Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in 2014, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Rachel Meghan Markle
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: August 4, 1981
Ethnicity:
*father – German, English, Irish, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and remote French
*mother – African-American
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, previously known as Meghan Markle, is an American actress, model, author, and humanitarian. She has starred on the show Suits, appeared in the films Remember Me, Horrible Bosses, Dysfunctional Friends, Random Encounters, and Anti-Social, narrated the documentary Elephant (2020), and ran the lifestyle blog The Tig. She has participated in charity work related to women’s issues and social justice, and launched the podcast Archetypes.
Duchess Meghan is the daughter of Doria Loyce (Ragland) and Thomas Wayne Markle, a lighting director who worked on Married… with Children. She was raised in View Park–Windsor Hills, Los Angeles. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, with whom she has two children, including Prince Archie of Sussex. The couple has stepped down as working royals. They have launched public organization Archewell, Inc., focusing on non-profit activities and creative media ventures.
Her father is white and her mother is black. A picture of Duchess Meghan with her father can be seen here. Pictures of Duchess Meghan with her mother can be seen here and here. More pictures of her family, specifically her mother’s side, can be seen here.
An essay Duchess Meghan composed about her biracial identity can be read here. She writes, among other things:
‘What are you?’ A question I get asked every week of my life, often every day… ‘Where are your parents from?’… While I could say Pennsylvania and Ohio… I instead give them what they’re after: ‘My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white.’…
While my mixed heritage may have created a grey area surrounding my self-identification, keeping me with a foot on both sides of the fence, I have come to embrace that. To say who I am, to share where I’m from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman. That when asked to choose my ethnicity in a questionnaire as in my seventh grade class, or these days to check ‘Other’, I simply say: ‘Sorry, world, this is not Lost and I am not one of The Others. I am enough exactly as I am.’
She has also specified:
My mom is black and my dad is Dutch and Irish, so the texture of my hair is densely curly. I’ve been getting Brazilian blowouts for a couple of years.
Duchess Meghan’s Dutch ancestry is really Pennsylvania Dutch, the name for ethnic Germans who lived in Pennsylvania; her German ancestry includes Alsatian Germans. Her father also has a preponderance of English ancestry, with Colonial American roots going back to the 1600s, as well as some Irish, Scottish, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and remote French, ancestry. Duchess Meghan and her husband Harry share a common ancestor in the 1500s; the details of this remote genealogical relation can be seen here.
Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandparents were/are both black, from African-American families.
Duchess Meghan has also said:
I took an African-American studies class at Northwestern (university) where we explored colourism; it was the first time I could put a name to feeling too light in the black community, too mixed in the white community… For castings, I was labelled ‘ethnically ambiguous’. Was I Latina? Sephardic (Jewish)? Exotic Caucasian?
Duchess Meghan in 2011, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com
Several web sites have stated that Duchess Meghan’s father is Jewish. This is not accurate. While her wedding to her first husband, producer Trevor Engelson, was Jewish or had Jewish elements, that is because Trevor is Jewish. It is possible that Duchess Meghan converted to Trevor’s faith, but there is no particular indication of this being the case. She joined the Church of England upon marrying Prince Harry.
Duchess Meghan is said to be a distant relative of professional baseball player Mookie Betts, through her Betts line.
Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandfather was Gordon Arnold Markle/Markel (the son of Isaac Thomas Markle/Markel and Ruth Ann Arnold). Gordon was born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. Isaac was the son of George Benjamin Markle/Markel and Mary Jane Mangle/Mengle. Ruth was the daughter of Adam A. Arnold and Martha J. “Mattie” Sykes, who was born in England; her father was from Kimberworth, South Yorkshire and her mother from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
Duchess Meghan has said:
I rarely saw my Grandma Markle, as she hailed from New Hampshire and spent much of her life in Pennsylvania and Florida…
Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandmother was Doris Mary Rita Sanders (the daughter of Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill). Doris was born in New Hampshire. Fred was born in Lake Village, now Lakeport, Belknap, New Hampshire, the son of George Sanders, who was born in England, and of Maria Belle Ellsworth. Gertrude was born in Meredith, Belknap, New Hampshire, the daughter of George David Merrill and Mary Bird, who was born on Malta, to an English father and an Irish mother, from Ballinasloe, County Galway. Her family moved to Canada.
Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandfather was Alvin Azell Ragland (the son of Steve R. Ragland and Lois Russell). Alvin was born in Tennessee, and was African-American. Steve was born in Georgia, the son of Jeremiah/Jerry M. Ragland and Claudie/Claudia Ritchie/Richie. Lois was born in Tennessee, the daughter of James Russell and Virginia Bettes/Betts.
Duchess Meghan’s maternal grandmother was Jeanette Arnold (the daughter of James Arnold and Nettie M. Allen). Jeanette was born in Sandusky, Erie, Ohio, and was African-American. Nettie was the daughter of Luther Hunter Allen and Gertrude Parks/Gertrude Elizabeth Sadler.
