Meghan Before Royalty: The Photos That Were Hidden From Her Previous Life On Instagram

By Martina T

This article was originally published on travelerdoor

Meghan Markle is one of the most talked-about people in the world. The actress went from being popular among millions to being popular globally. Her whole life changed after people found out that she was dating Prince Harry, and things haven’t been the same ever since. Markle joined the British royal family when the couple got married, and they decided to step down from their royal duties. All this happened during a few short years, so everyone wants to know who Meghan is, where she grew up, how she was raised, and why Harry fell in love with her. Since the royal protocol doesn’t allow its members to have private profiles on social media, Meghan had to delete all her accounts when she entered the family. However, before being engaged to Harry, the actress was an avid Instagrammer, and thankfully, there are still traces of her Insta posts and blog online. We managed to dig up those photos so you can get a better look into her life and see why people are so obsessed with this beautiful lady.

Queen Of Selfies

Selfies might be a thing of the past for Meghan now, but she was a pro back in the day. Although the Duchess had to get rid of all her social media accounts, you can’t delete things from the internet. So her old Instagram snaps are still present, including all her cute and sultry selfies.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This was one of her last Instagram posts and probably one of her final published selfies. The actress credited the team that prepared her for the suits photoshoot, including makeup artist Dean Martin. Martin went on to do Meghan’s makeup for the biggest day of her life. 

White Basics

Meghan looks fabulous in anything she puts on! Before becoming a royal, this stunner flaunted a much more casual style and could reveal more skin in her everyday looks. The fashionista elevated the simple white button-up by adding jewels and unbuttoning it. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This shirt has a very special meaning in Meghan’s life for everyone wondering. It’s the Husband Shirt, created by one of her best friends, designer Misha Nonoo. Did you know that this is the same shirt the Duchess of Sussex wore for her first appearance with Prince Harry after announcing their engagement?

Another Effortless Summer Pic 

Royals, they’re just like us! Well, not really, because this shot is from Markle’s pre-royal era. Once this beauty met Harry, she quit so many everyday things, including having a relaxing drink by the beach and sharing it on social media. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Before being in the spotlight, Meghan had her blog called The Tig, where she posted snaps and stories of her frequent travels. One of those posts was taken in Greece, clearly showing how much fun the Duchess had before being a constant target of magazines and paparazzi. 

Animal Lover 

Before she disappeared from social media, the former actress loved sharing photos of her four-legged friends. Like the true animal lover she is, Meghan adopted two dogs from shelters, gave them the best life ever, and snapped them for the Gram.

Ellen De Generis influenced the Dutchess to adopt her first dog and named him Bogart. Soon after, the actress also adopted Guy from a shelter in Ontario. This cute moment captures the Duchess and Guy, a beagle, snuggling in her bed. 

Suits Besties

Meghan’s most significant acting role is from the Canadian series Suits. While she played Rachel on screen, the beauty became a great friend with the cast, and many of her co-stars even attended the royal wedding. Can you imagine knowing a royal and attending one of the biggest weddings of the century?

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This photo of Markle and Sarah Rafferty, who plays Donna Paulsen, is from way back, but the duo are still close to this day. Sarah has talked about Meghan in several interviews, and there is no doubt that the two had the best time ever while filming Suits

Elevator Selfie

Do you remember when elevator selfies were a thing? As Meghan was an Instagram influencer, she made sure to snap and share a photo with her cozy winter outfit. Aside from being a popular star on TV, the Duchess is also known for her impeccable taste in fashion and her love for travel.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

While these days, Meghan mostly opts for effortless but elegant looks, she was all about comfy and fashionable fits back in the day. If you’re as obsessed with her style as we are, all you need is a chunky knit, basic jeans, a stylish coat, and a warm beanie. 

Oona’s Acronym

The love you see between Donna and Rachel on TV is even more profound in real life. The two stars are so close, and Sarah’s daughter Oona is in love with Meghan too. While the Duchess was filming Suits in Canada, she received the cutest gift from Oona.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

As far as we can tell, this acronym perfectly describes Markle and is one of the most adorable things we’ve seen in a while. Oona’s words are Marvelous, Exciting, Great, Happy, Amazing, and Nice. The little girl even added hearts to her drawing to make the gift even more special. 

