How Meghan Markle's style has evolved from gifting suites to potential royalty

The INSIDER Summary:

• Before Meghan Markle was in talks to become royalty, she was just another up and coming actress.
• Markle was frequently spotted at gifting suites.
• Today, she has moved up to the front row of fashion shows as Hollywood royalty.
• Markle's style has evolved since she started out in Hollywood to the moment she was recognized as Prince Harry's girlfriend.

Before Meghan Markle was poised to become royalty, and ready to replace acting with more philanthropic endeavors, she was just another up and coming actress with a side hustle (her lifestyle blog, obviously). When the Northwestern grad first began attending events, she wasn’t exactly high on the totem pole of Hollywood royalty.

Now, her style has evolved, befitting someone regal, and her fitted A-line dresses wouldn’t look out of place on Kate Middleton. Still, there’s something to be said for her earlier looks and the events she wore them to—instead of attending royal weddings and jetting to Norway like a "Bachelor" contestant, she was most at home in off-brand gifting suites.

Over the years, Markle moved on from going to those NYFW gifting suites to sitting front row at shows. She has been particularly fond of Marchesa (they also design wedding gowns) and Herve Leger’s bandage dresses, and was most often spotted in some variation of hot pink, with a particular affinity for the aforementioned going out dresses.

In honor of her 36th birthday recently, scroll through her photos over the years to see how her many appearances began to change once she was linked to Prince Harry.

Racking up the swag bags at a pre-Emmy gifting lounge in 2009.

Spotted at the Some Kind-a Gorgeous Style and Beauty Lounge at the Chateau Marmont way back in 2010, collecting all of her swag bags.

The Northwestern grad wears a hot pink dress best suited for a high school Homecoming dance to a 2012 ball in Toronto, where she films "Suits."