LITTLEROCK exclusive: MEGHAN MARKLE from SUITS tells why she absolutely loves Malta
9 March 2015, published by LITTLEROCK.com.mt
Surrounded by a truly Maltese backdrop - a traditional horse cart with plants carefully placed on top, clayware, and strings of chillis and onions hanging over a display of traditional sweets - we met the lovely Meghan Markle for a quick chat at a local restaurant serving Maltese food, where she amicably came to greet us. She quickly placed her food order, which she would enjoy with those accompanying her, and sat at our table for a quick chat about her Malta experience. The interview was graciously co-ordinated by the Malta Tourism Authority, which brought her to Malta and acted as her host.
Knowing Meghan previously only through her roles in various TV series, particularly her role as Rachel in the popular legal drama Suits, and as a model who was visiting Malta on behalf of Elle UK Magazine, discovering her as a modest, beautiful young woman so natural in her manner and so keen to express her fascination with Malta was a real pleasure.
Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles but within the first 30 seconds she was telling us about her personal Maltese connection: " ... coming to Malta has been really important to me because my great-great-grandmother lived here, so we’ve been trying to trace the ancestry. Before I came, people were telling me, 'When you go to Malta, everyone will look like you,' and I started to say, 'Oh my gosh I do sort of blend in,' and it’s the loveliest feeling: people have been so kind, the food’s amazing and the culture ... I can’t wait to come back, it’s too short a time."
Meghan came to stay for just three nights; they arrived from London on Wednesday evening and are returning on Saturday as she is attending an event for International Women's Day on Sunday on behalf of UN Women of the United Nations, for whom she does a lot of work. She will return to New York thereafter. However several aspects of Malta have won her over and Meghan is sure that she will return.
Meghan told us that on Thursday they went to Gozo for the day, which she really enjoyed. On Friday she visited Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta and then went to see the Caravaggio at St John's Co-Cathedral, which she described as " ... just stunning; that beautiful art alone is worth coming to Malta for." Beyond that, she is charmed by merely sitting in a piazza having a coffee and getting lost in the cobbled streets, and she was looking forward to visiting Mdina.
"Everything is picturesque. I would definitely recommend these places to my friends; I would say, really, to come back in the summer when you could go and explore the beaches, but even if you can’t there’s so much of interest in the city: the culture and the history are really interesting. It is a great destination, really special."
A self-confessed foodie, Meghan is not only fascinated by Malta's beauty, history and culture, but has also been indulging in local cuisine and wine.
"In Gozo I loved the fresh sheep’s milk cheeses, particularly the pickled ones with the black pepper on them. I’m about to have the spaghetti with rabbit, which I’ve been waiting to try. This morning, for breakfast, I tried the pastizzi with peas and ricotta… oh my goodness they’re delicious! So my suitcase will be filled with all sorts of Maltese treats!"
Meghan is really enjoying the local cuisine but what truly impressed her is " ... just the freshness of the produce, like the beautiful tomatoes, the exceptional wine and the cheeses! I could spend the whole week here eating." She is looking forward to a cooking lesson with Pippa Mattei and admitted that she is feeling excited to go buy the produce in the morning and then cook together. "Yeah, it’s perfect!"
Great news is she plans to feature Malta in the Travel and Food sections of The TIG, a website about food, travel, fashion and beauty of which she is founder. "There’s a 'special' on my trip to Malta and people really want to know what I’ve enjoyed, where I went and, of course, what I like to eat. It’s been an exceptional trip and I think everyone should come here. I can’t wait to come back."
Indeed she mentioned that she will return on several occasions during the short chat. One of Meghan's tweets while in Malta expressed that she loves it 11/10. She has plans to return and also added that it would be great to have property here as it really does feel like a home away from home. Indeed Meghan's interest in Malta is not limited to beautiful places and enjoying good food, but also about exploring her own family roots.
"I have to be honest, for me it (this trip) was mostly about trying to understand where I come from, my identity. There is something so lovely about fitting in a piece of the puzzle; about understanding how, generations ago, I had someone from my family here, and gaining a sense of what it was like. It’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to explore my ancestry, which is really exciting, and it’s nice that it has exceeded any expectation I may have had. I think this short amount of time has been like dipping my toes into Malta. As soon as possible I’ll come back and really explore all of her."
Yet Meghan has no family to visit in Malta that she knows of; they emigrated to the US in the 1800s. Yet she looks forward to having more time to further explore that avenue. Meanwhile she is charmed by the hospitable welcome of the Maltese people and considers them the best thing about Malta.
