Long before becoming a global figure and member of Britain’s royal family, Meghan Markle was simply a young girl growing up in Los Angeles, trying to understand where she fit in.
Born to Doria Ragland, who is Black, and Thomas Markle Sr., who is white, Markle has spoken openly about the challenges she faced as a biracial child. In interviews over the years, she explained that she sometimes felt caught between worlds, unsure how others perceived her identity.
Markle once described herself as a “latchkey kid,” often returning home to an empty house while both of her parents worked long hours. Her mother earned a living as a makeup artist while her father worked behind the scenes in television production.
Meals during those years were often simple and quick, she recalled, including microwave dinners and fast food. Evenings sometimes included watching trivia shows like Jeopardy! while eating at a TV tray.
Not everyone agrees with Markle’s recollection of those early years. Her father has publicly disputed some aspects of her childhood stories, including her description of growing up largely on convenience foods. He has also said he regularly picked her up from school or arranged transportation if he was busy with work.
One experience Markle says shaped her childhood involved the reactions she and her mother received when they were together in public. Because many people assumed Markle was white, strangers occasionally questioned how she could have a dark-skinned mother. Ragland has recalled being mistaken for a nanny while out with her daughter.
Markle’s parents separated when she was young. For several years, she spent time with both parents before eventually living primarily with her father while her mother pursued career opportunities elsewhere.
Ragland later moved to a predominantly Black neighborhood outside the San Fernando Valley. Despite the distance, she remained an important influence in her daughter’s life. Ragland has spoken about a strong circle of women who helped support Markle as she grew up, describing her daughter as kind, mature, and naturally friendly.
As a teenager, Markle has said she struggled with the same insecurities many young people face, though she also felt the added pressure of navigating life as someone who didn’t fit neatly into one category.
She described herself as a self-proclaimed “nerd,” noting that academics became a big part of her identity during her school years. At just 11 years old, Markle even wrote letters challenging a television commercial she believed promoted sexist stereotypes.
Financially, the family lived modestly. Markle later recalled feeling grateful for simple outings, including visits to the salad bar at Sizzler or meals at The Old Spaghetti Factory with her Girl Scouts troop.
Her family’s circumstances improved after her father reportedly won a substantial lottery prize, which relatives say helped fund Markle’s education and training.
During her teenage years, Markle began working various jobs—from babysitting to selling donuts at a small stand called Little Orbit. Around the same time, she developed an interest in acting while spending time on the set of Married… with Children, where her father worked as a lighting director.
Her acting career eventually took off when she landed the role of Rachel Zane on Suits, bringing her international recognition.
In 2016, Markle met Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II grandson. The couple married in a widely watched ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2018.
They later welcomed two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
In recent years, Markle has continued to share personal aspects of her life, including health challenges she faced after childbirth. During an episode of her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, she revealed that she experienced Postpartum Preeclampsia, describing it as a frightening and unexpected medical scare.
From modest beginnings in Los Angeles to global fame and royal life, Markle’s story reflects a journey marked by ambition, resilience, and the determination to carve out her own identity.
Gen Z Is Ditching Smartphones for Flip Phones and Typewriters — And Parents Are All In
In a world where our thumbs are practically fused to glowing rectangles, a quiet rebellion is brewing. Gen Z, the generation raised on infinite scrolls and algorithm-fed dopamine hits, is hitting the brakes — hard. They’re trading sleek iPhones for clunky Nokia flip phones, dusting off old iPods, snapping pics with actual digital cameras, and yes, even clacking away on vintage typewriters. And it’s not just edgy college kids; parents are jumping on the bandwagon too, desperate to claw back some semblance of childhood innocence before the doomscrolling claims another soul.
@pixe.lpopHow I’m starting my 2026! #y2k #flipphone #retro
Take Sonya Saydakova, a 23-year-old NYU grad student who swapped her iPhone for a basic Nokia flip phone about a year ago. “It’s an indescribable feeling to feel so detached and not constantly available,” she told reporters. She’s since picked up a movie theater membership, a point-and-shoot camera, a CD player, and ditched Spotify entirely. Now she asks strangers for directions instead of burying her face in Google Maps — and those little human interactions? They’ve made her life richer, less anxious, and oddly more focused. Her verdict: “We’re culturally at a breaking point. People are just sick of it.”
I get it. Who hasn’t felt that low-level dread after another hour lost to Reels or notifications that never stop pinging? We built these devices to connect us, but somewhere along the way they started owning us. Saydakova’s not alone in feeling liberated by stepping back.
Over in Pennsylvania, Alex Becker, a 34-year-old mom to a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old, wants nothing to do with handing her kids smartphones or iPads. “The second kids get these devices, the innocence of childhood is lost,” she said. She hears it from other parents all the time: one day your kid’s deep in Narnia books, the next they’re obsessing over Instagram filters and skincare routines meant for adults. Becker’s solution? Dusting off her old boombox, thrifting CDs, and letting the kids experience the joy of a full album without the algorithm narrowing their world to a echo chamber of the same five songs. Nostalgia with a purpose.
