Jump directly to the content
WHAT A CUTIE!

From a newborn to a grinning toddler, these childhood snaps of Meghan Markle reveal the making of a princess

IN May next year the world will be watching as Meghan Markle walks down the aisle with Prince Harry, the fifth in line to the throne.

And if these adorable throwback snaps of the American actress as a child are anything to go by, she's never been shy of the camera.

 Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced the news of their engagement earlier this week
8
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced the news of their engagement earlier this weekCredit: PA:Press Association

Glamorous Meghan, 36, and Harry, 33, announced the happy news of their engagement on Monday 27 November.

The couple will wed at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, which is where Harry was christened when he was three months old.

Since Meghan began dating the British royal, the Markle family has been thrust into the spotlight.

Here we provide a rare insight into Meghan's early years, from a cute newborn to a grinning toddler.

 Meghan, pictured as a baby with her father Thomas Markle, was born Rachel Meghan Markle on August 4, 1981 in Los Angeles, California
8
Meghan, pictured as a baby with her father Thomas Markle, was born Rachel Meghan Markle on August 4, 1981 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 Meghan, pictured as a young child with her dad Thomas, was educated at private schools from the age of five
8
Meghan, pictured as a young child with her dad Thomas, was educated at private schools from the age of fiveCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan as a grinning baby with her mum Doria Radlan
8
Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan as a grinning baby with her mum Doria RadlanCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 Daddy's girl? Meghan's dad Thomas is of Dutch-Irish origin, and was born in 1945
8
Daddy's girl? Meghan's dad Thomas is of Dutch-Irish origin, and was born in 1945Credit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 Meghan pictured as a toddler with mum Doria Radlan, an African-American yoga instructor and social worker
8
 Meghan pictured as a toddler with mum Doria Radlan, an African-American yoga instructor and social workerCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 A young Meghan, pictured with her mum, shows off her natural curls with a cheeky grin
8
A young Meghan, pictured with her mum, shows off her natural curls with a cheeky grinCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited
 Future model and actress Meghan strikes a pose on a childhood summer holiday
8
Future model and actress Meghan strikes a pose on a childhood summer holidayCredit: Tim Stewart News Limited

Meghan's mother Doria Radlan, a yoga instructor and social worker, and father Thomas, divorced when the future princess was six.

Meghan describes her parents as "coming from little" but they were able to privately educate her in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles.

Doria is African-American, while Meghan's father is Dutch-Irish, and their difference in skin tone led to the family receiving racial abuse when she was younger.

The actress has said that because her mother is black with dreadlocks, and she passes as Caucasian, she often received hurtful comments about whether Doria was her real mum.

Meghan has described her mum as a "free-spirited clinical therapist" and is proud she took her travelling to remote - often impoverished - places when she was younger.

She once said: "Both my parents came from little, so they made a choice to give a lot."

Cute footage from after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement interview gives intimate insight into the royal couple's relationship
Topics