Meghan Markle: what to expect from her life as a royal
The new Duchess of Sussex is diving straight into her royal duties

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Following her marriage to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle will now be known as the Duchess of Sussex - but her name is far from the only thing that has changed. By marrying into “the Firm”, the 36-year-old has traded in her career as a US television star for a very different way of life.
Markle may have broken with tradition to organise a wedding that was unconventional in many ways, but she has respected the convention that senior members of the royal family do not hold a public-facing “day job”, outside the armed forces.
So, while being able to smile and look interested on cue will surely serve her well in her royal duties, acting roles are firmly off the cards for the newly-minted duchess.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fortunately, Markle has a long history of activism and charity work which gives her a solid foundation for her new life as a royal.
According to her biography on the official royal family website, she wrote a letter protesting against a “sexist” advert aged 11 and began volunteering at a soup kitchen at the age of 13.
The biography, which makes only a passing reference to the duchess’s acting career, paints a portrait of a woman passionately committed to female empowerment, particularly in the developing world.
Charities she has worked with include UN Women and Myna Mahila Foundation “who empower women through access to menstrual hygiene products and employment opportunities”.
As well as women’s rights, she has also worked on charity campaigns around youth leadership, modern-day slavery and access to drinking water.
She is in good company in her new family when it comes to campaigning for causes close to her heart. Her first official appearance with Prince Harry was at the Invictus Games, an international sporting competition he founded for wounded service personnel, and both Harry and William have also been vocal advocates for mental health.
Prince Charles’ environmentalism is well-documented, while the rehabilitation of the Duchess of Cornwall’s public image has been partly attributed to her work with victims of domestic abuse.
While the precise details of how the new duchess intends to use her position remain to be seen, she has already said that she intends to “hit the ground running”.
In fact, the couple are so keen to get started on their royal duties that they are holding off on enjoying a honeymoon until they have some public engagements under their belt.
“Meghan is due to join the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show this week, before the newest member of the royal family and her husband make a short trip to Ireland,” News.com.au reports.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Today’s political cartoons — September 29, 2023
Friday's cartoons - Biden's dog bite incident, the government shutdown and more
By The Week Staff Published
-
'A teetering democracy of gerontocrats?'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass Published
-
Every 'Saw' film, ranked
The Explainer The highs and lows of the gory horror soap opera
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
What have we learned in King Charles’s first year?
Today's Big Question The monarch is ‘stamping his personality’ on the role and is definitely not a ‘caretaker’, says Palace source
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
What does the royal family actually do?
feature From official state duties to charitable pursuits, most of the royals keep themselves busy
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
Meghan and Harry: the end of their $20m Spotify deal
Talking Point The axing of Archetypes isn’t just about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
By The Week Staff Published
-
Prince Harry trial: five other famous royals who have appeared in court
feature Duke of Sussex becomes first senior British royal in 132 years to give evidence in court
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan: ‘near catastrophic car chase’ in the spotlight
Talking Point Brush with US paparazzi has echoes of Princess Diana but some have questioned the timing
By Jamie Timson Published
-
The highlights and lowlights from King’s coronation weekend
feature Music, mischief and Penny Mordaunt widely praised, while Met Police arresting protesters provokes criticism
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
Coronation countdown: a ‘tightrope’ for the royal family
Under the Radar Monarchy to balance celebration with awareness of the complex relationship between British subjects and their ruler
By The Week Staff Published
-
The ‘diplomat monarch’: will King’s coronation revitalise British soft power?
Today's Big Question Supporters say Charles is foreign relations asset but others question whether the newly crowned monarch can boost the UK’s influence
By Harriet Marsden Published