Meghan Markle: Family and Background - November 2017-May 2018

[Anna Catherine]

[...]

Question: I’ve reading a couple things but what career did Meghan’s father have?

[MaiaMia_53]

Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, was a lighting director for a number of television shows in Hollywood, including General Hospital and Married With Children. Meghan used to spend time on the Married With Children set after school. She used to help the craft services staff prepare food, and she's indicated that's where her foodie passion and love for hosting parties comes from. In addition, Meghan's Mom, Doria, has had a variety of careers, including make-up artist, travel agent, yoga instructor, and social worker. Meghan said that she and her Mom used to travel frequently (when Doria was working in the travel industry). That experience gave Meghan the bug for travel adventures. As a result, food, travel, lifestyle and beauty were all important parts of her Tig blog.

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Anna Catherine

Question: I’ve reading a couple things but what career did Meghan’s father have?

He’s a lighting director. He has won at least one Emmy and has done lighting for Oscar Awards.

[Anna Catherine]

[...]

That’s interesting about her father. I haven’t seen a lot of information on his life. What did her father do after those shows? How did he end up in Mexico?

[Lady Nimue]

Originally Posted by Anna Catherine

[...]

That’s interesting about her father. I haven’t seen a lot of information on his life. What did her father do after those shows? How did he end up in Mexico?

He retired and decided to retire to Mexico. He lives over the border down the coast from San Diego. Not far away from the U.S. in an ex-pat community. (If I recall aright, don't want to be spreading inaccuracies).

[jacqui24]

Originally Posted by Anna Catherine

That’s interesting about her father. I haven’t seen a lot of information on his life. What did her father do after those shows? How did he end up in Mexico?

He retired. I think he was working until recent years on General Hospital. He won an Emmy for it in 2011. Mexico border is quite close to Southern California and living expenses down there are cheaper I believe. He lives in a small house over a cliff that overlooks the ocean. It saddens me that I know this thanks to the recent stalking of him, but nevertheless, we do know.

[Jacknch]

Posts that have nothing to do with the topic of this thread have been edited or moved to the http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ies-43858.html thread. Please stay on topic - there is no need to bring in other subjects of discussion when more suitable threads are available.

[Curryong]

This girl is a worker! Meghan worked after school and at weekends at a fast food and frozen yoghurt store in her mid teens. Apart from staff at KP few would have that kind of work experience.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal...gement-wedding

[Osipi]

Its kind of cool when we think about it. No one can look at Meghan's past and say she has a lack of work ethic. I think this will carry over into her public life as a senior working royal too. She seems to be able to adjust to just about anything that life throws at her and with doing royal engagements, she'll not only feel comfortable doing them but actually enjoy them as much as Harry seems to. This couple is going to be amazing out and among the people IMO.

[DeeT]

Originally Posted by Curryong

This girl is a worker! Meghan worked after school and at weekends at a fast food and frozen yoghurt store in her mid teens. Apart from staff at KP few would have that kind of work experience.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal...gement-wedding

Meghan is so relatable, such a hard worker & great customer service skills. She brings vast experiences to her new role, the BRF are fortunate to have her.

[Somebody]

How do you know that she has great customer service skills? I've met lots of fastfood works who lacked those skills. Having had a job doesn't necessarily mean someone was good at it (especially side jobs for teenagers; they are mainly doing it to earn some money).

I don't see a reason to think that Meghan was a sloppy worker nor that she was 'great' and 'such a hard worker' when she just did what millions of teenagers do. It might be uncommon in her new environment but nothing special outside.

[DeeT]

Originally Posted by Somebody

How do you know that she has great customer service skills? I've met lots of fastfood works who lacked those skills. Having had a job doesn't necessarily mean someone was good at it (especially side jobs for teenagers; they are mainly doing it to earn some money).

I don't see a reason to think that Meghan was a sloppy worker nor that she was 'great' and 'such a hard worker' when she just did what millions of teenagers do. It might be uncommon in her new environment but nothing special outside.