Adventurist At Heart

Before Harry appeared in her life, Markle shared all of her traveling experiences on her blog and Instagram. She might have been a busy actress, but Meghan never missed the opportunity to visit and get to know new countries and cultures. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This snap taken in Iceland is a real reminder that traveling makes you rich in so many ways. According to the Duchess, her mom is the one who rooted her in this habit. She taught her that there’s much more to exploring than booking a vacation at a resort. 

A Real Foodie

Before she had to delete her Instagram account, this gorgeous lady shared her obsession with food on the daily. The actress mainly sticks to healthy vegan meals, but she also knows how to award herself with a tasty plate of nachos. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

One of the most fascinating things is that Rachel Zane on Suits was also an enormous food enthusiast, and her love for food was based on Meghan’s real-life character. The actress admits that she’s constantly searching for new excellent restaurants and bars wherever she goes. 

All About The Healthy Life

Although you’ll see Meghan enjoying a full plate of nachos or sugary drinks on the beach, her number one priority is living a healthy life. So while she was present on the Gram, Markle showed her love for green juices and vegan dishes too.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

The stunning American revealed that she eats vegan during the week and enjoys all kinds of foods during the weekend. She also tries to make healthier choices when possible. For example, instead of sipping on coffee early in the morning, she prepares a healthy green smoothie with kale, apple, ginger, spinach, and lemon.

Good In Bed 

A bit cheeky, right? Thanks to her successful TV roles before Meghan met Prince Harry, she was already a famous star. The beautiful actress was also an Instagram influencer and shared packages she received from different brands, and this is a special one. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This cute photo from her now-deleted Instagram account gives a sneak peek into her previous life and personality. Although she had to take on a serious role, Meghan obviously has a sense of humor and took every opportunity to share it with the fans. 

Another Cheeky Post

While it’s unfathomable for a royal to post a photo of their bum, this was when Meghan was a single lady who didn’t have to stick to protocol. Before becoming a Duchess, Markle constantly entertained her Insta audience with funny snaps. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

We’re not sure if these are her jeans or not; however, we highly doubt that the Duchess would share a photo like this one now. Although she’s a fierce feminist and still speaks up her mind, she’s had to be much more careful about her image since entering the royal family. 

Besties At The Beach

Meg’s dogs, Guy and Bogart, are so lucky to have Meghan as their dog mama. Before the actress moved to Britain for her new royal life, she enjoyed traveling the world and taking her two furry friends with her. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Here’s Guy living his best life on the beach right next to his human. After Harry and Meghan got married, they expanded the furry family with a labrador who they named Oz. Guy moved to Britain with his dog mom and even got his own book that describes his life adventures. 

A Trip To Rwanda

Meghan Markle is much more than an actress and a feminist. This gorgeous soul is also a known humanitarian. Before she even met Prince Harry, the actress was a Global Ambassador for World Vision and visited Rwanda to promote the importance of clean drinking water. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Meghan met Harry shortly after returning from Rwanda, and the couple hit it off right away. One of their first trips was to another nearby African country- Botswana. The media later found out that the couple returned to Africa again, only months before the Prince popped the question. 

Set Life

Playing Rachel Zane is one of the highlights of Meghan’s career. Her on-screen persona seems similar to Meghan mainly because the actress served as an inspiration for the show creators while developing the character. Even though she stopped acting after becoming a royal, we never know what the future will bring. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Here you can see Markle flaunting her skin-tight dress while playing Rachel, which she often wore before sticking to protocol. Both Rachel and Meghan prefer minimalist but elegant pieces that are always on-trend. What does the Queen think of this look?

Smile For The Gram

A sincere, caught-at-the-moment smile is the perfect Insta post. Meghan’s social media platforms were all about spreading joy, so she used this radiant photo to make people’s feed much happier. She might not be sharing moments from her personal life anymore, but it sure is great to see her smiling like this.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Seeing the Duchess in such a great mood, dressed in a gorgeous slip dress, is refreshing. Most of us are used to watching her now on TV or social media, donning her tailored suits or glamorous gowns, and tailored coats. 

The Iconic Dog Filter

Is there a person in the world who hasn’t tried the iconic dog filter? Well, Meghan looks stunning even with this filter on. As the massive animal lover that she is, it’s more than expected that she tried it and posted it for her followers to see. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Do you remember sending snaps with this filter to your friends? A royal member with a dog filter is a huge no, so one of the first things Meghan had to do before joining Harry’s family was to sacrifice her social media platforms and blog. 

