn't feel like enough, does it?
00:26:33It's just great evening
00:26:35The UN speech says a lot about what Meghan went on to do
00:26:38Meghan delivers an impassioned speech on women's rights
00:26:43Women need a seat at the table
00:26:46They need an invitation to be seated there
00:26:50And in some cases
00:26:52Where this isn't available, well then you know what?
00:26:55Then they need to create their own table
00:26:57Not every single actor or actress will go and make political speeches
00:27:06A UN speech talking about the empowerment of women was a bold move for Meghan
00:27:14And showed that she wanted to do something different
00:27:17This was heartfelt and it was something that she had inside her for a very long time
00:27:23Let us work at it
00:27:25Together
00:27:27Starting now
00:27:28Thank you so much
00:27:29Thank you very much
00:27:32Thank you
00:27:44Megan, visits London
00:27:46To watch friend, Serena Williams play at Wimbledon
00:27:49She also uses this time to network
00:27:53Meeting up with new friend, journalist, Piers Morgan
00:27:56Piers Morgan was a fan of suits and has said that he followed her on Twitter because he'd watched suits
00:28:02And she followed him back and thanked him for the follow and said I'm a fan of yours
00:28:05And that's how they ended up meeting up in the UK
00:28:09Megan meets Piers at a pub in London's Kensington
00:28:13As he enthusiastically recalls in this illuminating clip
00:28:18Nobody knew she was but she walked in I remember the locals about all these old guys
00:28:21I like this drink in their pints and in walks Meghan Markle like a million dollars, but they didn't know who she was
00:28:26But they thought she's something special. We had a two hours in the pub
00:28:30She had a couple of dirty martinis at a couple of pints. We got on brilliantly
00:28:35She was playing the game she knew what she was doing
00:28:38She wanted her profile to be raised
00:28:42After a few hours Piers calls Meghan a taxi
00:28:46unaware that she's heading off to a date
00:28:49with Prince Harry
00:28:52It was a blind date
00:28:54Well, they had this mutual friend and she set them up
00:28:57As Meghan travels through London. She has no idea that this date
00:29:05Will lead to explosive revelations in one of the highest profile interviews of modern times
00:29:10I just didn't want to be alive anymore
00:29:13damaging accusations that could bring about a downfall
00:29:17Buckingham Palace is investigating bullying claims
00:29:20And a battle for survival
00:29:22Against the royal family
00:29:24It appears to now be all-out war between Buckingham Palace and Meghan Markle
00:29:28And Meghan Markle
00:29:30And Meghan Markle is in London so happy
00:29:32And that's what's going to happen
00:29:33And thank you so much for helping me
00:29:34And I'm happy to be able to see you
00:29:35So I think they'll be able to see me
00:29:35Meghan Markle is in London's Soho.
00:29:58She doesn't know it, but this evening will change her life forever.
00:30:03She has a date with Prince Harry.
00:30:07The stars were aligned when Harry and Meghan met.
00:30:10They were both looking for love. It was a Romeo and Juliet moment.
00:30:16Harry was late and flustered and panicking,
00:30:18and Meghan thought that this was just another man with a big ego that she was meeting.
00:30:22Meghan warmly recalls the moment she first met Harry.
00:30:26So I was like, oh, is this what he does? Got it. Like, this I'm not doing.
00:30:32I'm not going to sit there. What was that supposed to mean?
00:30:34Like, one of the guys was so much of an ego,
00:30:36that you're not going to, that you don't,
00:30:37that any girl would sit around and wait for a half hour for you.
00:30:41And I was just not interested in that.
00:30:43And then when I walked in, a hot, sweaty, red border mask,
00:30:47and she's like, oh, that's not, no, that's not what you want.
00:30:49That's not what you are. You genuinely were like so embarrassed and late.
00:30:53They went for a drink. That was enough for them to recognise that there was something there.
00:30:59And it went so well that they arranged to meet the following night.
00:31:04I have always wondered whether on that first date she must have turned up the charm,
00:31:08turned on that famous Hollywood smile to 100 to blind him.
00:31:12Meghan claims she's not aware of the baggage that Prince Harry comes with.
00:31:18I will say I went into it naively because I didn't grow up knowing much about the royal family.
00:31:27It wasn't something that was part of conversation at home.
00:31:31However, some believe Meghan does know about the royal family and Prince Harry.
