Meghan Markle's early personal history resurfaced this week after television personality Bethenny Frankel said the Duchess of Sussex's ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, once predicted she would ultimately marry Prince Harry. Frankel made the claim during a Nov. 12 episode of The Toast podcast, describing a 2016 encounter with Engelson at Chicago's Soho House, months before Harry and Markle's relationship became public. The account has renewed public interest in Markle's early Hollywood years and the relationship that preceded her entry into the royal family.
Frankel said she met Engelson in 2016 and only later learned of Markle's connection to the former film producer. "He said his ex was a woman from a show called Suits," Frankel recalled, adding, "I didn't know what the show was, I didn't know the woman." When photographs surfaced of Prince Harry dating an actress, Frankel said she contacted Engelson to confirm the identity of his former spouse.
According to Frankel, Engelson confirmed that Markle was his ex-wife and offered a confident prediction when she asked if Markle might marry the prince. "He was like, 'Oh, she'll close.' I don't want to get into more about that, but he was like, 'She'll close,'" Frankel said. The remark, now circulating widely online, has ignited discussion about Markle's trajectory from television actress to member of the British royal family.
Markle and Engelson were married from 2011 to 2014, a period that overlapped with her rising profile on Suits. Their marriage ended after long-distance strains, with Markle based in Toronto for filming and Engelson remaining in Los Angeles. The divorce was finalized two years before Markle met Harry in 2016, beginning a romance that rapidly escalated to their 2017 engagement and 2018 wedding.
Frankel offered her own view of Markle's impact on the monarchy, telling podcast hosts, "I thought she was wonderful and was so great for the monarchy." Her comment enters an ongoing debate over the couple's decision to step back from royal duties and resettle in Montecito, Calif., where they now raise their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Public reaction to Frankel's story has been swift, with social media audiences dissecting Engelson's phrase "she'll close." Some interpret it as admiration for Markle's determination and composure, while others frame it as a pointed critique of her ambition. The resurfaced anecdote has also revived long-standing questions about how Markle's past relationships and professional background shaped the direction of her public life.