In this particular interview the Manager commented as such. Also Meghan’s previous elementary school teachers & college professors have spoken about her interpersonal skills.

I’ve also watched how she relates to others in numerous interviews. It’s something that Meghan’s fans prior to her relationship with Harry appreciate.

[Osipi]

Usually in the teen years, a person will get a fast food job or a somewhat menial job to, as you state, earn their own money. Its a learning experience in becoming independent and of course, in the teen years, there are distractions that exists such as homework, love lives and frankly, just being a teenager.

Meghan's teen jobs, to me, show that she wasn't handed everything on a silver platter and breezed through her teen years without a care in the world. We also know that she did have a lifestyle that many teens did not have such as traveling. We've seen pictures of Meghan as a teen sitting outside Buckingham Palace (ironic isn't it?!?). The jobs she had shows that she was pretty much a well balanced teenager as far as teenagers can be well balanced.

Tom and Doria raised a pretty good kid I think.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by DeeT

In this particular interview the Manager commented as such. Also Meghan’s previous elementary school teachers & college professors have spoken about her interpersonal skills.

I’ve also watched how she relates to others in numerous interviews. It’s something that Meghan’s fans prior to her relationship with Harry appreciate.

Thanks! I missed the interview itself, just read about the job. Fits in with the other things we know about her.

I fully agree with Osipi that Meghan clearly was privileged in certain ways but all in all had a balanced upbringing.

[ACO]

Originally Posted by Osipi

Usually in the teen years, a person will get a fast food job or a somewhat menial job to, as you state, earn their own money. Its a learning experience in becoming independent and of course, in the teen years, there are distractions that exists such as homework, love lives and frankly, just being a teenager.

Meghan's teen jobs, to me, show that she wasn't handed everything on a silver platter and breezed through her teen years without a care in the world. We also know that she did have a lifestyle that many teens did not have such as traveling. We've seen pictures of Meghan as a teen sitting outside Buckingham Palace (ironic isn't it?!?). The jobs she had shows that she was pretty much a well balanced teenager as far as teenagers can be well balanced.

Tom and Doria raised a pretty good kid I think.

I agree. She has always been focused since she was very young and it seems her parents made sure to remind her that despite the fact she was privileged in a lot of ways that she easily could not be. Both her folks grew up with not a lot. Meghan father came into money and spent it most of it on her education which was a major blessing. I also suspect the fact Meghan was kind of surrounded by rich kids growing up when she wasn't really as rich as them which is also an interesting experience. I was the same. The scholarship kid at an elite private school. It can definitely shape you in ways you don't realize until older. Meghan knows both worlds and I think that will help her and the BRF in the long term.

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by ACO

I agree. She has always been focused since she was very young and it seems her parents made sure to remind her that despite the fact she was privileged in a lot of ways that she easily could not be. Both her folks grew up with not a lot. Meghan father came into money and spent it most of it on her education which was a major blessing. I also suspect the fact Meghan was kind of surrounded by rich kids growing up when she wasn't really as rich as them which is also an interesting experience. I was the same. The scholarship kid at an elite private school. It can definitely shape you in ways you don't realize until older. Meghan knows both worlds and I think that will help her and the BRF in the long term.

She most certainly was surrounded by kids making a whole lot of money just by going to "dad's work". The actor and actresses that played the Bundy kids in "Married With Children" didn't work for a pittance. Nor did any of the cast of characters.

That's the beauty of how Meghan was raised. She has the inside scope of experience with people from all walks of life and of all shapes and sizes and all different status in the world. Yet she seems to take each person for who they are and not because of what they are or who they know. Kind of reminds me of Harry in that respect. No matter they mesh so well eh?

