Before she became Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was known for her acting credits.
But prior to her on-screen career, she was a normal girl from Los Angeles, California.
Born on 4 August 1981 to parents Thomas Markle Sr. and Doria Ragland, Rachel “Meghan” Markle was raised in Canoga Park, Los Angeles.
The now-Duchess of Sussex attended Immaculate Heart High School and went to college at Northwestern University in Illinois, where she kick-started her acting career.
It’s hard to imagine what her regular childhood was like, but over the years many photos have surfaced of Meghan when she was young.
Continue scrolling to see some rare pictures from Meghan Markle’s youth!
In December 2025, Meghan Markle’s college best friend Lindsay Roth shared some never-before-seen snaps of the duo!
“Friendship is showing up for each other: me flying across the world to guest on Meg’s TV show with more hours on the plane than on the ground; Meg supporting my new book Romances & Practicalities as we both help each other fulfil our dreams (and launch these projects weeks apart!), which we’ve been doing since college; celebrating holidays together on TV and in real life (thank you @meghan and @_heartmom_ for embracing my pyjama-holiday tradition!); and of course, never passing a photo booth without stopping inside,” Lindsay shared.
It seems photo booths are a favourite pastime for the friends!
Meghan shared some cute throwback snaps from when she was a Girl Scout!
“Being an entrepreneur can start young. (By the way, all these years later and I’m still selling cookies!) ?
Tune in for the premiere episode of ‘Confessions of a Female Founder’ featuring my dear friend, @whitney, now streaming wherever you get your podcasts! @lemonadamedia”
To show support for Meghan following the release of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, her high school shared a throwback photo from when she attended Immaculate Heart.
“Congratulations to IH alumna Meghan Markle (’99) on the renewal of her Netflix series and launch of her new podcast!,” they shared on Instagram. “We’re delighted to share a special throwback photo from her time at Immaculate Heart, honouring our cherished tradition of Mary’s Day, a reflection of our legacy of sisterhood, support, and Panda spirit.”
In honour of International Women’s Day 2025, Meghan shared a snap of herself with her mother when she was very young.
“Celebrating the strong women around us & the girls with dreams who will become women with vision. Also thanking those who uplift us every day,” she wrote.
This throwback picture is Meghan’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority portrait from 2000!
In their 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, the Duchess shared plenty of photos from her childhood days, including this snap of her rocking some iconic ’80s fashion!
We don’t often see Meghan’s curls on show these days, but this photo from her school days shows what her natural locks look like!
Meghan looked elated at her high school graduation!
A classic double-denim ’90s look!
This photo of baby Meghan has been used as a point of comparison for her son, Prince Archie, with many claiming they share the same features.
Where it all began! This is a pic of the Duchess as a newborn.
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