“When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching, they are your family,” said Jim Butcher. Taking it seriously are, Ashleigh Hale and Meghan Markle, who share a unique bond of love and understanding. Despite all the hardships that the kinfolk have faced, they have still managed to be best friends to this day. Whether it be Meghan Markle‘s bad blood with her sister Samantha Markle or her estrangement with Thomas Markle, it has not affected her relationship with Hale.

The apparent sister duo has worked together to get out of many problems. As reported by Harpers Bazaar, Hale is currently the only family member standing tall with the Duchess beside her mother. But who exactly is she and how is she related to the Duchess?

Insight into Meghan Markle’s niece, Ashleigh Hale

Ashleigh Hale is Meghan Markle’s niece who was raised by Thomas and Roslyn Markle. The Duchess has time and again expressed that she considers Hale more than her little sister than a niece. Despite the parting of Meghan Markle with her father, Thomas Markle, and her other half-siblings, Markle has always remained close to her niece. The 38-year-old first had her official cameo on the third episode of Harry & Meghan, the bombshell Netflix docuseries. Therein she expressed her full support to the Duchess while speaking in for of her.

Raised by her grandparents, Ashleigh Hale didn’t talk with her mother until she was much older. When Meghan Markle came to know about her niece’s existence, the Duchess immediately reached out via email and kept in contact. They reportedly sent each other long emails that advanced to texts and calls several days a week. And soon enough, both of them “hit it off” and began to plan outings and trips whenever Markle got vacations from her role in the Suits.

How does Meghan Markle protect her?

Despite their sisterlike bond, Buckingham Palace advised Meghan Markle not to send Hale an invitation to the couple’s wedding, because of Hale’s mother Samantha Markle, the Duchess’ paternal half-sister. Samantha Markle was also not invited to the wedding because she was spreading false rumors and negativity about Meghan Markle at the time. “How do you explain that the half-sister isn’t invited to the wedding but this half-sister’s daughter is?“, the Suits actress broke down while speaking in the docuseries.

The Duchess also admits that she wants to shield Hale from all the Media drama as she doesn’t want her life to be plagued with it. Hale expressed that she was often upset because her biological mum’s actions had affected her relationship with Markle and now they don’t talk anymore.

What are your opinions about Meghan Markle’s niece?