Meghan and her husband Prince Harry famously ditched the Royal Family last year to pursue a more private life in Meghan’s native California. They have since signed a number of lucrative deals, including one with Netflix, believed to be worth ￡109m. Meghan's first project with Netflix, an animated series called 'Pearl', is set to empower young girls, as it features a 12-year-old who takes inspiration from influential women through history as she goes on her adventures.

       The Duchess of Sussex has always been a firm advocate for women's rights and gender equality.

       Prior to meeting Harry and joining the Firm, Meghan was a successful actress, but she was also a UN Women advocate for Political Participation and Leadership.

       In her acting career, her big break was with the hit legal drama Suits, which she starred in as paralegal-turned-attorney Rachel Zane from 2011 to 2018.

       She recorded more than 100 episodes across seven seasons of the show, and has always spoken extremely fondly of her time involved.

       READ MORE Meghan and Harry romance like no other royal: 'It began on Instagram'

       However, in a 2020 documentary, a royal commentator explained how, while filming for the fourth season of Suits, she really had to put her foot down in terms of her role being overly sexualised.

       Alison Eastwood, editor-in-chief of Hello! Canada, told Channel 5’s ‘Meghan: Where Did It All Go Wrong?’ of a complaint Meghan made to the programme’s producers.

       Ms Eastwood revealed: “She once said that every script seems to begin with ‘Rachel enters wearing a towel’ and at some point she put her foot down and was like ‘no, I’m not doing that’.”

       Speaking at the One Young World Conference in 2014, Meghan gave an insight into that phone call during a debate about gender equality.

       DON'T MISS

       Prince William 'wished to be separated from Meghan' [INSIGHT]

       Harry warned that Archie could 'have issues' with Duke's actions [EXCLUSIVE]

       Queen 'understood how difficult it was' for Meghan to marry into Firm [EXPERT]

       She explained: “I rang the creator and I was like, it’s just gratuitous, we get it, we’ve already seen it once.

       “So I think at a certain point you feel empowered enough to just say no.”

       Meghan emphasised that moment signalled a big shift in her acting career, something she may not have felt at ease to do.

       She added: “Look, as an auditioning actress years ago, you’re so hungry for work, of course you’re willing to do things like that.

       “What we need to shift in [women’s] minds is that they have higher value than that and they don’t need to be doing that.

       “So I think for me, speaking up and being able to say I’m not going to do that anymore, has been a big shift for me personally.”

       Meghan announced her retirement from acting upon marrying Harry in 2018, and has since moved behind the camera.

       The couple’s Netflix deal will see them “develop scripted and unscripted series, film, documentaries, and children programming for the streaming service".

       It was confirmed last month that Meghan will executive produce, alongside Sir Elton John’s husband David Furnish, the above mentioned animated series 'Pearl'.

       Meghan is a name of Welsh origin that means ‘pearl’.

       The series will follow 12-year-old girl Pearl who, Meghan said, “is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges”.

       Meghan added the series “celebrates extraordinary women throughout history”.

       Harry, meanwhile, will executive produce the docuseries 'Heart of Invictus'.