Meghan Markle is celebrating her 43rd birthday today, August 4 and Express.co.uk takes a look at some of her best moments over the years.

Meghan Markle is celebrating her 43rd birthday today, with the former working royal likely marking the day with Prince Harry and their two children in California.

Born on August 4, 1981, Meghan was the youngest of three – having two elder half-siblings, Thomas Markle Jr and Samantha Markle.

She is the only child of Doria Ragland, while Thomas Markle Sr is father to her half-siblings.

Her parents split up when she was just six years old and, although now estranged from her father, Meghan has remained close to her mother.

In light of the Duchess of Sussex’s big day, Express.co.uk looks at 11 incredible pictures of her – from an acting star to an adoring mother of two.

When Meghan was just 11 years old, she wrote to Procter & Gamble, asking them to change a dishwashing soap advert that was targeted exclusively at women. The aspiring actress asked them to change their advert from “women” to “people”. She attended Immaculate Heart from the ages of 12 to 17, a time where she felt like an “ugly duckling” and a “smart one” – rather than “conventionally beautiful”.

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The 43-year-old then went on to study theatre and international relations at Northwestern University School of Communication, Illinois. Prior to her first big acting role in US drama Suits, Meghan had minor roles in a few TV shows and independent films. She also worked briefly as a briefcase girl on Deal or No Deal. Meghan started as Rachel Zane on Suits between 2011 and 2017. The former working royal also ran a lifestyle blog, The Tig, between 2014 and 2017.

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Prior to her marriage to Prince Harry, whom she met in 2016, Meghan was married to film producer and actor Trevor Engelson for two years. Meghan and Harry met via a mutual friend, having their first date whilst the Duchess was visiting London. For their third date, the couple headed to Botswana and camped under the stars. The couple made their first public appearance at the Invictus Games in Canada in September 2017.

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Meghan and Harry became engaged in November 2017, with Meghan later revealing that the Duke proposed over a roast chicken dinner. Speaking in their official engagement interview, Harry detailed their relationship as “perfect”, while the former actress referred to their courtship as “authentic and organic”. Discussing the moment Harry proposed, Meghan said: “[It was an] amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”

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Meghan revealed in their engagement interview that she knew very little – if anything – about Harry prior to meeting him. She said: “It was really refreshing because given that I didn’t know a lot about him. Everything that I’ve learned about him, I learned through him…” Upon being asked about her career, the interviewer asked if she was “giving up” her career, to which she said: “I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change.”

(Image: GETTY)