00:31:36We know she loved Princess Diana and we know she went to Buckingham Palace as a teenager.
00:31:41We've got pictures of her on the railings outside Buckingham Palace.
00:31:44So the idea she didn't know much about the royal family seems quite far-fetched to me.
00:31:48How could you not know that? I mean, seriously, keep in mind she's very calculating.
00:31:54She knows what she's doing.
00:32:02Meghan's second date with Harry goes well, as this sweet selfie shows.
00:32:09Harry said, I'm going to Africa to do this conservation charity work.
00:32:13Do you want to come with me?
00:32:14Meghan recognised that it was a huge leap.
00:32:22Barely knew this guy, but they knew enough.
00:32:25They'd fallen for each other quite hard and quite quickly.
00:32:27She took the risk and they went and they spent five nights camping under the stars in Botswana.
00:32:33These affectionate photographs from their Netflix documentary series
00:32:37show how quickly Meghan and Harry grew close.
00:32:41A lot of women sometimes don't really rush to, you know, go out of the country like that.
00:32:47From the first initial meeting and what they both have said is that you just felt like you
00:32:52have this special connection. So, you know, hey, why not just jet off the bus window?
00:32:57Then they had to spend time apart.
00:33:06Meghan filming in Canada, Harry doing his royal duties in the UK.
00:33:15Meghan and Harry managed to keep their initial relationship very secret and they needed to.
00:33:22They knew that at some point when their relationship became public knowledge, everything would change.
00:33:31We were able to really have so much time just to connect.
00:33:35And we never went longer than two weeks without seeing each other.
00:33:40Even though we were obviously doing a long distance relationship.
00:33:44So it's, we made it work.
00:33:46Meghan and Harry continue dating in secret.
00:34:04After three months, the royal family has been trusted with the news.
00:34:07Then on their way to a lunch, Harry drops a bombshell to Meghan, as she candidly explains in her Netflix documentary series.
00:34:19And he's like, oh, my grandmother's here. She's going to be there after church.
00:34:21And I remember in the car and driving up and he said, you know how to curtsy, right?
00:34:27And I just thought it was a joke.
00:34:29Telling Meghan for the first time that she's going to see Queen Elizabeth and that she had to curtsy to her in a car on the way to the meeting is a little bit unfair on Meghan.
00:34:42After a quick practice in the car park, Meghan goes to meet the Queen.
00:34:47She immediately brings this private moment to life.
00:34:50Now I'm starting to realize this is a big deal.
00:34:55I mean, Americans will understand this. We have medieval times, dinner and tournament.
00:34:59It was like that. Like, I curtsied as though I was like...
00:35:11Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.
00:35:14Like, was that okay?
00:35:17It was so intense.
00:35:19As ever with Queen Elizabeth, she always wanted to make people feel at ease.
00:35:23And once that first curtsy was out the way, they had a very lovely chat.
00:35:42Word reaches Meghan that their relationship is about to be exposed.
00:35:46They knew that it was their last night of freedom before the world knew everything was going to change.
00:35:52After four months of keeping their relationship secret, Meghan's life is about to change forever.
00:35:59It was a story in the Sunday Express, big front page.
00:36:06From the moment Meghan's name was made public in a newspaper in the UK, that's when everything changed.
00:36:14The latest on Prince Harry's new romance. It seems like you're spending more time with actress Meghan Markle at her home in Toronto.
00:36:20Suddenly, everyone's got this new piece of information. There was a huge clamor to find out about Meghan Markle.
00:36:25The royal rumor mill is going crazy with this news. Markle is an LA native, a glamorous actress and humanitarian.
00:36:33She runs a lifestyle website. And now, her latest role, Prince Harry's new love interest.
00:36:39Meghan's name trends across social media.
00:36:42It's like, that's Rachel Zane from Suits. Wow, she's dating a prince. You know, how far will this go?
00:36:53In seeking privacy, they've done a pretty good job of keeping it under wraps.
00:36:56That was the first taste, maybe, where she first realized that this was going to be, like,
00:37:01something she'd never experienced before.
00:37:03But when you're a royal, it's very hard to do.
00:37:12The press could see that, is this Harry's girl? Could it lead to a future royal wedding?
00:37:17Because the paparazzi gets everywhere and they want to see this couple together.