The Royal Treatment

Every girl dreams of marrying a prince, and that dream becomes a reality for some. Meghan treated herself with a few luxurious trips before she even met Harry and made sure to share them with her followers. Was this her getting ready for living in a palace?

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

As we could already see and read, being a royal comes with many difficulties. Both Markle and the Prince were subjected to media scrutiny, enough that they decided to leave Britain and move to the States. So maybe Meghan will choose to share snaps from luxury hotels again, but this time capturing the entire family. 

Hands Full

A drink in each hand is much better than just one drink, of course! The Suits star loves her wine and isn’t afraid to show it. When she’s not sipping on the vino, the gorgeous actress has a cocktail in her hand. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

She was young and free to have the best time with her friends. Since the engagement, Meghan had to stick to protocol and be very careful about her public image. The duo separated from the royals, but they still have to stick to a particular image. 

Ready For Bed 

We don’t usually see royals posing in front of their bedroom mirror, wearing very little, so they might not be very happy that this photo of Meghan is still out there. Although the Duchess deleted her Instagram, people still found a way to save all her posts so we could now take a closer look into her life as a celebrity. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Since this all happened before she met Harry, the actress could do whatever she wanted on her socials. She decided to give her followers a sneak peek of her bedroom and herself looking as flawless as ever. Can you imagine being so gorgeous without any makeup on?

Thanksgiving

Meghan might have married a British prince, but her heart is still close to home. The Suits star often shared pictures from different holidays and the typical American traditions. Although most people thought she would get British citizenship and forget all about her American life, that’s not quite the case.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Ever since the couple moved to Montecito, California, they’ve probably been celebrating all their holidays like true Americans. Archie might have been born in London, but we’re pretty sure he’ll have a blast baking a Turkey and helping his mom prepare the cranberry sauce. 

Life Before The Prince

Did you know that Meghan was married before she met Harry? Although the royal tradition is against royals marrying people who’ve been divorced before, that didn’t pose a challenge for the actress and her Prince charming. Queen Elizabeth might not have been thrilled, but it turns out that love conquers all.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This shot from Meghan’s Insta account shows her in the arms of her first husband, Trevor Engelson. She is actually the second divorcee to become a part of the royals since the Church of England didn’t allow this to happen until 2002. 

Positano Vibes

When Meghan wasn’t filming in Canada, she traveled the world. This shot was taken on a terrace in the magical Positano, a small village in Italy that has since become a huge trend for celebrities. She makes it look easy to be so beautiful.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Another interesting fact about the Duchess is that she’s a wine fanatic. Even her blog, The Tig carries the name of a red wine called Tignanello. Knowing the colossal foodie that she is, we can only imagine how much she enjoyed the Italian cuisine while in Positano. 

Picture Perfect

Not being a royal isn’t so bad after all. Thanks to her passion for traveling, Meghan had a pretty fulfilled life before entering the royal family. The actress visited many countries worldwide, and you were able to tag along her journeys by following her socials or her blog. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This photo is from one of her trips to Britain, taken probably shortly after she met Prince Harry. You can see Markle in a loose blue dress and a fedora hat right next to one of her besties Millie Mackintosh. The duo took a short trip to the Soho Farmhouse, where they roamed around the area on a bike. 

Fresh Blooms

The Duchess looks flawless even when she goes flower shopping. Dressed in a stunning camel coat, ripped jeans, and a fancy bag, Meghan knows very well that a few staples are all you need to put together a timeless outfit. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Aside from being obsessed with chic fits, animals, and food, Markle clearly loves flowers. You could see them all over her Insta feed, making Instagram a much better place to be. If you don’t usually go out to get flowers dressed like this, maybe it’s time you change your mind. 

More Set Updates

Meghan has been a part of the movie scene since she was born. Her father, Thomas Markle, is an Emmy award-winning lighting director who sometimes took his daughter to the sets when she was young. That’s when Meghan got in love with acting and decided to pursue a career in this industry. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Although Markle had to retire from acting when she married Harry, that doesn’t mean we’ll never see her on-screen again. Since the couple decided to withdraw from their royal duties, she might go back to her first love and create new projects. 

Another Day, Another Selfie

The queen of selfies strikes again. If there is one thing we miss is getting more Meghan selfies on the Gram. These days, we can mainly see photos of paparazzi chasing after the couple or official photos from their joint Instagram account.  

