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11-Year-Old Meghan Markle Got Company To Change Its Advertising Because 'It Was Sexist'

11-Year-Old Meghan Markle Got Company To Change Its Advertising Because 'It Was Sexist'

She's since worked with several charities and the United Nations to help empower women to realise their potential.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

People are working hard to dig into the soon-to-be newest member of the Royal family to see what she was like before she met Prince Harry or even appeared in the smash legal drama Suits. Well before she was portraying Rachel Zane, or even any on-screen character, Meghan Markle was making headlines around the US when she was just 11.

Credit: Inside Edition

The young Meghan couldn't believe her eyes when she watched a series of commercials which all seemed to have the words 'women' and 'cleaning' in the same sentence. One ad in particular stood out to the 11-year-old, which was for Ivory dish washing liquid because it said: "Women are fighting greasy pots and pans".

She said to the camera: "Just about one in every three commercials is going to say something that's gonna hurt somebody's feelings."

Meghan wrote a letter to Proctor and Gamble, which owned Ivory, asking the company to produce adverts in the future which apply to people 'all over' America. Incredibly, the massive consumer goods corporation actually changed the video to say 'people' rather than 'women'.

It wasn't until years later, when she was addressing a United Nations Women's conference that she acknowledged what a truly impressive feat that was. Ms Markle told the audience: "Two boys from my class said 'yeah that's where women belong, in the kitchen'.

"I remember feeling shocked and angry and also just feeling so hurt - it just wasn't right, and something need to be done.

"So, I went home and I told my dad what had happened and he encouraged me to write letters. So I did - to the most powerful people I could think of. Now my 11-year-old self worked out that if I really wanted someone to hear me, well then, I should write a letter to the First Lady.

"To my surprise, I received letters of encouragement from Hilary Clinton, from Linda Ellerbee and from Gloria Allred."

Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle

Credit: PA

"At the age of 11, I had created my small level of impact by standing up for equality."

But that's not the only place where she has done her bit to ensure the world is a better place. Last year the 36-year-old became an ambassador for World Vision Canada and travelled to Rwanda to help promote a campaign for access to clean drinking water. Ms Markle has also travelled to India to raise awareness for women's issues and is also a counsellor for a charity, One Young World.

Prince Harry surely has nabbed himself a pretty impressive woman.

Featured Image Credit: Inside Edition/PA

Topics: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle