Royals

Meghan Markle: Her best and most scandalous moments of 2020

The Duchess of Sussex has certainly had an eventful year!

Since joining the Royal Family in 2018, Meghan Markle hasn’t been afraid to ruffle a few feathers – and this year has been no different.

The 39-year-old has certainly had an eventful 12 months after leaving royal life with husband Prince Harry and settling into their new home in Los Angeles.

Here, we take a look at the Duchess’ most memorable moments of 2020 – plus all the headlines she’s made along the way.

meghan markle lady colin campbell
Meghan Markle has had plenty of memorable moments in 2020 (Credit: SplashNews)

Megan Markle and Prince Harry quit royal family

The couple kicked off the year with a bang after announcing they were stepping down from their senior roles in the royal family.

In a statement shared to their Instagram account, Megan and Harry revealed they intended to work to become “financially independent”.

The pair agreed to continue their work in the Commonwealth by meeting “with young leaders to hear their insights and propel their vision for lasting change”.

They also vowed to continue their charitable work to support the community.

kate middleton and meghan markle
Meghan and Harry stepped down from royal life earlier this year (Credit: SplashNews)

The news left royal fans divided, with Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan calling for the pair to be “stripped of their titles” by the Queen.

He raged: “If I were Her Majesty the Queen, I would unceremoniously strip Harry and Meghan of all their titles with immediate effect and despatch them back into civilian life.”

The Duchess’ big money deals

As well as landing a role in a Disney movie, Meghan also signed a multi-million dollar contract with Netflix this year.

The former actress starred in an original movie on Disney+ called Elephant as a narrator, having agreed to the role in return for a donation to an elephant charity.

The Duchess has divided royal fans this year (Credit: SplashNews.com)

She was also offered some voiceover work on The Simpsons – but nothing came of it.

Speaking to The Radio Times, the show’s producer Al Jean said: “We’ve talked about Harry and Meghan.

“I hear she wants to do voiceover work, so if they’re reading this, give us a call.”

Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce new podcast Archewell Audio

Meanwhile, Meghan and her husband landed a huge Netflix deal in September.

Since announcing their deal, the couple reportedly repaid the £2.4 million spent on Frogmore Cottage renovations.

The new venture will see them produce documentaries, television dramas and movies for the streaming service.

prince harry meghan markle archie
Harry and Meghan moved to Los Angeles with their son (Credit: SplashNews)

Saying goodbye to the UK

The couple officially stepped down from royal duties on March 31 following a string of final public appearances.

They apparently hosted a farewell bash for their staff at The Goring Hotel in London’s Belgravia.

According to the Telegraph, Meghan “shed a tear” over the goodbyes as she prepared to fly back to Canada.

During their visit, the pair also attended the Commonwealth Day Service alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and the Queen.

meghan markle prince harry
The married pair officially stepped down from royal duties in March (Credit: SplashNews)

Meghan and Harry’s move to LA

Despite giving it a go in Canada, Meghan and Harry quickly relocated to Los Angeles with their one-year-old son Archie.

The couple moved into a mansion owned by movie producer Tyler Perry, which is said to be worth $18 million.

However, the move wasn’t exactly easy for Harry.

According to reports, the Prince initially struggled to fit into life in the US.

meghan markle netflix
Meghan and her family moved to LA in March (Credit: SplashNews)

Announcing their charity Archewell

Back in April, the pair made headlines after announcing the name of their new charity, Archewell.

They also revealed the idea for the name inspired the moniker they gave their son, Archie.

The couple outlined in official papers that they planned to use the charity for a number of different reasons.

These included the “organising and conducting support groups for persons in need” and “coordinating social, personal care, and psychological services”.

EXCLUSIVE: Harry and Meghan's call to end structural racism in Britain as they launch new campaign

The Duchess opens up on her miscarriage

Last month, the Duchess revealed she suffered a miscarriage last summer.

Writing in the New York Times, she told how she lost the baby while holding her son Archie.

She wrote: “Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few.”

Read more: Piers Morgan slams Meghan Markle over ‘gifting celebrities vegan coffee after investing in brand’

Meghan added: “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.

“Sitting in a hospital bed, watching my husband’s heart break as he tried to hold the shattered pieces of mine, I realised that the only way to begin to heal is to first ask, ‘Are you OK?'”

The former actress went on to say that the grief was “almost unbearable”.

Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor