Meghan Markle Looks So Different In Throwback Pics From The Time She Was On Nickelodeon
It's no secret that Meghan Markle lived a lavish life prior to meeting Prince Harry, whom she married in 2018. Among a slew of various acting credits, she was a regular on "Suits" for seven seasons and had an A-list posse of friends. But before Markle was running lines, she landed a spot on Nickelodeon in 1993 after speaking out about something she felt was wrong.
At age 12, Markle made her first ever TV appearance on "Nick News" after a social studies assignment prompted her to assess the messaging in commercials. An advert for Ivory Dishwashing Liquid particularly irked Markle because of the sexist language it used: "Women are fighting greasy pots and pans." She wrote to Proctor and Gamble asking that the language be changed to "people all over America." After receiving Markle's letter," the company took her advice and edited the commercial, which landed her a spot on "Nick News."
Did you know a young Meghan Markle appeared on Nick News? Watch her in action: https://t.co/12Ls4wOrEn 👑 pic.twitter.com/0GVAB8Wqn4
— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) May 19, 2018
Linda Ellaebee, who hosted the now-defunct Nickelodeon program, recounted how determined Markle was even as a kid to Inside Edition in 2017. "She believed in women, she believed in her own power, and she wasn't afraid to reach out and say I want my power, I want my rights," she said of Markle. This image of young Markle is also significant because it also shows Markle rocking her naturally curly hair. Since being cast in the public light, Markle has opted for straight hair.
Meghan Markle has continued to be a feminist icon
Since her appearance on "Nick News," Meghan Markle has continued to advocate for gender equality, a stance which the Royal family regards as breaking protocol. In 2014, she spoke at the One Young World conference about how she had to have a word with the creators of "Suits" after her character kept being written into scenes wearing nothing but a towel. "I said, no, not doing it anymore. I called the creator and I said and I was like, it's just gratuitous, we get it, we've already seen it once. So I think at a certain point you feel empowered enough to just say no," she said (via The Sun).
In 2015, before meeting Prince Harry, Markle delivered a speech at the U.N. Women's Conference on International Women's Day, promoting gender equality and female empowerment. She also penned an essay for Time in 2017 about the stigma of menstruation in the developing world. After joining the Royal family, Markle continued to fight for women making public appearances all over the world discussing important topics like gender-based violence, suffrage, and the importance that girls receive an education.
Imagine the joy Markle must feel when looking back on that video of her Nickelodeon and being able to tell her younger self that she's using her voice and platform for good.