In 2022, Meghan Markle—a duchess, a mother, a resident of Santa Barbara, and a friend to celebrities—is also one of the most polarizing people in Britain. But in episode four of DYNASTY: The Windsors, cohosts Katie Nicholl and Erin Vanderhoof and look back at a time before the Los Angeles native and her husband, Prince Harry, shook up the royal family. In the mid-2010s, when Meghan had just found success as an actor on Suits and attracted followers with her Instagram account and blog, The Tig. Guest Michelle Ruiz, a writer and Vanity Fair contributor, explains that Meghan was looking to do something bigger with her life.

First, she became a U.N. women’s advocate and went on humanitarian trips to India and Rwanda. Then, she went on a few dates with a prince—and that’s when everything started to change. When the news broke that Meghan and Harry were an item, it led to a rash of tabloid interest, some of it tinged with racism. During the run-up to their May 2018 wedding, optimism for the future was mixed with harsh online attacks. According to columnist and commentator Afua Hagan, Meghan’s rise to the upper echelon of British society revealed some deep-seated issues in the increasingly multicultural country.

In this episode, coauthor of Finding Freedom Omid Scobie explains that despite any criticism Meghan received, she wasn’t going to compromise her authenticity. When Meghan officially became a senior royal after the wedding, it was clear that she excelled in the role. So why, nearly four years later, has she moved so far away from the palace? Guest Julie Montagu, also known as “American Viscountess” on Instagram and YouTube, explains the culture shock and long adjustment period when a normal person first enters the aristocracy.

Listen to the episode in the player above, and don’t forget to tune in next Tuesday, May 17, when DYNASTY: The Windsors returns with an episode that explores the pressures and constraints for royal mothers—and how Princess Diana changed everything. Subscribe at listen.vanityfair.com/dynasty or wherever you get your podcasts.