Trevor Engelson: who is Meghan Markle’s ex-husband - what was first marriage before Prince Harry like?

The controversial documentary by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has finally been made available on Netflix, despite concerns that it may contain serious allegations about the royal family.

The six-part ‘Harry & Meghan’ docuseries made its premiere on the streaming service on Thursday 8 December at 8am in the UK, as the Windsors prepared for the disclosures of the first three episodes.

The “unprecedented and in-depth” docuseries, directed by the Oscar-nominated Liz Garbus, billed as a “global event” and giving Harry and Meghan the chance to share “the other side of their high-profile love story”, is surely the headline offering from the pair’s lucrative contract with Netflix to make documentaries, children’s programmes, scripted shows, and feature films.

The six-part series will chart the story behind the couple’s highly public relationship. Viewers are yet to be granted access to the final three episodes, but it’s likely that the Royal Family’s reaction to Meghan Markle’s previous marriage will be brought up at some point.

Before Harry, Meghan had been wed before, marrying movie producer Trevor Engelson in Jamaica in 2011. But who exactly is Engelson, and what was the story behind their short-lived nuptials? Here is everything you need to know.

Who is Trevor Engelson?

Trevor Engelson is an American film producer and literary manager, whose work has included producing the TV series Snowfall, as well as the 2010 film Remember Me.

Engelson was born in 1976 in Great Neck, New York, on Long Island. He studied journalism at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, before beginning a career as a production assistant.

He later moved into talent management before founding his own production company, Underground, in 2001, and working on several films and television shows.

How did Engelson and Markle get together?

Engelson and Markle began dating in 2004, and the couple married seven years later. Markle’s first wedding, held on the beach at the popular tourist destination of Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and featuring barefoot dancing by the guests, was very different from her royal wedding.

Grilled cuisine was served to guests before they danced the night away on a small dance floor powdered with beach sand. The ceremony was reportedly partly paid for by Markle’s father, who has said he sold 20,000 dollars (£15,378) worth of Facebook shares to fund the wedding.

They separated after approximately 18 months together, and in March 2014 were granted a no-fault divorce citing “irreconcilable differences”. The marriage is reported to have ended amicably when Markle’s career soared after moving to Toronto to appear on the TV show, Suits.

Engelson attracted significant media attention when Markle became engaged to Prince Harry; in 2018, it was revealed Engelson was set to start work on a fictional drama for Fox Broadcasting about a British prince - though this project has yet to come to light.

Who is Engelson dating now?

Following his divorce from Markle, Engelson dated Bethenny Frankel of The Real Housewives of New York City. But according to Frankel, their romantic relationship subsequently devolved into a business one.

In 2018, Engelson became engaged to dietitian Tracey Kurland, daughter of investment trust founder Stanford Kurland and the heiress to a multi-million dollar fortune.

The couple married a year later in California, and in August 2020, it was reported that Kurland had given birth to a daughter. A year later, the couple gave birth to their second daughter.