Northwestern University was her sole choice from the start, underscoring her determination. One might imagine that had Diana visited an American community college on the opposite side of the country from California, it could have been Meghan seeking her Associate's degree.
Remarkably, in early June 1996, Northwestern University welcomed its most royal visitor when Princess Diana embarked on a triumphant three-day tour of Chicago to raise funds for cancer research.
During her visit to Northwestern, Diana received a short tour of the Evanston campus, led by the then Associated Student Government president, Lin Tin Chuang. This connection between Meghan and Diana's interactions with Northwestern University sparks curiosity about whether Meghan's fascination with Diana began long before anyone realized.
Meghan's decision to attend Northwestern University after Diana's passing may not have necessarily signaled her distancing from the royal family at that time. Diana, it should be noted, did not attend Northwestern but chose it as the only American university she visited. Meghan's application to Northwestern could be seen as a strategic move, consistent with her tendency to leverage opportunities.
She can transform a mere White House tour into a narrative involving an invitation from the sitting president, adeptly name-dropping connections.
The comparisons between Meghan and Diana continue as Meghan secured an internship in Buenos Aires with the help of her uncle, a nod to her awareness of the Falklands War and Prince Andrew's role. Additionally, both Prince William and Prince Harry had previous experiences working on ranches in Buenos Aires.
Meghan's pursuit of Princeton, as revealed in Thomas Markle's statement in Tom Bower's book "Revenge," underscores her ambitions. Although Princeton did not accept her, Northwestern, consistently ranked in the top 10 to 12 universities in the country, did. However, questions persist regarding how Meghan gained acceptance to Northwestern, especially considering that the university's admissions rate was not as elite when she applied two decades ago.
Since then, Northwestern has experienced a significant increase in applications, leading to a more competitive admission process. Notably, the university removed admission statistics prior to 2000 from its website, potentially to enhance its image.
One intriguing point of doubt arises from Meghan's graduation photo, which portrays her alongside an uncomfortable-looking father. In the photo, she wears an undersized black coat lacking the university crest and features the incorrect tassel color, hanging from the wrong side of her face. This attire does not align with Northwestern University's strict graduation dress code, which mandates a purple cloak with a black band and the college crest on the left side.
Northwestern's regalia, custom-designed and featuring the university crest, is mandatory for all graduates. Tassels must display the Northwestern seal Signet and be worn on the left side at all times. Moreover, Northwestern-branded masks matching the regalia are provided to graduates free of charge.
These aspects raise questions about Meghan's actual graduation from Northwestern University and whether she adhered to the university's stringent dress code, as her graduation photo suggests otherwise.
