It was a typical lunchtime at Il Pastaio Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills, a hotspot loved by celebrity agents, hot-shot Hollywood managers and stars such as Justin Bieber and Al Pacino.
At a sunny corner table, a ruggedly handsome man wearing gold-rimmed sunglasses held court with a group of managers and agents.
While many in the packed restaurant knew who he was – he constantly greeted friends and fellow agents – there was one subject firmly off the table: Meghan Markle.
For while the Duchess of Sussex has moved on with her life, so, too, has her ex-husband Trevor Engelson.
A friend of Engelson who saw him recently told the MoS: ‘For a long time, things were difficult for Trevor. He’s a good guy but Meghan crushed him when she demanded a divorce. When she took up with Prince Harry, he was crushed all over again because he was constantly reminded of her because of the publicity around the marriage and then the drama of the Oprah interview. But that’s all in the past now.
Nine-year romance: Trevor and Meghan, pictured at their wedding in 2011, met in 2004 and split in 2013
‘When I saw him recently, he kept going on about how he’s the happiest he’s ever been, how he loves being a dad and how he’s never felt more fulfilled.’
That said, his friend observed: ‘Everyone in Trevor’s life knows not to mention the ‘M’ word. He’s moved on and, in some ways, you could say he’s having an even better life than Meghan. He probably has more money than she does now, he’s doing what he loves and he’s out of the spotlight. It’s the ultimate revenge.’
Trevor, 46, has seen his personal and professional fortunes blossom in recent years.
He has been happily married since 2019 to heiress Tracey Kurland, a dietician whose late father built up a $500 million (£395 million) fortune in the mortgage industry before his premature death from complications from Covid in 2021. When he died, reports in the US claimed Tracey inherited $250 million.
Trevor and Tracey live on a sprawling estate in a wealthy LA enclave with their two young daughters and, for the past two years, have co-hosted a golf tournament in memory of her father which has raised more than a million dollars.
‘They are a very close family and a great couple,’ the friend continued. ‘Trevor adores his wife and his two little girls. When he’s with them he never stops smiling.’
Professionally, too, he has enjoyed success. His management and production company Underground, which is based in Beverly Hills, created the hit TV crime drama Snowfall, which ran for six seasons and starred British actor Damson Idris. A spin-off show is in the works.
Engelson represents a roster of up-and-coming stars and, unlike many in Hollywood, has been a fervent supporter of the current actors’ and writers’ strike.
The friend said: ‘Trevor is this quick-talking guy from Great Neck, New York and in some ways he’s your typical agent/manager, he’s always talking up his clients and various projects.
‘But he’s also one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. He would give you the shirt off his back.’ During the Hollywood strike, Engelson has been on picket lines, giving people coffee and doughnuts. ‘He’s not someone who ever sought the spotlight and he keeps his generosity quiet,’ says his friend.
Trevor’s life now is a long way from the one he shared with Meghan. The pair met in a Hollywood bar in 2004, quickly fell in love and moved in together.
They dated for seven years before marrying on a Jamaican beach in 2011, an event where guests were handed hemp gift bags containing samples of the local potent strain of marijuana.
Meghan’s estranged father Thomas Markle, 79, remembers Engelson with great affection. ‘I really liked Trevor,’ he said.
‘He got to know my mother and he was always so kind and supportive. He was a perfect gentleman to my daughter and treated me with great respect.
‘When he asked for Meghan’s hand, I could not have been happier.’
Unlike Prince Harry, who has never met his father-in-law, Engelson enjoyed a warm bond with both Thomas and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. ‘He treated Meghan so well and he was always so kind and respectful to Doria and me,’ Mr Markle said.