Duchess Meghan in 2011, Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Duchess Meghan’s father’s ancestry first publicly documented on the internet on her ethnicelebs page, by Follers (May 21, 2017)
Sources: Family histories of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Genealogies of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – http://gw.geneanet.org
https://www.geni.com
http://i.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.famechain.com
https://famouskin.com
https://www.wikitree.com
https://1.bp.blogspot.com
Genealogy of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.dailyitem.com
Marriage announcement of Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandparents, Gordon Arnold Markle/Markel and Doris Mary Rita Sanders – https://www.newspapers.com
Marriage record of Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandparents, Gordon Arnold Markle/Markel and Doris Mary Rita Sanders – https://familysearch.org
Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandfather, Gordon Arnold Markle/Markel, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Duchess Meghan’s father (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://www.gamblinfamily.org
Duchess Meghan’s paternal grandmother, Doris Mary Rita Sanders, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Doris Mary Rita Sanders on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandparents, Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill – https://familysearch.org
Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandparents, Fred George Sanders and Gertrude May Merrill, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandmother, Gertrude May Merrill (focusing on her own father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com
Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-grandmother, Gertrude May Merrill, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-great-grandparents, George David Merrill and Mary Bird, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Information about Duchess Meghan’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Mary Bird’s, family – http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-grandfather, Steve R. Ragland, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah/Jerry M. Ragland, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Death record of Duchess Meghan’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah/Jerry M. Ragland – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Meghan’s maternal grandmother, Jeanette (Arnold) Johnson – https://www.familysearch.org
Meghan Markle straightens her hair its naturally super thick and very very curly and she has had a nose job. Before the Hollywood enhancements she looks alot more black. Celebrities look alot more ethnic until they get to Hollywood. Look at Jeniffer Lopez she looks whiter now too, as well as Nicole Ritchie-looked blacker when she was young too.
Links to what Meghan looks like before the Hollywood whitenings. https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/571409/meghan-markle-prince-harry-family-childhood-photos-princess
OMG she didn’t have a nose job and always have been very light skinned.
« A lot more black » really ? She is obviously mixed and when she was younger looked just like a white girl I know.
Stop living through mixed race people and worshipping them, you sound desperate in every single comment.
She doesn’t look black, period. Her features are more European and her skin is closer to white than black. She could even pass for a white woman.
@Samiiraa
Quote(Stop living through mixed race people and worshipping them)
You really believe this statement? I think you misread this comment. It doesn’t read like she’s worshiping Meghan
One other thing, midori29 mention being of mixed ethnicity herself, when she first came to the site . Truth be told, most of the self- identified black people over here, are of mixed ethnicity. So wouldn’t we be worshiping ourselves?
Midori29 is a person who suffers from an identity crisis, it’s obvious from every comment she/he posts.
And yes, the comment is delusional and looks like any comment from black women looking for validation.
Meghan identifies as biracial and she clearly looks more European. Like the Jones sisters, she is probably 30% Subsaharan African.
I have my own agenda, which is to defend Mixed People right to be acknowledged as such, and I will always defend it.
I don’t want Europe, Latin America and Africa to americanize and adopt the one drop rule mentality. We make the difference, mixed is mixed, black is black, white is white, asian is asian and I don’t want it to change because YOU still have a 18th century mentality. When I say YOU, I mean Americans, not you as a person.
@Samiiraa the ONLY person who suffers an identity crisis is YOU , LOL. Meghan Markle appears to have had a nose job, a slight one to me. And yes MOST Hollywood actresses have had nose jobs. I know I am black and I do not try to sugar coat the reality of blackness. I tell it like it is. In fact most people on this site have no idea how diverse black people really can look(African Americans, Afro-Carribeans, Afro-South Americans are as a race and we do not have to be immediately mixed to have light skin, or straighter hair and light eyes. I am a South American black person who has seen every single racial mixture combination on earth so I know what blacks and subsaharan Africans look like, which is super diverse. Yes I have other race dna too, like European, Asian and native Indian. Unlike most on this site. Apparently, there are some really confused people on here about what BLACK really looks like. Alot of mixed people whose parents did not educate them and being black. And Yes blacks can be light skin and black may not be what your perceived notion of what it looks like.
I agree with you totally @Fuzzybear, you make alot of sense.
@samiiraa
the Jones sisters? are you talking about the basketball players?
Fully support this. Let mixed people have their own identity.
@fuzzybear
she’s talking about Quincy Jones’ daughters
@Andrew
Quote(she’s talking about Quincy Jones’ daughters)
I knew that, I was just testing you, but I thank you for you clearing it up for other people
@Samiiraa
Quote(Quote(I have my own agenda, which is to defend Mixed People right to be acknowledged as such, and I will always defend it.)
