Her acting career began at Northwestern University, and she played the part of Rachel Zane for seven seasons (2011–2018) in the legal drama series Suits.
This comprehensive guide explores her complete filmography from her early career beginnings to her final acting roles before joining the royal family.
Genre: Legal Drama Role: Rachel Zane Episodes: 100+ episodes across 7 seasons Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock
Markle’s breakthrough and most significant role came as Rachel Zane in the USA Network legal drama Suits.
She played a paralegal-turned-lawyer who works at a prestigious New York law firm alongside Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht).
Rachel is characterised as intelligent, ambitious, and determined to become a lawyer despite not having attended law school initially.
Her romantic relationship with Mike Ross became a central storyline throughout the series. Markle’s performance in Suits established her as a recognisable television actress and remained her most prominent role until she left the show in 2017 to prepare for her royal wedding.
Genre: Game Show Role: Briefcase Model #24 Episodes: Multiple episodes as a regular cast member Where to Watch: Archive footage, various streaming platforms
Early in her career, Markle took on several contract acting and modelling jobs, including a stint as a “briefcase girl” on the US game show Deal or No Deal.
She worked as one of the models who held numbered briefcases containing various cash amounts.
This role provided her with regular television exposure and income during the early stages of her career, though she later described the experience as somewhat limiting creatively.
Genre: Soap Opera Role: Jill Episodes: 2 episodes Where to Watch: ABC streaming platforms, Hulu
Meghan Markle‘s rich career as an actress took in roles as a paralegal, a serial killer and a party animal, but her very first role was in 1995 at the age of 14.
One of her earliest professional acting roles was a brief appearance on the long-running soap opera General Hospital, where she played a character named Jill in two episodes.
Genre: Science Fiction Legal Drama Role: Guest appearance Episodes: 1 episode Where to Watch: Limited availability
Early in her career, Markle had small guest roles on the television shows Century City (2004), The War at Home (2005), and CSI: NY (2004). This short-lived CBS series was set in 2030 and followed lawyers dealing with futuristic legal issues.
Genre: Crime Procedural Role: Margo Episodes: 1 episode (“Murder Sings the Blues”) Where to Watch: Paramount+, CBS streaming
Markle appeared in a guest role as Margo in the CSI: NY episode “Murder Sings the Blues,” showcasing her ability to work within the popular crime procedural format.
The War at Home (2006-2007)
Genre: Sitcom Role: Various characters Episodes: 2 episodes Where to Watch: Digital rental platforms
