Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Gave Meghan Markle Her Blessing To Continue Acting

Meghan Markle was a relatively well-known actor, particularly in the US, when she married Prince Harry and joined the ranks of the British monarchy, thereby necessitating a major career change. As Harper's Bazaar noted back in 2017, during the couple's very first joint interview, Meghan confirmed she was giving up acting to be a full-time royal. "What's been really exciting, as we talk about this as the transition out of my career ... is that the causes that have been very important to me, I can focus even more energy on," she shared.

Sadly, just a few years later, the former "Suits" star was forced to confront the reality of her decision, and according to well-placed sources, she really regretted giving up her career. Queen Elizabeth's biographer, Sally Bedell Smith, revealed during a chat with Vanity Fair that it was especially hard for Meghan to contend with because "what she was expected to do in the royal family didn't compare with what she had been accustomed to."

Although Bedell Smith acknowledged that being a royal is obviously a hugely privileged position, she also pointed out that it requires giving up "a lot of things that may have meant a lot to you and [having to] dedicate yourself to an institution that's 1,000 years old." According to new research, though, Her Majesty didn't demand that Meghan stop acting.

Meghan Markle had a big career opportunity put on hold after the queen's death, and it's generally believed that the Duchess of Sussex was advised to give up acting when she joined the royal family. However, according to a new book by former Conservative Member of the Parliament Gyles Brandreth, Her Majesty actually encouraged Meghan to keep going. Per the Daily Mail, "Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait" details how much the late monarch truly adored her grandson, Prince Harry.

As such, the queen tried her best to make Meghan feel comfortable in their family, including reportedly telling her, "You can carry on being an actress if you like — that's your profession, after all." And yet, it's also noted that Her Majesty was thrilled when Meghan decided to focus on being a full-time royal instead. Elsewhere, she empathized with the duchess's broken family, buttressing previous claims about the queen's desire to reunite Meghan and her estranged father.

Royal author Katie Nicholl made the assertion in her own book, "The New Royals," as Page Six reported at the time. "The queen could see how damaging the situation was between Meghan and her father and she did speak to Meghan about it and tried to encourage her to talk to Thomas," Nicholl wrote. As for the Sussexes' controversial decision to name their daughter, Lilibet, after the beloved monarch's childhood nickname, Brandreth confirms she thought it was "very pretty and seems just right."