<p id=”par-1_75″>Meghan Markle didn’t have the easiest time when she first started dating <a href=”https://cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-harry”>Prince Harry</a> back in 2016. Although the two did their best to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/meghan-markle-prince-harry-first-halloween-together-surprisingly-turning-point-relationship.html/”>keep the relationship a secret</a> for as long as possible, Harry and Meghan eventually went public, leading the press to dig into Meghan’s past and pull up anything they could find. It set the stage for constant negative media attention and ultimately forced Harry and Meghan to leave the royal family.</p>
<p id=”par-2_31″>Meghan has always been independent; she lived a whole life before meeting Harry in her mid-thirties. And one expert says she always had intentions of following in Princess Diana’s independent footsteps.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-large” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” fetchpriority=”high” width=”1200″ height=”859″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=1024&h=733&strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Meghan Markle” class=”wp-image-3653843″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=640&h=458 640w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=1024&h=733 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=768&h=550 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=489&h=350 489w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=236&h=169 236w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=200&h=143 200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=708&h=507 708w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-4.jpg?w=84&h=60 84w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Meghan Markle | Charles McQuillan/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-meghan-markle-and-princess-diana-have-more-in-common-than-you-might-think”>Meghan Markle and Princess Diana have more in common than you might think</h2>
<p id=”par-3_65″>The biggest difference between Diana and Meghan might be the quality of their relationships; it’s no secret that Diana and Charles <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/king-charles-made-terrible-confession-princess-diana-night-wedding.html/”>didn’t have the best marriage</a>. But the two women actually had a lot in common as royals. Meghan and Diana both loved their independence, which took precedence over their royal reputations. And one expert thinks Meghan had always wanted to follow in Diana’s footsteps.</p>
<p id=”par-4_36″>“When Meghan was first brought into the royal family, it elevated her status to a global scale,” body language expert Darren Stanton said, on behalf of <a href=”https://casino.betfair.com/”>Betfair</a> (via <a href=”https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1886729/meghan-markle-follow-princess-diana-footsteps-headstrong-move”>Express</a>). “She holds great precedence with Princess Diana.”</p>
<p id=”par-5_42″>Stanton continued, “She followed her heart and what she cared about over everything else.” He also added that she “represents a lot of strength” given that she was able to step away from the royal family when she felt she had to.</p>
<p id=”par-6_29″>“There are lots of parallels between them, and I get a sense Meghan wanted to follow in her footsteps. They both share a passion and drive to help others.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-large” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”800″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=1024&h=683&strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Meghan Markle” class=”wp-image-3653847″ srcset=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg 1200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=640&h=427 640w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=1024&h=683 1024w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=150&h=100 150w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=768&h=512 768w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=525&h=350 525w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=254&h=169 254w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=200&h=133 200w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=761&h=507 761w, https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Meghan-Markle-Princess-Diana-5.jpg?w=90&h=60 90w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/prince-harry-words-meghan-markle-upcoming-uk-trip.html/”>
Prince Harry Had 7 Words for Meghan Markle About Their Upcoming UK Trip </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-might-have-had-the-right-idea-by-stepping-away”>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might have had the right idea by stepping away</h2>
<p id=”par-7_81″>Meghan wanted to live life on her own terms, but so did Harry — and it was a big reason why they stepped back from their senior royal roles. At first, many disliked the couple’s decision, but after recently seeing the lack of privacy Kate Middleton received amid her cancer battle, it’s possible that Harry and Meghan weren’t in the wrong after all — and it shed some light on <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/expert-calls-royal-family-prison-of-gold-amid-current-privacy-issues.html/”>the royal family’s ways</a> and why they did what they did.</p>
<p id=”par-8_80″>Of course, the Sussexes and Wales families have a long way to go before they can get back on good terms, but it’s possible that Prince William now sees a little more of his brother’s perspective than before, and that Harry has a little more sympathy for his brother and sister-in-law than he previously did. Time will tell if the two couples can work through their troubles, but the Sussexes’ upcoming UK trip in May might be just the ticket.</p>