Meghan Markle's Status Changed Her Connection With Friends, Gave Them Difficult Time

Meghan Markle has changed after she began dating Prince Harry, according to one of her pals.

The "Suits" actress was very close to her former agent, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne. In fact, they used to spend vacations together. Markle also told her about her then-blossoming romance with the royal and how she and Prince Harry could change the world.

Nelthorpe-Cowne and Markle met in 2014 when the former and Kruger Cowne were working with One Young World Conference, a youth summit to inspire 18 to 30 years old. Prince Harry's fiancée showed interest in becoming involved in the cause.

"We just clicked. We spoke on the phone and through emails a number of times before actually meeting, but it was an instant connection," Nelthorpe-Cowne said about her friendship with Markle.

She added that they hugged as if they had known each other for years. She also described the future royal as "warm and personable." "You've either got it or you haven't and Meghan is a really warm and genuine person. She just has it," said Nelthorpe-Cowne. "She instantly brings you right into her world."

Nelthorpe-Cowne and Markle worked together for two years. In September 2016, they attended another One Young World event in Ottawa. At that time, the "Horrible Bosses" star had been going out with Prince Harry for three months.

"There was a big change in her then," Nelthorpe-Cowne added, choosing her words carefully. "She did give me a bit of a difficult time."

Nelthorpe-Cowne recalled when one reported asked Markle for a "few words" and the latter snapped, "Talk to my agent."

"The journalist was taken aback and I was a little shocked because she had never done that before," Nelthorpe-Crowne said. "She was always warm and accommodating to everyone previously, which I think is her real nature."

Nelthorpe-Cowne also emailed Markle to ask permission to use her photograph from the youth summit. However, it was her lawyer that responded.

"Perhaps it says something about her new life," Nelthorpe-Crowne said, trying to understand Markle. "She must get thousands of emails. But it would have been nice if she'd just dropped me a line to say her lawyers were handling it, rather than have them reply to me directly. It's a shame."

According to Andrew Morton's biography "Meghan: A Hollywood Princess," when her career was on its way up, Markle "no longer had the time for mates she had known for years, cancelling lunches at short notice or expecting them to rework their own schedules to accommodate [her]."

In fact, everyone, including her childhood best friend Ninaki Priddy, was surprised when Markle ended her marriage with Trevor Engelson.

"What came to light after Trevor and I spoke ended my friendship with Meghan. I think everybody who knew them both was in shock," Priddy said. "All I can say now is that I think Meghan was calculated, very calculated, in the way she handled people and relationships. She is very strategic in the way she cultivates circles of friends."