Well I do see your Agenda, and yes you do have a right to defend it. However, what about those mixed people who wish to be identified as black, will you defend their right to do so? Because from the comments you’ve made, you don’t want to give people the right to choose for themselves. All I see is you replacing the (ONE DROP RULE) which you say you hate, and replacing it with (Samiiraa RULE). which does the same thing, and takes away free will. Anyone who disagrees with it , you call delusional, their just jealous and feel bad because they have black skin etc. So how is your way any better?
@Kimmel
Quote(Fully support this. Let mixed people have their own identity.)
But they do have their own individual identities. There’s no one stand behind them saying (YOU BETTER CALL YOURSELF BLACK or whatever). Samiiraa would never call herself black, and I would never try to make her. If a person wanted to be called a(one eyed one horned flying purple eater) then that’s exactly what I would call them
@samiira
About Midori: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hater
@Samiiraa I wont even respond to you you are psycho, very insecure and you sound very crazy
@Andrew your silly LOL . Discussing someones TRUE ancestry background without whitewashing them is somehow being a hater LOL and jealous. I think you Andrew are a major hater of black people and jealous of attractive black people in general. I think Meghan Markle is beautiful and well spoken alot of the celebrities on here are but you try to make them non African the minute they are attractive, especially the women or to take away from the fact that they have African dna and I am reminding everyone that its in there.
@midori
Why so much butthurt? I remember well one of your posts when you said you have reddish hair, I will find it again sooner or later. I am not actually jealous or I hate black people in any way, but I think mixed-race women (like you) are often very hot and attractive
@Nieltennant you have not googled the right pics of Jennifer Lopez, just google her in the movies “Money Train” and Anaconda” she looked ALOT more ethnic back then than she does now (darker, thicker curlier hair)
Jennifer Lopez before her Hollywood transformation
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-jennifer-lopez-money-train-1995-31069990.html
http://coolspotters.com/musicians/jennifer-lopez/and/movies/money-train#medium-3671948
http://www.instyle.com/celebrity/transformations/jennifer-lopezs-changing-looks
Jennifer Lopez now (triracial, European, African and Asian)
http://www.beliefnet.com/celebrity-faith-database/l/jennifer-lopez.aspx
Nicole Ritchie without the blonde dye and hair straightener
http://theybf.com/2012/08/22/throwback-fab-nicole-richie-mom-brenda-harvey-richie-post-childhood-pics
Nicole Ritchie now (she is part black )
http://www.yournextshoes.com/nicole-richie-retro-bob-stella-mccartney-dress-coat-balenciaga-pumps/
Difference is not that big. And even in some photos of those movies, she looked whiter than now, showing how mixed people can resemble one race sometimes more than another. Interesting, j lo ‘s sisters have same genetics and they can pass in Spain, famous or not famous, they look white.
@Nieltenant Hispanic is NOT A RACE. Most hispanics just speak Spanish but they can be Black, white or Indian or a combination of all three
@Nieltenant also most hispanics have African dna. I would say 99%. African Moors ruled Spain for centuries then when Spain colonized the Americas they brought millions African slaves and intermixed with them so the so called “Latina” look is just an African admixed look all over Latin America. Africans have lent their genes to only be disrespected and not acknowledged thereby creating a brown ethnic group of people who hate their black African genes and act like they dont exist.
Thas has be proven to be false by genetics. And only some cities of Spain were ruled by centuries, great oart of Soaun was not. And not all countries in Latin had African slaves, and there is not somwthing like latino look, that is an Amerucan invention
@marjanel
Quote(And not all countries in Latin had African slaves)
refresh my memory please ,Which ones didn’t?
From USA Today:
“Markle will be the first divorced, biracial, Jewish American actress to join the British royal family.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2017/11/27/live-stream-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-hold-media-photo-op/897026001/
Indeed.
LOL.
That means that if the first six people in line die in a horrible and unpreventable accident, then the King or Queen of the United Kingdom (Meghan’s child) will be Jewish.
So, she’s Jewish from her maternal side? Interesting…
I feel like both of her parents are Jewish.
Bustle tells us that Meghan comes from a Jewish family.
https://www.bustle.com/p/what-will-meghan-markles-title-be-she-could-follow-in-kates-footsteps-5554493
@Bablah Meghan has no Jewish on her moms side. Meghan married a Jew. Her first husband Trevor Engleson was Jewish
@Follers Meghan is not Jewish at all . Meghan became and converted to Judaism I believe because her first husband was Jewish
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=159101220
http://gw.geneanet.org/jybcelebs?lang=en&pz=keira+christina&nz=knightley&ocz=0&m=A&p=rachel+meghan&n=markle&siblings=on¬es=on&t=T&v=6&image=on&marriage=on&full=on
I was wondering which site would be the first to copy my discoveries.
Did you find Abigail Breslin’s Jewish ancestry?
I finally traced her father’s side.
It’s odd how the British tabloids are saying that Markle is of Jewish heritage. They really should check here first.
I believe we’re the first on the net to find her paternal genealogy.
>It’s odd how the British tabloids are saying
British tabloids would write she was Martian if it would sell papers.