The numbers back up the vibe shift. Refurbished electronics marketplace Back Market has noticed surging demand for Wi-Fi-free iPods, MP3 players, handheld cameras, and vintage gaming consoles. eBay reported iPod searches averaging over 1,300 per hour globally last year, with prices climbing 40-60%. People aren’t just nostalgic — they’re voting with their wallets for tech that doesn’t demand their constant attention.
Then there’s Dean Jamieson, a Brooklyn fiction writer who traded his laptop for a 1964 Olivetti Lettera 32 manual typewriter. No internet distractions, just the satisfying clack of keys and the tangibility of paper. “The biggest thing is having no access to the internet,” he said. “When you’re trying to write on your computer, I find it to be very distracting and destructive.” His girlfriend scored it on eBay for his birthday, and now he’s all in on the tactile joy of real editing. It’s a small act of defiance against the blinking cursor of doom.
Others are getting creative with limits. New Yorker Rachel Reich, burned out from years of Instagram addiction that started when she was just 9, downgraded to a tiny UniHertz Jelly Star smartphone with a 3-inch screen after her iPhone died. “It’s bite-sized,” she said triumphantly. “It structurally inhibits you from going on it.” Cheap, too — a fraction of flagship phone prices.
Parents like Washington, D.C. mom Elizabeth Mitchell are trying to rewind the pandemic-era reliance on screens for everything. She bought her 13-year-old disposable cameras and a used iPod to keep music offline and away from endless feeds. Photographers in NYC are rediscovering film cameras from the 1930s, letting young people experience the deliberate, imperfect magic of analog for the first time.
There’s an environmental angle here too. E-waste is exploding — 62 million tons globally in 2022 alone, full of toxins like lead and mercury. Many of these retro adopters cite the “sinister feeling” of endless consumption and are choosing refurbished or secondhand to slow the cycle.
Look, I’m not saying we should all smash our phones and go full Luddite (though some days it sounds tempting). But this pushback feels like a healthy correction. We’ve outsourced so much of our attention, memory, and even social skills to silicon and servers. A flip phone won’t solve everything, but forcing yourself to be less available, more present, and occasionally bored? That might be the real upgrade we’ve been missing.
What about you — ready to trade your smartphone for a typewriter, or is this just another fleeting trend? The retro revolution is here, whether Big Tech likes it or not.
Whoopi Goldberg Addresses Rumors That Her And Joy Behar Have Been ‘Fired’ From ‘The View’
Rumors have been swirling around The View once again — but this time, Whoopi Goldberg is setting the record straight. After an extended break from the show, Goldberg returned to the table and addressed the speculation head-on, putting to rest rumors that she and longtime co-host Joy Behar had been shown the door.
During a recent episode, Goldberg halted the usual sign-off to deliver a direct message to viewers. “If you’ve seen anything online claiming Joy and I have been fired — let me be clear: We’re still here!” she declared, drawing applause from the audience. Behar responded with a chuckle, quipping “Sorry!” in a cheerful jab at the false reports.
The comments come amid growing speculation about contract renewals as Season 28 winds down. Several key co-hosts, including Goldberg, Behar, and Sunny Hostin, are reportedly at the end of their current deals, and fans have been eager to learn whether they’ll return for Season 29.
Adding to the buzz is ABC’s recent launch of The Weekend View, a spinoff project that’s being closely watched by insiders as the network tests new formats and talent. While ABC hasn’t made any official announcements about lineup changes, Goldberg’s on-air statement was a clear signal that she and Behar have no intention of leaving just yet.
Goldberg’s absence from the show had sparked questions, especially as her time off coincided with Paris Fashion Week. But she was quick to explain she wasn’t on vacation — she had professional commitments overseas. “I had an actual job to do,” she told her co-hosts, sharing behind-the-scenes clips of her time in Paris. Dressed in a sleek, all-black look, Goldberg appeared energized and in high spirits.
But one notable silence has fans raising eyebrows: Sunny Hostin wasn’t mentioned in Goldberg’s reaffirmation. While Whoopi assured the audience that she and Behar are staying put, there was no update on Hostin’s status. The timing is interesting, as Hostin’s husband, Manny, is reportedly involved in a legal battle over insurance fraud allegations — though he maintains his innocence through legal counsel.
As of now, there’s been no official word on whether Hostin will return in the fall, leaving viewers wondering if a shake-up could be on the horizon.
Despite all the drama, Goldberg’s return and public comments signal stability — at least for now. “We’re still here,” she reminded viewers. And for fans of The View, that’s all they needed to hear.
