As if we needed another reason to adore the 36-year old Suits star, Meghan Markle radiates cool-girl charm in her cover story with Vanity Fair. In the October issue, the actress opens up for the first time about her year-long romance with Prince Harry and explained what life has been like since news of their romance hit the headlines last October.
Photo: Peter Lindbergh exclusively for Vanity Fair
Here are five things we learned about the ever-enigmatic Meghan Markle from her interview with Vanity Fair's Sam Kashner.
Meghan was woefully under-dressed when she auditioned for the role of Rachel Zane in Suits
She turned up in "black jeans, a plum-coloured spaghetti-strap top, and heels," wrote Sam Kashner. When she remembered she was trying to look like a lawyer at a high-powered New York firm, she urgently purchased a little black dress for $35 from the nearest H&M—and it worked!
Meghan Markle opens up about her relationship with Prince Harry: 'We are really happy and in love'
She was the first person in her family to get a university degree
Meghan graduated from Northwestern University with a double-major Bachelor of Arts in theatre and international relations, which she parlayed into a job at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina during her last year of school. "So I had been in a completely different world and then suddenly jumped into this one," the star said about pivoting quickly to a career in acting.
Photo: Peter Lindbergh exclusively for Vanity Fair
She has some really cool friends
Meghan met Serena Williams at the Super Bowl about seven years ago, and more recently, she turned to the tennis star for advice on how to deal with eagle-eyes attention from the public. "I told her, 'You've got to be who you are, Meghan. You can't hide,'" shared the new mom.
Meghan Markle's friends reveal why Prince Harry fell in love with her
Meghan has also grown close with actress Abigail Spencer, who plays Scottie on Suits. "[Meghan has] got warm elegance, though her style is hard to pin down. It's classy and timeless," Abigail told Vanity Fair. "When you're talking to her, you feel like you're the only person on the planet. And it's just wonderful to see her so in love."
Markle doesn't let public scrutiny affect her relationship with Prince Harry
The media frenzy around her relationship with the prince has been unrelenting and at times cruel.
"I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it's really simple," noted the star, adding, "We're two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people's perception. Nothing about me changed. I'm still the same person that I am, and I've never defined myself by my relationship."
She never reads any press that talks about her, Prince Harry or Suits
Following news of their relationship, Prince Harry released an official statement asking the media to leave Meghan alone. Despite his concerns, the actress seems largely unbothered by the constant coverage of the pair. "I don't read any press. I haven't even read press for Suits," admitted the star. "The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise."
