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How Meghan Markle Evolved From Free-Spirited LA Actress to Cutthroat Royal

Ever since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced their engagement, the press and royal fangirls have been in a tizzy over Meghan's qualifications. Simply put — they don't think she's fit to be a royal. We sort of understand where they're coming from. On the outside, Meghan is a C-list actress who stripped down for racy makout scenes on Suits and was a "briefcase girl" on Deal or No Deal. But while Meghan was climbing the inevitable (and sometimes unglamarous) ladder into stardom, what people didn't notice were all the things she was doing behind the scenes. She hustled, she networked, she cut ties, and yes, she was a bit of social climber. But is that a bad thing?

"Meghan likes to move on," former agent Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne told The Daily Mail about Meghan's habit of "letting go" of people who don't share her vision. "What people don't realize about Meghan is that she is ferociously intelligent. Even then she was starting to think about her career after Suits." According to Gina, after Meghan started dating Prince Harry, she noticed a change in the 36-year-old's behavior right away.

"There was a big change in her then," Gina said. "She did give me a bit of a difficult time. At the event, when Meghan was asked by a young reporter for 'a few words', she snapped: 'Talk to my agent.' The journalist was taken aback and I was a little shocked because she had never done that before. She was always warm and accommodating to everyone previously, which I think is her real nature. From that moment on, it seemed to become much harder for her to do anything outside the official brief."

That story might not portray Meghan in a good light, but the world of royalty is ruthless, cutthroat, and definitely not for sensitive people who can't handle it — and judging by Meghan's history, she totally can. Below, 10 ways Meghan has fought to clinch her royal title.