- Meghan Markle is celebrating her 40th birthday on Wednesday.
- It's the duchess' second birthday since she stepped down from royal duties on April 1, 2020.
- The duchess' royal career lasted for 23 months.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
May 2018: Meghan Markle officially became the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Prince Harry on May 19.
The ceremony at St George's Chapel sparked a "turning point for the monarchy," according to royal biographer Katie Nicholl.
June 2018: The newlyweds attended Trooping the Colour, one of the most anticipated events on the royal calendar.
The Queen's birthday parade took place on June 9, just weeks after Meghan and Harry's wedding.
July 2018: Meghan shared an adorable moment with Prince Harry on the palace balcony.
The pair joined the royal family to watch a flypast that marked 100 years of the Royal Air Force.
August 2018: Meghan and Harry attended a "Hamilton" charity performance in London with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The royal couple posed for photos with the cast when Meghan turned to Harry and appeared to say "Can you see, my love?"
September 2018: Meghan curated a charity cookbook to help the Grenfell Tower victims.
It was the first solo project she undertook as a royal.
October 2018: Meghan and Harry shared this adorable moment at Sydney's Bondi Beach during their tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
According to photographer Samir Hussein, who took the photo, this moment between the couple displayed an "instinctive show of love for each other."
"At one point, Harry and Meghan turned, looked into each other's eyes and smiled to each other during an instinctive show of love for each other," Hussein told Insider.
"This had all the ingredients for a very unusual Royal photo, which showed their bond in a totally informal, relaxed, and stunning setting."
November 2018: "The Fab Four" reunited for a Remembrance Day service at Westminster Abbey, despite rumors that the couples were feuding.
The following year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle resigned from The Royal Foundation, the charity they'd been running with Prince William and Kate Middleton.
December 2018: They also got together for Christmas Day celebrations the following month.
The royal family celebrates Christmas in Sandringham every year.
January 2019: The world was on baby watch as the duchess showed off her blossoming bump during a visit to Mayhew Animal Welfare Charity in London.
It was one of her many stylish maternity looks.
February 2019: Meghan and Harry embarked on a working tour of Morocco.
They took this adorably candid photo at the Moroccan Royal Federation of Equestrian Sports.
March 2019: Meghan joined Prince Harry on stage at WE Day in London.
Her appearance came as a surprise to those in attendance, as it wasn't previously announced that the duchess would be there.
May 2019: After making no public appearances in April, Markle and Prince Harry showed off baby Archie at an official photo call in Windsor Castle.
The couple welcomed the newborn on May 6.
June 2019: The duke and duchess visited the Boston Red Sox before the team's match against the New York Yankees in London.
The team surprised the couple with an adorable gift for Archie.
July 2019: Meghan, Harry, and the royal family came together for Archie's christening on July 6.
Meghan wore a cream Dior dress and matching fascinator for the special event.
August 2019: Meghan shared a behind-the-scenes preview of her clothing collection on Instagram.
Meghan wore a $104 shirt from the eco-friendly brand With Nothing Underneath while appearing in an Instagram story to promote her charity clothing line.
September 2019: Meghan and Harry kicked off their royal tour of Africa in the best possible way — by dancing in the street with the locals.
A hilarious video of the moment shows Harry watching and following the women as they dance, before hesitantly trying some moves of his own.
October 2019: Meghan focused on her work to improve the lives of women and girls around the world on a visit to South Africa.
She discussed the nature of violence against women and girls on a visit to ActionAid in Johannesburg, South Africa.
November 2019: Meghan attended a Remembrance Sunday service in London.
The armistice ending World War I was signed on November 11, 1918.
December 2019: Meghan and Harry shared a candid shot of themselves with Archie for their family Christmas card.
The photo was taken by the couple's friend Janina Gavankar.
January 2020: Meghan wore a $70 sweater for her first public appearance of 2020 — her final engagement before their departure was announced.
She wore a $70 Massimo Dutti plain silk wool sweater and a brown satin midi skirt from the same brand to visit Canada House in London.
March 2020: The duchess attended no official engagements in February, but she was back the following month for her final royal engagements.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen.
It was their final scheduled event before the couple began their new lives on April 1, 2020.
Now that Markle is no longer a working royal, she has dedicated her time to her and Prince Harry's charity, Archewell. The couple also secured deals with Netflix and Spotify last year.
More recently, the duchess started her new career as a children's author. Her debut book, "The Bench," about the bond between a father and son, became a New York Times bestseller within a week of its release back in June.
Our Royal Insider Facebook group is the best place for up-to-date news and announcements about the British royal family, direct from Insider's royal reporters. Join here.