A selfie with LITTLEROCK staff
"I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world and I love a different cultural experience wherever you go, but to come somewhere where you so quickly settle in to feeling welcomed is really special; it’s this Maltese hospitality that is really special to the place."
Meghan's message to the Maltese people: "Thank you for having me, I can’t wait to come back! Look out for the travel guide to Malta on The TIG!"
We look forward to your next visit, Meghan.
Knowing Meghan previously only through her roles in various TV series, particularly her role as Rachel in the popular legal drama Suits, and as a model who was visiting Malta on behalf of Elle UK Magazine, discovering her as a modest, beautiful young woman so natural in her manner and so keen to express her fascination with Malta was a real pleasure.
Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles but within the first 30 seconds she was telling us about her personal Maltese connection: " ... coming to Malta has been really important to me because my great-great-grandmother lived here, so we’ve been trying to trace the ancestry. Before I came, people were telling me, 'When you go to Malta, everyone will look like you,' and I started to say, 'Oh my gosh I do sort of blend in,' and it’s the loveliest feeling: people have been so kind, the food’s amazing and the culture ... I can’t wait to come back, it’s too short a time."
Meghan came to stay for just three nights; they arrived from London on Wednesday evening and are returning on Saturday as she is attending an event for International Women's Day on Sunday on behalf of UN Women of the United Nations, for whom she does a lot of work. She will return to New York thereafter. However several aspects of Malta have won her over and Meghan is sure that she will return.
Meghan told us that on Thursday they went to Gozo for the day, which she really enjoyed. On Friday she visited Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta and then went to see the Caravaggio at St John's Co-Cathedral, which she described as " ... just stunning; that beautiful art alone is worth coming to Malta for." Beyond that, she is charmed by merely sitting in a piazza having a coffee and getting lost in the cobbled streets, and she was looking forward to visiting Mdina.
"Everything is picturesque. I would definitely recommend these places to my friends; I would say, really, to come back in the summer when you could go and explore the beaches, but even if you can’t there’s so much of interest in the city: the culture and the history are really interesting. It is a great destination, really special."
A self-confessed foodie, Meghan is not only fascinated by Malta's beauty, history and culture, but has also been indulging in local cuisine and wine.
"In Gozo I loved the fresh sheep’s milk cheeses, particularly the pickled ones with the black pepper on them. I’m about to have the spaghetti with rabbit, which I’ve been waiting to try. This morning, for breakfast, I tried the pastizzi with peas and ricotta… oh my goodness they’re delicious! So my suitcase will be filled with all sorts of Maltese treats!"
Meghan is really enjoying the local cuisine but what truly impressed her is " ... just the freshness of the produce, like the beautiful tomatoes, the exceptional wine and the cheeses! I could spend the whole week here eating." She is looking forward to a cooking lesson with Pippa Mattei and admitted that she is feeling excited to go buy the produce in the morning and then cook together. "Yeah, it’s perfect!"
Great news is she plans to feature Malta in the Travel and Food sections of The TIG, a website about food, travel, fashion and beauty of which she is founder. "There’s a 'special' on my trip to Malta and people really want to know what I’ve enjoyed, where I went and, of course, what I like to eat. It’s been an exceptional trip and I think everyone should come here. I can’t wait to come back."
Indeed she mentioned that she will return on several occasions during the short chat. One of Meghan's tweets while in Malta expressed that she loves it 11/10. She has plans to return and also added that it would be great to have property here as it really does feel like a home away from home. Indeed Meghan's interest in Malta is not limited to beautiful places and enjoying good food, but also about exploring her own family roots.
"I have to be honest, for me it (this trip) was mostly about trying to understand where I come from, my identity. There is something so lovely about fitting in a piece of the puzzle; about understanding how, generations ago, I had someone from my family here, and gaining a sense of what it was like. It’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to explore my ancestry, which is really exciting, and it’s nice that it has exceeded any expectation I may have had. I think this short amount of time has been like dipping my toes into Malta. As soon as possible I’ll come back and really explore all of her."
Yet Meghan has no family to visit in Malta that she knows of; they emigrated to the US in the 1800s. Yet she looks forward to having more time to further explore that avenue. Meanwhile she is charmed by the hospitable welcome of the Maltese people and considers them the best thing about Malta.
A selfie with LITTLEROCK staff
"I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world and I love a different cultural experience wherever you go, but to come somewhere where you so quickly settle in to feeling welcomed is really special; it’s this Maltese hospitality that is really special to the place."
Meghan's message to the Maltese people: "Thank you for having me, I can’t wait to come back! Look out for the travel guide to Malta on The TIG!"
We look forward to your next visit, Meghan.