While Meghan Markle and Princess Margaret never crossed paths, as Princess Margaret passed away before Meghan became a prominent royal figure, an intriguing comparison has emerged between these two women connected to the British Royal Family. This comparison centers around a shared, perhaps unexpected, passion: a love for performing arts.
Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, lived a life steeped in royal tradition and duty. However, beyond her royal obligations, she harbored a deep enthusiasm for performance, a trait often overshadowed by her more publicized royal life. During World War II, while residing at Windsor Castle, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret engaged in annual Christmas pantomimes. These weren’t merely private family affairs; they were performances staged to raise funds for charities supporting the armed forces. Local newspapers at the time highlighted Princess Margaret’s exceptional talent during these performances, noting how she truly “shone” on stage. Marian Crawford, the princesses’ governess, corroborated this in her 1950 book, “The Little Princesses,” detailing Margaret’s “considerable talent” for performing and her ability to amuse her family with impressions.
Meghan Markle, on the other hand, is widely known for her successful acting career before marrying Prince Harry. Her role as Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits propelled her to international fame. Unlike Princess Margaret, Meghan had the opportunity to fully explore and establish herself in the world of acting before embracing royal duties. This distinction is crucial; Princess Margaret’s royal role largely prevented her from pursuing her performance aspirations professionally, whereas Meghan entered royal life after achieving significant success in her chosen field.
The parallel lies in this underlying passion for performance. Both women, in their own ways and within their respective contexts, have demonstrated a natural affinity for the stage and screen. While Princess Margaret’s talents were primarily showcased in private and charitable settings due to her royal constraints, Meghan Markle leveraged her acting prowess to build a career and public identity. Now, even after stepping back from royal duties, Meghan remains in the public eye through ventures like her Spotify podcast Archetypes and a Netflix documentary series, indicating a continued engagement with media and performance, albeit in different forms. This ongoing presence in the media landscape, coupled with her past acting success, further strengthens the comparison to Princess Margaret – two royal-adjacent figures with an undeniable connection to the world of performance, even if their paths and opportunities diverged significantly. The comparison serves as a reminder that beneath the layers of royal titles and public personas, individual passions and talents often persist, shaping lives in both visible and subtle ways.