00:37:23Meghan's life has now changed forever.
00:37:27You're going into the biggest family in the world that's looked at under a microscope all the time.
00:37:33Now, a global celebrity. Meghan is about to pay the price for becoming one of the most famous people in the world.
00:37:40Meghan's relationship with Prince Harry has been exposed.
00:37:50Meghan's relationship with Prince Harry has been exposed.
00:38:04She's now one of the most famous people on the planet.
00:38:09She finds herself increasingly under attack on social media and pursued by the paparazzi.
00:38:16Things get so bad that she needs round-the-clock security.
00:38:21Steve Davis works as Meghan's close protection officer.
00:38:24We called it a new normal. You're going into the biggest family in the world that's looked at
00:38:32under a microscope all the time. So everything changes.
00:38:39She used to drive herself around Toronto.
00:38:42That completely changed. We had secure transport in place.
00:38:48We took her to the studio. We took her to the shops.
00:38:53We took her to dinner. We got the paparazzi following really closing vehicles.
00:38:59We were going down back alleys to try and get away from them.
00:39:02She could not go out with her friends anymore to public places without paparazzi being there trying to get that picture.
00:39:10She was frustrated.
00:39:18One time, she said, I'd really love to go out shopping.
00:39:22Just go to a normal supermarket and walk around.
00:39:26And I said, okay, let's do it.
00:39:29We went to a supermarket.
00:39:31We walked around. I pushed the trolley.
00:39:40She was putting stuff in the trolley.
00:39:43We paid for everything, got into the vehicle and went home.
00:39:46That was a great day out for her.
00:39:53She enjoyed doing that normal thing again.
00:39:56Harry did support her all the time.
00:40:03They were talking on the phone.
00:40:04And Harry used to come over to Canada and visit.
00:40:06It was good that he was there to support her.
00:40:10Meghan might find the press attention frustrating.
00:40:13But she also seems to invite it.
00:40:15She was leaving hints about their relationship on social media.
00:40:21She was building up to this release.
00:40:23Here are the clues that they're an item.
00:40:25They're both wearing the same beaded bracelets.
00:40:28According to reports, Meghan's bracelet is a gift from Harry.
00:40:32There are also rumors that she was behind the leak that they were together.
00:40:39Because she was tired of being the girlfriend behind the scenes.
00:40:42And she was ready for, you know, her star to shine.
00:40:45I believe that she was ready to come out of the closet.
00:40:48And then, hey, I'm here.
00:40:49And I'm ready to be your next Duchess.
00:40:57A month after their relationship is exposed,
00:41:00Meghan makes a trip to the shops outside Kensington Palace.
00:41:04Meghan famously went for a walk to Whole Foods.
00:41:08Meghan decides to wear a pair of Wellington boots,
00:41:11her hair long, very glossy, quite celebrity-ish sort of look.
00:41:16Baseball cap on.
00:41:18When the entire office at the Mail and the Mail on Sunday,
00:41:21we also go down to Whole Foods for our lunch break.
00:41:24So, of course, she ran the gauntlet.
00:41:26There must have been, if I had to guess,
00:41:2720 journalists in there at any one time.
00:41:31One of them caught her, got a quick iPhone snap.
00:41:38Meghan struggles with the relentless coverage in the press and on social media.
00:41:46Sorry, man. No, spin around.
00:41:50Some days, it can feel more challenging than others.
00:41:53And right out of the gate, it was surprising the way things changed.
00:41:57I messaged her, are you okay?
00:42:00You know, this is going to be full-on for you.
00:42:03She replied and said, you know, yes, it's a lot, with exclamation marks.
00:42:08You know, I was kind of a bit worried for her.
00:42:10I felt that this was a huge amount of exposure.
00:42:15She has said that it was a misconception that just because she worked in the entertainment industry,
00:42:20she was prepared for this.
00:42:21She had no idea that this was going to get so out of hand so quickly and quite how bad it was.
00:42:32Harry's girl straight out of Compton.
00:42:33Some of the headlines were just not acceptable.
00:42:38They went well beyond what any normal person would expect.
00:42:44From the beginning of our relationship, they were so attacking and inciting so much racism, really.
00:42:51She must have been completely shocked. And for Harry, this is his life.
00:42:58So maybe he said, babe, look, let me tell you what's going to go down.
00:43:01You're just not ready for it. You're not ready for the scrutiny.