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

While this beauty was active online she sure knew how to work the camera. She’s a born celebrity, and although the media put intense pressure on her life, we hope that she’ll never quit doing what she knows and loves best. 

Halloween

Another holiday post! Nothing comes close to American holidays and how over-the-top some celebrations can be. Thankfully, Meghan is all about simplicity, so she grabbed the most recognizable item for Halloween and created a cute shot. These days she’s probably celebrating the holiday with her husband and two kids, carving pumpkins and placing them in front of the fireworks. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

For the Halloween photo, the Duchess opted for a loose-fitting cardigan and pants that we can imagine wearing every single day. Carving a pumpkin is a serious job, so the comfier you are, the better. Next time you want to look and feel good, just take inspo from this outfit. 

Royal Vibes

Meghan was living a royal-like lifestyle even before she entered the British royal family. This Instagram post is from her friend’s wedding where the actress showed up wearing the most beautiful light pink skin-tight dress. The hall is just as beautiful as the star herself.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

As far as we can guess, Meghan was a bridesmaid, and the wedding and the dress choice couldn’t have been any better. It perfectly fits her soft, elegant aesthetic and enhances her silhouette. The royal-like hall makes the photo even more glamorous and over the top. 

Legs For Days

Even the busiest stars want to unwind! Meghan’s Instagram used to be the spot travel enthusiasts visited when they wanted to learn about relaxing vacations or new travel destinations. The actress used every free moment to take a step back and chill. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

With a cocktail in her hand and a trendy dress, she took some time off and decided to enjoy the day on a stunning balcony. Were these the moments of quiet that she needed before going back to the exhausting set life? 

Artsy And Cozy

For everyone who missed the early Instagram era, mirror selfies were a huge thing. If you’re Gen Z and you’re seeing this shot, you’re probably wondering what the hell she was thinking. Well, when this photo was taken a long time ago and showed Meghan in a silly pose in her beautiful living room.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Even though the mirror pose is now a thing of the past, we wouldn’t mind it being popular again as long as Meghan blesses us with another pose. The furry slippers and cozy knit tell us that this was likely once Markle’s home before she met a prince. 

Wine And Dine

Great food goes hand in hand with excellent wine. Since Meghan Markle’s blog was about her lifestyle, the actress upgraded the content with casual snaps of her lunches, dinners, and meals during travels. Things have changed a lot since this photo was taken.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Meghan can no longer imagine having a quiet dinner in a restaurant and traveling around the world without being noticed. The white hat makes an appearance once again in her photos, this time paired with a simple white top. She is simply gorgeous.

A Style Icon

No matter what the actress wears, it becomes an instant hit. Her fashion influence has gotten even more significant after she joined the royal family, and every single paparazzi and medium wants to know what she was wearing, which designers, and more. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This simple white jumpsuit is the best example that sometimes less is more. When she’s not wearing her recognizable skinny jeans and white tee, Meghan loves elevating her attire with a comfy one-piece that’s perfect for a night out with the girls or a date. 

Everything’s Better With A Cocktail In Your Hand

How many drinks are too many? When you’re sitting by the beach enjoying this view, it would be a pity not to have a refreshing cocktail. That’s exactly what the Duchess did, long before dating Prince Harry. She looks so calm and relaxed here, but who wouldn’t?

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

We’re disappointed that The Tig is no longer available online because we would love to know more about each photo and the exact locations where it was taken. The good thing is that there is still an archive of the blog online that someone uploaded, so if you’re eager to learn more, that is a great start. 

Celebrity Besties 

When you’re a celebrity, you have so many celebrity besties. Meghan is an excellent example of how Hollywood can be a great place to make friends without drama. Markle met Priyanka Chopra at a Women in Television event, and the duo hit it off right away. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This photo shows them happily bragging with their Hamilton tickets. Since the meeting, the two have traveled together, and Chopra even attended the royal wedding. The media speculated that the two had fallen since Meghan didn’t attend Priyanka’s wedding, but the Indian star denied the rumors. 

Three Musketeers 

Before meeting the Prince, Markle made quite a lot from acting to afford to travel often. Here you can see her with friends Markus Anderson and Misha Nonoo on the streets of Madrid. The trio was all dressed up and ready to conquer the city. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Meghan once again stuck to her minimalist but impeccable style, upgraded with a chic hat. After getting engaged with Harry, most of her travels are related to her royal duties, so she can’t really enjoy each city with a glass of wine in her hand. 

