Before Prince Harry entered the picture, Meghan was deeply devoted to film producer Trevor Engelson. The couple spent seven years together, celebrating their engagement with a lively weekend of parties before holding a lavish Jamaica wedding in September 2011. But the marriage later unraveled, and author Tom Bower — known for his royal connections — prepared to release a book detailing the complexities of their relationship.
Unlike Meghan, Engelson had never publicly discussed their breakup. Royal commentator Neil Sean suggested he may have “a bone to grind,” noting the public had only ever heard Meghan’s side of the story. Andrew Morton’s biography Meghan: A Hollywood Princess described a time when the actress “could not envision” a future without Trevor. Her half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., recalled how inseparable and genuinely happy the pair once seemed. Engelson, he added, “worshipped the earth she walked on.”
But fractures began to appear when Meghan landed her breakout role in Suits, forcing her to move to Toronto while Trevor remained in Los Angeles. Morton wrote that Trevor tried to close the gap by setting up an office in New York, yet distance and lifestyle differences slowly eroded their bond. Meghan’s perfectionism clashed with Trevor’s more easygoing habits, something she began to notice more acutely once they were apart.
Signs of emotional separation accumulated — symbolized in Morton’s account by a $500 Vitamix blender Meghan insisted on taking to Toronto as she built an independent life. In 2013, she filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Trevor later remarried Tracey Kurland and had two children, though Morton noted he remained shaken by the abrupt end of their marriage even years later.
Friends claimed Engelson became visibly upset whenever Meghan’s name was mentioned. Thomas Jr. confirmed that Trevor would speak freely about work — as long as her name never came up.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s new life with Prince Harry sparked speculation of its own. Author Tina Brown predicted Harry might eventually seek a renewed role within the royal family, potentially becoming a “commuter royal,” while Meghan might be reluctant to return to the UK.
Thomas Jr., however, offered a harsh assessment on Big Brother VIP, alleging Meghan had “walked over” her first husband before moving on — and suggesting Harry might one day face a similar fate.