00:43:13Seeing Meghan under attack for nine days, Harry fights back, releasing a statement saying the abuse,
00:43:23sexism and racism is unacceptable.
00:43:27Harry and Meghan weren't prepared to put up with it.
00:43:31That set the tone for the rest of their relationship.
00:43:33They don't want to do things just because that's the royal way. They'll do things their way.
00:43:42Pressure from the media is just one struggle Meghan faces.
00:43:47She's also confronted by the realities of royal life.
00:43:50It's a very difficult institution to come into as the outsider.
00:43:58And that's if you're British. If you're American, it's even more difficult.
00:44:03Meghan's spending more of her time with Harry at Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
00:44:09Going into Nottingham Cottage for the first time and Harry saying to Meghan,
00:44:16this is where I live, a bachelor pad, small house in the grounds of a palace was a shock to Meghan.
00:44:23I don't think it was quite the all bells and whistles image of royal life that she imagined.
00:44:30She thought they were being undermined or they weren't being valued.
00:44:35Meghan fondly remembers her early living arrangements in a Netflix documentary.
00:44:41Kensington Palace sounds very regal. Of course it does. It says palace in the name.
00:44:46But Nottingham Cottage was so small.
00:44:49The whole thing's on a slight lean, really low ceiling. So I don't know who was there before.
00:44:53They must have been very short.
00:44:55He would just hit his head constantly in that place because he's so tall.
00:45:00Me with a hoe and H varnishing.
00:45:03It was just a chapter in our lives where I don't think anyone could believe
00:45:07what it was actually like behind the scenes.
00:45:10Well, Oprah came over for tea, didn't she?
00:45:12She did.
00:45:14And when she came in, she sat down and she goes,
00:45:16no one would ever believe it.
00:45:17No one would ever believe it.
00:45:32Kensington Palace becomes a new home for Meghan.
00:45:37It is where she first meets her future in-laws, William and Kate.
00:45:45You have home counties, middle class meets West Coast Valley girl.
00:45:49Meghan, a little bit to your right.
00:45:51Meghan was expecting when the door closed, William and Kate would be very relaxed.
00:45:55But she describes her future brother and sister-in-law as being very cold.
00:46:05Meghan puts her arms around her, gives her a hug.
00:46:08She's a hugging kind of girl.
00:46:11This is something Meghan speaks honestly about in her Netflix documentary.
00:46:16It's like I was a hugger, always been a hugger.
00:46:19I didn't realize that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.
00:46:23Kate thinks that's a little bit too forward.
00:46:27Meghan puts her arms around William.
00:46:31Same kind of reaction.
00:46:33Catherine and William are guarded because they're concerned about Harry.
00:46:44They didn't know Meghan.
00:46:45They didn't know whether this relationship was going to last.
00:46:48She was a famous actress.
00:46:50She was American.
00:46:51They had no real idea about who she was.
00:46:55It was almost they were typecasting Meghan.
00:46:59And I think that view at the beginning clouded their opinion of Harry's new girlfriend.
00:47:07Meghan's over-familiarity is at odds with Kate's traditional manner.
00:47:12They're very different characters.
00:47:14No one's ever pretended that they were close.
00:47:19Kate, she's going to wait and see how things develop.
00:47:23And I think Meghan expected Kate to be her new BFF.
00:47:27Because of course Meghan thought that's how she would behave if she were Kate.
00:47:32Meghan's a sorority girl.
00:47:34Catherine is not, you know.
00:47:36And it really hurt Meghan's feelings.
00:47:42Meghan begins to realize that her ambition and drive is going to be restricted by royal hierarchy.
00:47:56Perhaps that was one of the issues that Meghan struggled with the most.
00:48:00That at the top of the tree was Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
00:48:05Then it was the then Prince Charles and Camilla.
00:48:08Then William and Kate.
00:48:10Then Harry and Meghan.
00:48:11And that would have been very difficult for Meghan to try and fit into this structure of monarchy.
00:48:18Maybe she thought she would have equal status to like William and Kate.
00:48:21But she was never going to.
00:48:24Meghan knew she was going to have to suck it up.
00:48:26She just couldn't do that.
00:48:28So they did fight back.
00:48:30Prince Harry went to Prince William and said,
00:48:32Can you guys be a little bit nicer to Meghan?