Her New Home 

This photo was likely taken when Meghan was secretly dating Harry but still hadn’t shared it with the world. The couple kept their romance away from the public eye for months, and for good reason. The second people found out about it, Markle’s life was put under a magnifying glass and talked about globally. 

Meghan Markle
Instagram
11/1/2016

Here you can see her smiling and having a great time in London. The smile on her face tells that she’s enjoying her stay, and it will soon be revealed that she’s the new girlfriend of the Prince. When the rumor first came out, people started combing through her social media and soon realized that it all might be true.

Having Fun

When she wasn’t working or traveling the world, Meghan was posting pictures to show off her funny side. Putting a raspberry on each finger is something we’ve never even thought of, but it looks so hilarious. Even looking silly with food, Meghan is still a beauty.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

The royal protocols include that royal members are not allowed to post whatever they want on social media. So, unfortunately, we can’t see Meghan’s fun shots anymore, but we can still enjoy her rare outings in public and her books. 

Lost Into The Blue

According to Meghan Markle, loose, fashionable dresses and a white sun hat are the summer staples everyone should own. You’ll notice that the Duchess is wearing a white hat, and we’re so obsessed with it that we want to have the same one in time for summer. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

The mesmerizing blue water in the background and the stunning beach makes the picture so gorgeous that we want to be transported there right away. What do you think Meghan did after leaving the beach, and was she with her future husband?

Glam Edition

Meghan didn’t post too many red carpet moments, but fans couldn’t stop staring when she did. As you can see from the picture, the actress can pull off any look you can think of. She’s an absolute fashion icon, whether she dons a simple white button-up or a racy black dress.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Ever since she got married to Prince Harry, the Duchess has had to be much more conservative in her fashion choices. She’s now also a mom, so her style is effortless and easy to wear. Markle ditched the dresses with slits and exchanged them for suits and long skirts and dresses. 

On-Screen And Off-Screen

Meghan’s love for Patrick J. Adams is as big off-screen as on screen. The duo plays a couple on Suits, but they love and respect each other very much in real life. Patrick and his wife, actress Troian Belisario, attended the biggest wedding of the century. 

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Markle posted this photo back in 2017 as a throwback from her Suits life. The whole internet went crazy, thinking she had just announced her relationship with Adams. The Duchess had to remove the photo due to the inappropriate comments and how it was perceived. 

London Calling

Here’s another shot from London and Meghan making memories all over town. Was this Instagram post while she was visiting Price Harry in secret? Well, we guess we’ll never find out. All we know is that the future Duchess didn’t fail to update her followers on her travels.

Meghan Markle
Instagram
11/1/2016

If you’ve never been to London, this is the Victoria Memorial and it is located right outside Buckingham Palace. So was she hinting that she’s getting ready to become a part of the royals, or was this just a coincidence? 

When Doors Where A Thing

Instagram was flooded with pictures of influencers standing in front of doors at one point. One of the people who joined the trend was Meghan, in a location we can’t wait to visit as well. This shot was taken at the gorgeous Greek island Hydra, where the actress blended in like a native.

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

This is just one of the unique destinations on her list. And each time the Duchess travels, she makes sure to put on the best attire to fit the surroundings. This long white dress makes her look like an actual Greek goddess. 

Ibiza Sunsets

Is there anything better than a jaw-dropping sunset while sipping on cocktails with the girls in Ibiza? So Meghan gathered her crowd, and they embarked on a journey to the popular Spanish island. We love a good girl gang!

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Markle was accompanied by her bestie Misha Nonoo, Heather Dorak, and Benita Litt. These are all Meghan’s long-term friends with whom she’s been spending a lot of time. Traveling around the world is much more fun when you do it with the right people.

Next Level Yoga

As a promoter of healthy habits, Meghan doesn’t only pay attention to what she eats and drinks. The actress also practices yoga and as you can see she’s quite good and advanced in it. This pose looks impossible to recreate, and Markle managed to pull it off in the middle of a beach with her head on a rock.  

Photo By @meghanmarkle/Instagram

Her toned body is a tale-tale sign that she takes outstanding care of it. Aside from practicing yoga, the Duchess also enjoys running and full-body workouts. Her secret to looking fabulous is avoiding foods that make her feel tired, eating vegan, and drinking a lot of green juices.