Meghan Markle's Career as a Cocktail Waitress Was Cut Short When She Hilariously Messed Up a Drink Order

"They're like, 'Let's have you go back to being a coat check girl.'"

Meghan Markle toasts with a glass of champagne
(Image credit: JAKE ROSENBERG/NETFLIX)

In new Netflix series With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex reveals a plethora of talents we didn't know she had. For instance, in episode 6, the royal makes ceviche and personalized cocktails for a group of friends with whom she plays mahjong. However, serving drinks wasn't always a talent Meghan Markle possessed.

During episode 7 of With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex recounts the story of when she briefly worked as a cocktail waitress in Chicago. "I had a job when I was in college, working in a bar in Chicago," she explained. "Like, doing two majors, and then like, 'I'll go to Chicago and I'll just go and make extra money and I'll be the coat check girl.'" However, Meghan's employers had different plans, telling the former Suits star, 'Oh no, you can be a cocktail waitress.'"

Meghan Markle shares cocktails with friends on With Love, Meghan

Meghan Markle shares cocktails with friends on With Love, Meghan.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Unfortunately, Meghan's role as a cocktail waitress was quickly cut short when she misheard someone's drink order. "And the guy was really loud and he's like, 'Hey, can I get a [indistinct] martini?'" Meghan shared. "I don't know what he's saying. I was like, 'I think he's from Texas and he asked me for a Cowboy Run martini.' And they were like, 'We don't have that.'"

When Duchess Meghan told the customer they couldn't make his drink, he apparently responded, "What? You don't have a Ketel One martini?" Sadly, the mix-up cost Meghan her job as a cocktail waitress. "They're like, 'Let's have you go back to being a coat check girl,'" she explained.

Meghan Markle serving drinks in With Love Meghan

Meghan Markle serving drinks in With Love Meghan.

(Image credit: JAKE ROSENBERG/NETFLIX)

While Meghan is now a member of the Royal Family, it's nice to know that even she had to work extra jobs while she was in college. And just like the rest of us, Meghan wasn't necessarily skilled at the temporary roles she took on in her early 20s. However, as With Love, Meghan shows, it's never to late to learn how to mix a really good cocktail.

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.