00:48:34And Prince William's thinking,
00:48:36No, we're just being guarded.
00:48:38We're being careful.
00:48:39And we're trying to protect the institution and our family.
00:48:44For William and Kate, the Meghan problem isn't going to go away.
00:48:48And it's about to get worse.
00:48:51As Meghan makes a decision that will change the royal family forever.
00:48:56In the autumn of 2017, Meghan makes headlines once more.
00:49:24Harry's Invictus Games is where Meghan makes her first official appearance with her prince.
00:49:32We knew that things were going very well between Harry and Meghan.
00:49:37And we could tell from every interaction that we saw that they were getting on really well.
00:49:45Here's Meghan looking gorgeous.
00:49:48And this is a statement of intent.
00:49:52We're going public on our terms to support one of Harry's great causes, injured veterans.
00:50:00And I'm here to stay.
00:50:03This is followed up with something no royal girlfriend has done before.
00:50:11Meghan appears on a Vanity Fair cover, revealing secrets about her relationship with Harry.
00:50:19That Vanity Fair piece shocked me at the time.
00:50:22Because it's unheard of for a member of the royal family, she hadn't even married in by this point,
00:50:28to be allowed to do that magazine cover.
00:50:30It was a real early sign that Meghan was pushing the boundaries.
00:50:35In the article, Meghan reveals the pressure she feels under in her relationship with Harry.
00:50:42Right out of the gate, it was surprising the way things changed.
00:50:46But I still have the support system all around me, and of course, my boyfriend's support.
00:50:54If it had been anyone else, they would have shut that down straight away.
00:50:58She very much knows her own mind.
00:51:00She knows what she wants from life.
00:51:04Although the Vanity Fair cover gives Meghan huge exposure,
00:51:07she reportedly calls Vanity Fair furious about the phrase, wild about Harry.
00:51:16What she read was a random reference to a very early 20th century vaudeville musical,
00:51:24where people blacked up.
00:51:26I'm just wild about Harry.
00:51:28And I feel awkward saying this as a white woman, on the race aspect.
00:51:32But she read into this lovely piece some reference to her race,
00:51:38and that she was worried it would be offensive.
00:51:40She was really angry and complained.
00:51:42And Vanity Fair were a bit like, what?
00:51:44I've just given you a cover when you've been really nice, and it's been lovely.
00:51:47And she was complaining to the guy who came and interviewed her,
00:51:51who subsequently said she was a bit tricky.
00:52:03Just 16 months after their first meeting,
00:52:09Meghan and Harry take their relationship to the next level.
00:52:14Congratulations!
00:52:16The sunken garden at Kensington Palace.
00:52:19They came down, Meghan in her very high heels, tottering down the steps.
00:52:27I remember the banks of photographers there,
00:52:29and how daunting that must have been for Meghan.
00:52:37Once upon a time, she was courting publicity,
00:52:39and suddenly she's engaged to Prince Harry,
00:52:43and the media attention on her was absolutely phenomenal.
00:52:51And Prince Harry made a comment about the weather, which was very British.
00:52:55They smiled for the cameras, some questions were shouted out.
00:52:59It was a good moment, everyone was happy, it was exciting, it was a new chapter.
00:53:09I think that whatever Harry said to Meghan about her possible future in the royal family,
00:53:15went probably straight over her head.
00:53:17Because it's difficult for anybody to appreciate
00:53:21life in a goldfish bowl when you've not had that.
00:53:24OK, thank you. Thank you.
00:53:33For Meghan, it must have been quite terrifying seeing that scene of all the photographers
00:53:37standing across from the pond in the middle of the sunken garden.
00:53:45And Harry too knew that he wanted to protect his future wife from the media intrusion that he'd
00:53:51lived through a lot from a very, very young age.
00:54:06Their engagement interview is where Meghan relishes the chance to tell the world
00:54:11about their relationship.
00:54:14Just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic.
00:54:20He got on one knee.
00:54:21Meghan was clearly used to the camera. She was clearly used to questions. She seemed very relaxed and eloquent.
00:54:28I think what's been really exciting as we talk about the transition of this out of my career,
00:54:34but into the role is that, as you said, the causes that have been very important to me,
00:54:38I can focus even more energy on.
00:54:41Meghan seemed like the kind of person at the beginning who could be with Harry, help Harry,
00:54:47because we all loved Harry.