[soapstar]

Originally Posted by Curryong

This girl is a worker! Meghan worked after school and at weekends at a fast food and frozen yoghurt store in her mid teens. Apart from staff at KP few would have that kind of work experience.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal...gement-wedding

It’s not just KP staff, many of the other spouses have done some type of retail/restaurant work in their high school, or college years. Autumn put herself through school by working as a waitress. I believe Kate waitressed during one of her summers, Mike Tindall sold fish and chips while in high school, Sophie worked as a waitress during her teen years. Even Diana and Sarah had a jobs. Diana worked at a daycare and Sarah says she worked at restaurant when she was 18.

[Countessmeout]

Traveling is not uncommon, even for people from more modest backgrounds. I am the same age as Meghan, and when I was in high school, there was always school trips during spring break that you could take. They were affordable compared to most travel (student discounts). I never did, but I know my cousin did. She raised the money doing her after school jobs. My sister who is a teacher has actually gone as the teacher chaperone on a few.

Reading this article and previous you really get a sense she had a balanced life. Though she was raised with money, and on sets of tv shows with dad, there was more to life. She talked about volunteering in soup kitchens and such as well. Its great her parents gave her a sense of work ethic and the value of money even when they had their own.

Working minimum wage in high school is a bit of a right of passage. While many teens do it, many teens would not have a glowing review for doing it. Their other 'obligations' and I don't mean school and studying (dating, clubs, activities) often take priority in their minds. Nice to see she is remembered fondly.

It seems from an early age she was good with working with others. And with connecting with the public. Both in high school and college. This speaks well to her future in the royal family.

But indeed soapstar, she isn't the only member of the family who has worked less then white collar jobs to support themselves. Maybe not minimum wage fast food for some, but certainly not glamorous or 'royal' careers.

-Autumn was a bar tender and a promotional model to pay for college, and she did some bit acting as well
-Mike only made 10,000 a year when he first started playing professional, and to cover the bills he worked in a food truck selling fish and chips
-Sophie trained as a secretary before she got into public relations and waitressing
-Gary Lewis is a construction worker
-Camilla worked as a secretary in her day, and receptionist

The extended royal family of course lives very private lives, and have careers. The heirs of Kent and Gloucester are married to a doctor and to a college professor. There is quite a broad range of people for her to meet at Christmas parties, and I am sure she will find some to hit it off with. I am sure she will get along with the family, but even in the closest families, there are those you hit it off with better then some, those you gravitate to talking to.

The Earl of St Andrews is a former diplomat. Sophie Winkleman is an actress like Meghan. I am sure she will find things in common with others.

[Zaira]

The constant strand we have seen from Meghan is that she is a worker and someone who has big goals in mind. I think if that attitude carries over into royal work, that would be a huge asset for the RF. As I have said before, I do not find the younger royals to have the same work ethic as their elders. I think Harry comes close just because of the creative force of his projects and how big they are, but even he could do more.

And I came from a poorer/working class family and I traveled in HS just because I worked several jobs and saved. I imagine the same is true for Meghan. Her parents seemed to be the find to help her by providing opportunities (i.e. paying for schooling), but it seems they otherwise largely expected her to make her own way and work for her goals.

[Missjersey]

Originally Posted by Osipi

Usually in the teen years, a person will get a fast food job or a somewhat menial job to, as you state, earn their own money. Its a learning experience in becoming independent and of course, in the teen years, there are distractions that exists such as homework, love lives and frankly, just being a teenager.

Meghan's teen jobs, to me, show that she wasn't handed everything on a silver platter and breezed through her teen years without a care in the world. We also know that she did have a lifestyle that many teens did not have such as traveling. We've seen pictures of Meghan as a teen sitting outside Buckingham Palace (ironic isn't it?!?). The jobs she had shows that she was pretty much a well balanced teenager as far as teenagers can be well balanced.

Tom and Doria raised a pretty good kid I think.

What parent wouldn’t be proud...even at a very early age she understood one person can make a difference (referring when she wrote company to change ad). She seems to have an incredible zest for living and giving back. It is ironic Osipi when you see that pic. Together, this couple is going to be a wonder to watch!