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With another season of With Love, Meghan on the horizon, it’s easy to see why Meghan Markle is successful. What many people don’t know is how her first marriage to Trevor Engelson might have helped pave her future path.
Sean Smith wrote in his 2020 book, Meghan Misunderstood, that the Duchess of Sussex was always a hard worker, per the Daily Mail. “From Meghan’s point of view, the important consideration was that she did not give up,” he wrote. And that’s where Engelson comes into play.
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According to the royal author, Meghan “adapted and adopted” her first husband’s favorite mantra: “Don’t give it five minutes if you’re not going to give it five years.” When life at the palace became unbearable for both Prince Harry and Meghan — and no one was willing to help them find solutions — they left the U.K. for a path that better suited them.
Trevor Engelson (L) and wife actress Meghan Markle arrives at the Anti-Defamation League Entertainment Industry Awards Dinner Honoring Ryan Kavanaugh at The Beverly Hilton hotel on October 11, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California.
WireImage
Meghan married the film producer in 2011 after six years of dating, but their wedded bliss didn’t last long. Within two years, they called it quits and finalized their divorce in 2014. It seems that the distance between Meghan, living in Toronto, Canada to film Suits, and Engelson living in Los Angeles for his career took its toll.
Meghan’s childhood friend Ninaki Priddy described Meghan and Engelson’s wedding as “beautiful” to the Daily Mail in 2017 — and she should know, she was the maid of honor at the Ocho Rios, Jamaica ceremony.
‘It was such a shock when she told me they were getting divorced. After about three seasons of Suits, she called me and said she wanted me to know because it was going to come out in the papers,” Priddy claimed. “I knew they fought sometimes, but it wasn’t anything huge. The only obstacle was the distance because she was living in Toronto and Trevor was based in LA.”
Still, both sides have remained silent about their 2014 divorce, but it sounds like Meghan walked away with valuable advice from Engelson. It’s officially been over five years since Harry and Meghan made their bombshell announcement, per Instagram.
“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” they wrote in the caption. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.”
No one could have predicted what came next in their royal story, but the seed might have been planted by Engelson years before. His advice perhaps gave Meghan the courage she needed to do a very hard thing.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