00:54:50Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, thank you both very much.
00:54:53Thank you so much.
00:54:54Meghan's engagement to Harry catapults her onto the world stage.
00:55:09Elevated to a royal in waiting, Meghan leaves behind her previous life.
00:55:18She shuts down her lifestyle blog, The Tig, with her last words being positive and encouraging.
00:55:25It's time to say goodbye to The Tig.
00:55:28You've made my days brighter. Above all, don't ever forget your worth.
00:55:34Thank you for everything.
00:55:37And after nearly seven years, she quits the show that made her famous, Suits.
00:55:45When she met Prince Harry, she became bigger than the show.
00:55:47No doubt about it. Great for Suits. I think their ratings went off the charts.
00:55:54If I've learned one thing, it's that we never know what the future holds.
00:55:59There was no way she could have carried on, really.
00:56:02Meghan's character, Rachel Zane, is given the perfect ending.
00:56:07A romantic wedding ceremony to her long-time love interest.
00:56:11And do you, Rachel, take Michael to be your lawfully wedded husband?
00:56:14I do.
00:56:16And I now pronounce you man and wife.
00:56:24Although I think the Queen did say to her,
00:56:25if you want to carry on acting, you can.
00:56:28They thought they'd have made it work, but Meghan didn't want to.
00:56:36As Meghan steps up to become a full-time member of the royal family,
00:56:39her global popularity grows to an astonishing level.
00:56:46She was the most googled woman of that year, whether good or bad.
00:56:51From what she wore, or she made a certain face.
00:56:56The way she may have spoken to people.
00:56:58You were in the pool. We saw you over there.
00:57:00You were like, oh no, Meghan, we saw you. You ordered this.
00:57:03Maria!
00:57:04Everything was dissected.
00:57:10She was the one of the most famous people in the world,
00:57:13one of the most googled people in the world.
00:57:15Every wanted to know who Meghan Markle was
00:57:18and what kind of member of the royal family she would be.
00:57:23But not everything is perfect.
00:57:26Behind palace gates, there are reports that this rise in popularity
00:57:31sees a change in Meghan.
00:57:33There had been complaints about her behaviour,
00:57:37which was seen by some members of staff as bullying.
00:57:41We were hearing reports of her flying off the handle,
00:57:43of her always having someone in her sights.
00:57:48There was criticism of Meghan's behaviour.
00:57:50She went from darling duchess to duchess difficult.
00:57:53I think that it was Meghan demanding respect.
00:58:01That boils down to Meghan Markle's personality and insecurity.
00:58:07She tells one employee at Kensington Palace while she's dating Prince Harry,
00:58:11you know I'm going to be your boss one day.
00:58:13Allegations continue to be made against Meghan during her time in the royal family.
00:58:18Meghan denies accusations of bullying staff and says it's an orchestrated campaign against her.
00:58:29Despite the souring relations, Meghan's about to receive a special invite into the very family.
00:58:36She'll end up tearing apart.
00:58:40Meghan Markle, engaged to Prince Harry, has become globally famous.
00:59:05And she's about to experience her first royal Christmas.
00:59:08The royal family had this annual Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, which is for the wider family.
00:59:14Usually, people who are marrying into the royal family wouldn't be invited to these things,
00:59:17but in Meghan's case, there was an exception.
00:59:23I think people liked her. It was a recognition that times were changing.
00:59:30Having Meghan at such a special event did mean a lot to Harry,
00:59:35because his grandmother, the Queen, has clearly signalled,
00:59:38yes, it's OK, I know you're not married, but Meghan can come and spend this first Christmas with us.
00:59:47This should be a nice festive lunch with the wider royal family.
00:59:53However, it quickly makes headlines for all the wrong reasons.
00:59:57For every step forward, there's a step back with the royal family.
01:00:02It was noticeable and controversial when Princess Michael of Kent, whose father was a member of the Nazi
01:00:09Party, wore a blackamoor brooch.
01:00:12The blackamoor is a caricature from roughly the 18th century.
01:00:26The history of which is tied up in slavery, and it is highly offensive.
01:00:32Wearing that to Buckingham Palace for the first Christmas lunch at which Meghan is attending,
01:00:42Meghan who has a white father and a black mother, it was highly insensitive.
01:00:48Typical ignorant Princess Michael type thing, that would have hurt my feelings.
