The soon-to-be royal developed an early love for travel, declaring one sight in Brussels the "oddest thing" she had ever seen!
It’s no secret that Meghan Markle loves to travel, having enjoyed girly getaways to Spain, sunshine in Mexico and camper van trips around New Zealand long before she met Prince Harry.
Now, as the former actress prepares to set her roots firmly in the U.K. with Saturday’s wedding to Prince Harry, ET can reveal rare footage from the gorgeous globetrotter’s teenage adventures.
The soon-to-be Duchess of Sussex got her first taste of the U.K. and Europe while joining her best friend’s family on a trip abroad at the age of 15.
Checking out Brussels, where she declared the Atomium “the oddest thing I’ve ever seen,” she also visited Switzerland, where she fittingly wrote, “Star to be” on a rooftop.
Meghan can even be seen practicing French in the fun footage. “Bien sur,” she’s heard saying in one clip, a phrase that translates to, “Of course.”
In the U.K., Markle is shown waving to the camera while enjoying a 1996 sightseeing tour of London, during which a passenger is heard saying, “The chances of meeting the queen are pretty slim.”
Not for Meghan!
Having also been photographed with her friend outside Buckingham Palace, Meghan’s early interest in the royal family was evident during her early travels.
“She had a fascination with Princess Diana,” royal expert Katie Nicholl says. “She had Andrew Morton’s book on her bookshelf as a child and one of her childhood friends, her mother also showed videos of Princess Diana. Meghan grew up very aware of Princess Diana and like most children of her generation, quite in awe of Diana. I certainly think that Diana has been an inspiration for Meghan.”
How Meghan and Harry might pay tribute to Diana on their special day will be seen in coming days as the two tie the knot in Windsor, England.
However, it seems the beloved princess won’t be the only parent missing from the wedding. According to TMZ, Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, will no longer be walking his daughter down the aisle. The outlet reports that Thomas suffered a heart attack six days ago and had checked himself out of the hospital to attend the wedding, but has bowed out of the event after being accused of staging paparazzi photos.
See more on the royal wedding below.
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