With a gap-toothed smile, an eye-catching Afro hairstyle, and a picture of Bart Simpson embossed on her faded blue jeans, Meghan Markle looks the epitome of high-spirited Californian youth at her 11th birthday party.

Axar.az reports citing Dailymail.

Sitting bedside her in orange shorts and a top that shows off her toned midriff, her mother, Doria, then 36, almost looks young enough to be her sister.

As these charming photographs reveal, as Meghan emerged from the chrysalis of childhood and entered adolescence, she remained, at heart, a devoted family girl.

The pictures are taken from an album kept by Meghan's uncle, Joseph Johnson, Doria's half- brother.

In the first two parts of the Mail's exclusive series, we saw Meghan as a baby and a toddler.

Today, we show her growing up and blossoming into the beautiful young woman who would go on to achieve fame as an actress before finding her prince.

The pictures have emerged at a time of mounting excitement among royal-watchers. Yesterday, Meghan and Harry prompted speculation that the birth of their baby was imminent by posting a seemingly significant message on Instagram.