01:00:54I've been back in the day in situations where you knew you weren't welcome as a black person,
01:01:01because there were all kinds of little signals and things.
01:01:06Harry should have confronted her in front of Meghan and said, look, sorry, I don't know what this is
01:01:14about, and I don't know what brooch box you dug this out of, but don't you ever do that again, ever, ever.
01:01:24The suspicion was very much that Princess Michael of Kent knew what she was doing
01:01:33when she first met Meghan Markle.
01:01:37She later apologized for it, she said it was a gift,
01:01:40but wearing that brooch on that day would have been very offensive.
01:01:54Christmas Day for the Royal Family is a really important day. It's the day in which the Royal Family go to the church service at St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate.
01:02:10In a kind gesture, the Queen breaks with royal protocol and invites Meghan to Sandringham for Christmas Day.
01:02:18It was a show of support, a very public show of support. It was a recognition that we're throwing our arms around her.
01:02:24Meghan, they are excited for her to be there, and they're looking forward to getting to know her.
01:02:34Meghan being there was a huge deal, and it was also especially sweet of Queen Elizabeth to welcome her into such a sacred space.
01:02:43Meghan seemed a little bit apprehensive on that day. This was a first for her.
01:02:53It would have felt quite formal. It would have felt very different.
01:03:01The world now watches Meghan's every move. And today, a clearly nervous Meghan performs her first public curtsy to the Queen.
01:03:13She would have been thinking, wow, this could be the shape of all my Christmases to come.
01:03:17There were many photographers at Sandringham on Christmas Day. In fact,
01:03:25the official media are sort of penned in opposite members of the public. So sometimes the best pictures
01:03:31do come from members of the public. And there was one individual whose picture became really famous.
01:03:37This photo captures Meghan along with Harry and Kate, warmly smiling at the camera,
01:03:44offering a bright vision of the future for the monarchy.
01:03:47She got one of the best shots of what we would go on to call the fab four.
01:03:57William and Kate, Harry and Meghan, this new partnership within the heart of the royal family.
01:04:03And what a successful, amazing future they could all have together as a foursome.
01:04:08The Queen's generous invitation gives Meghan the perfect gift to the end of her incredible year.
01:04:19If Meghan, as a young actress, had wanted worldwide fame, it couldn't have gone much better.
01:04:26When someone becomes a superstar, where people are chanting their names, talking about them,
01:04:34or saying how horrible they are, analyzing every bit of their personal lives,
01:04:38how does that not impact you?
01:04:45Meghan had the world at her feet. She was the most fated, popular member of the royal family.
01:04:51Meghan had the world at her feet. She was the most fated, popular member of the royal family.
01:04:57And he had the most fated, popular member of the royal family.
01:05:02Next time on Meghan.
01:05:05It had all the ingredients of a fairytale royal wedding.
01:05:09The man on Sunday got CCTV of Thomas Markle setting up these pap shops.
01:05:14She couldn't forgive her die for doing that.
01:05:18The Queen thought Meghan Markle was going to be a very valuable asset to the British royal family.
01:05:24An announcement shocks the world.
01:05:28We intend to step back as senior members of the royal family.
01:05:33I think it's really, really sad that she and Harry couldn't be happy.
01:05:38The future of the royal family is under threat.
01:05:41I think the British public were insulted that he wanted to leave.
01:05:45Meghan makes emotional revelations to Oprah.
01:05:49I just didn't want to be alive anymore.
01:05:51By the end of the show, it was jaw hitting floor moment.
01:05:56And Meghan enjoys highs.
01:05:59They got a huge Netflix deal.
01:06:00They got a huge Spotify deal.
01:06:02You know, they got everything that they wanted.
01:06:05And devastating blows.
01:06:07The fact that she was booed was probably everything that they were dreading.
01:06:11Like they said, I'd be so big.
01:06:13I don't know.
01:06:14You know, I hope that there was an extraordinary time though.
01:06:16But they do not know.
01:06:17The next year's wedding journey will come down.
01:06:18You know, there's also a massive celebration.
01:06:19That's another holiday.
01:06:20You know, as you know, unsurlying, a lot of people who show up.
01:06:22You know, when they're meant to be a pleasure.
01:06:23Or you know, you're very excited.
01:06:28You know, you're very excited about your children,
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