The Truth About Meghan Markle's Ex-Husband's New Wife
Megan Markle is known the world over for her road to royalty in the modern-day fairy tale that is her marriage to the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry. Every girl dreams of being a princess, and for the California girl and Hollywood actor, the dream became a reality as the newest betrothed addition to the royal family. The Sussexes' story hasn't been without controversy, however. Like with everything "royal," society is obsessed with discovering every detail, including Meghan's past, present, and potential future.
This wasn't her first wedding, for instance, and among the names tied to the royal family is film producer Trevor Engelson — ex-husband of the now Duchess of Sussex. The pair married in 2011 and divorced two years later in 2013, according to Hello! Engelson went on to find a fairy tale of his own, marrying American royalty — or, at least, as close as it gets to royalty in the United States — when he wed Tracey Kurland, heiress to a fortune of over $200 million courtesy of her father, Stanford Kurland, who founded the loan services company PennyMac Corp, per the Daily Mail.
But what is the truth about Meghan Markle's ex-husband's new wife, and what are some of the stunning similarities between the Engelsons and the Sussexes?
Tracey Kurland may be an heiress, but she earns her own income
Born in 1986, heiress Tracey Kurland is an American national and Los Angeles local, according to Express. She boasts an enviable mix of stunning looks and a sparkling personality — and to top it all off, she's extraordinarily wealthy. Yet, she has a strong work ethic, as well.
Kurland inherited a net worth of $281 million when her father sadly died at age 68 in 2021, according to Bloomberg. Despite inheriting this large fortune, however, the heiress earns an income that comes from her job as a dietician at The Renfrew Center in Los Angeles. She also offers private consultations to help clients "create sustainable changes in regards to disordered eating" and "connect and understand the relationship between their emotions and food," according to LinkedIn.
Kurland got a great head start, though, and has an impressive set of qualifications behind her name, both educationally and professionally. She attended the University of Southern California, where she received her bachelor's degree in communication arts in 2008, before she went on to obtain a master's of science in Nutrition Education in 2014 at the Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City. She returned to Los Angeles in 2015 and has been working as a registered dietician ever since, according to The Sun.
Curious coincidences between the Engelsons and the Sussexes
Tracey Kurland first captured the media's attention after her wedding to Meghan Markle's ex-husband Trevor Engleson in a low-key ceremony at a private home in Hidden Hills, California, according to the Daily Mail. The wedding took place almost exactly a year after the Sussexes' royal wedding and just five days after Meghan and Harry's son Archie Harrison was born. Both couples now share a May wedding anniversary — although both weddings were worlds apart, with guests saying, "It couldn't have been more different than the royal wedding. This was not stuffy! It was fun and casual and absolutely beautiful. Everyone was having the best time, especially Trevor and Tracey," according to The Sun.
Coincidentally, Engelson and Kurland first met in November 2017, the same month Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced their engagement, according to E! News. Months later, in June 2018, just two weeks after the Sussexes high-profile wedding, Engelson proposed to the heiress in the Napa Valley.
Although curious, these coincidences are just that — coincidences. "The bride and groom looked so much in love and very happy together," a guest told the Daily Mail "The whole event was so them." We love happy endings, and we're thrilled that Engelson has found "American Royalty" of his own, just like his ex found her prince.