Actress, model and UN women advocate, Meghan Markle was born to be a jet-setter. The daughter of a travel agent, Meghan was introduced to foreign culture and cuisine from a young age. Travelling has since turned into a full-time passion for the Suits star, who relishes exploring far-flung destinations from Rwanda to Belize. Her jet-setting lifestyle has led her to launch lifestyle blog TheTig.com, a hub for like-minded lovers of travel, food and fashion.

How did your acting career get started?

I grew up on the set of the TV series Married With Children. My dad was the show’s lighting director and I was there every day after school from the age of nine to 17. I really loved the environment of television and the team of the whole crew working together. I didn’t necessarily think I’d start acting but I knew I’d be in the industry in some capacity.

I would say the story of “how I got discovered” was when I was back in Los Angeles after attending Northwestern University in Chicago and working for the US Embassy. A manager had asked a friend of mine if I was an actress and she gave him a student film I had done. He called me the next day and was like, ‘You’re going to make money and I want to take ten percent – you should stay in LA for a while’. And I did. I was really fortunate. I booked my first audition and that was about 10 years ago now.

What was your first memorable travel experience?

My mother was a travel agent as I grew up, so we would go on many trips. Being in LA, Hawaii and parts of Mexico were the most accessible. I remember being nine years old in Oaxaca, Mexico going to the Day of the Dead festival and eating mole before mole was a cool thing to eat. It’s funny because I can now see how that’s translated into my palate for travel. I think I was really fortunate  – my mother always wanted to expose me to local culture.

You live such a jet-set lifestyle now. Is it something that happened naturally?

I feel like I would have always had the travel bug, but Suits opened so many doors for me. I launched TheTig.com, which is my lifestyle website, last year and I do a lot of travel for that featuring luxury and boutique properties. Suits went on hiatus last November during which I had four months – a chunk of time to rest or to work on projects. In the first month alone I did a USO (United Service Organization) tour and went to seven countries in six days, including Afghanistan, and got to travel on Air Force Two – something you don’t get to do often.

Between hitting the red carpet and filming 'Suits', Meghan travels as often as possible

Some people see the flight as the highlight of the trip. Is that true for you?

I can’t count how many flights I’ve done. My running joke now is that I don’t get to vacation but I’ve learned how to vacation in the sky. Flights are my downtime, where I think: ‘I’m going to have a good meal and a nice glass of wine and I’m going to shut my eyes or watch some movies’. It’s really the only time I can think of where I can just turn it all off. I’m on a plane probably once a week so I can have that sliver of downtime.

And as an actor, you’re on all the time – even when you’re off camera. We’re so fortunate that fans are invested in the show, so even if I’m having a bad day I never forget that this might be their only opportunity to meet me and for them it’s really exciting, so I have to put my bad day aside and be present for them. With flying, I find that there’s that universal ‘do not disturb sign’ of putting headphones on. I find a lot of solace in my flights for sure. 

Why did you start TheTig.com?

I was initially an English major – I really love to write. I was approached by a company a couple of years ago to start a lifestyle website, but it became clear early on that they just wanted use my name, throw a lot of products on there to sell and do all the writing themselves. I walked away from that; it didn’t feel organic to me. Since I had become the go-to girl for most of my friends for the best places to eat or travel, I thought: ‘Why I don’t I create a hub to share all that?’. The name was inspired by Tignanello wine which is nicknamed ‘The Tig’.

You are a UN Advocate for Women’s Leadership & Political Participation. What have you been able to experience abroad because of the UN?

About two or three months ago for my learning mission I went to Rwanda, which was incredible. At 64 percent, their government has the highest number of women in the parliamentary system of any government in the world – it’s pretty remarkable. I got to meet with the female senators as well as women working at a grass-roots level for leadership roles at Gihembe refugee camp, about two hours outside of Kigali. It was unbelievable. The work that I’m doing with the UN is so grounding in an industry where it’s all First Class and hair and makeup and glam; there’s something really great about having a balance. I’m fortunate that I grew up in this industry so I have a level head about it, but I do think that it’s really nice to be able to have something that balances it all.

Where are some of your favourite travel destinations when you have free time?

Being an LA girl, I love the sunshine and the beach so I’m always trying to find a new destination for that. I grew up spending a lot of time in Jamaica, which I really loved, and I’ve started to explore further than that, like Palawan Island in The Philippines. I’ve been spending a lot more time in Europe, which has been fantastic. London has become a second home for me. The Jumeirah Group hosted me while I was in London for five days and their property there was just wonderful. Of course, everyone loves London and Paris, but I always like to explore something a little bit lesser known. I went to Belize and spear fished for lobster and after that adventurous leg of travel, I stayed at the Coppola’s inland property [Blancaneaux Lodge] which is a luxury eco resort. For me, it’s always about finding that balance.

Can you tell us about a memorable luxury property that you’ve recently experienced?

I’m approached to work with a lot of hotel groups, but the synergy isn’t always there. But with Jumeirah – without question – you just fall in love with the place. I’ve never had that kind of experience where they’re anticipating every single need, from the kind of magazine you might want to read in the room to the level of comfort and luxury. I think when you travel the way I do, it’s important to have someone who’s anticipating your needs. I’ve outgrown my phase of hipster hotels where things get lost in the mix. Now, I relish that level of treatment.

What travel destinations are high on your must-visit list?

I think I’m going to be heading to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. It’s considered a luxury destination for foodies and they received a James Beard Award last year for their wine programme by Andy Chabot. The biggest thing I have in the works right now is Villa Antinori [in Tuscany], the wine estate from where The Tig’s namesake comes. They also have a sister winery, called Tormaresca in Puglia, and I’d love to go. If I have a day off, I’ll probably be on a plane.

As UN spokesperson Meghan has travelled to destinations such as Rwanda