The former American actress is launching her brand As Ever and preparing to release a lifestyle show on Netflix titled Love, Megan. Ahead of these important events, she shared that the new projects have been challenging, but the love and support of her loved ones have given her strength. “There are a lot of twists and turns — even with the name. I was figuring it out in real-time. I appreciate everyone who gave me the opportunity to make mistakes and work through them, as well as forgive myself for them. This is something you have to learn,” Meghan noted.
The former royal also explained why she and Prince Harry chose not to relinquish their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles after stepping back from royal duties, which were granted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth II before their wedding. Now, the surname Sussex unites their entire family. “It’s part of our love story. It’s our family name, and I don’t think I realized how important it would be to me until we had children. I love that it’s something that Archie, Lili, Harry, and I all share. It means a lot to me,” the Duchess shared.
Before meeting Prince Harry, Meghan ran a lifestyle blog called The Tig. Prior to her marriage to the British royal, she had to delete her personal social media accounts. According to Meghan, her husband is happy that she’s returning to creative projects she enjoys. Meghan also explained why she filmed her cooking show not at her home in Montecito, but in a rented mansion nearby. “I wanted to protect that safe space. We’re a close-knit family, and I love those moments — when Lilibet falls asleep, when we have dinner together, when we spend time together at the end of the day. In our kitchen, mom only cooks for the family, but with a team of over 80 people in the house, it gets crowded,” Markle explained.
The Suits star also revealed that her children helped her smoothly integrate into the community in Montecito. She’s friends with other mothers from Archie and Lilibet’s school, and she even developed several close friendships among them. “I have a couple of friends here — moms who stay home with their kids and working women with regular jobs, not in the public eye. We moved from talking through our children to having girls’ nights or doing Pilates together,” Meghan said.
The couple often dines at home or at friends’ houses, or they go to restaurants. They enjoy leading a relaxed, fun lifestyle without the outside pressure that would have been impossible if they had remained in the monarchy. “I love that I can make hybrid meals. I love Chinese takeout. But even when I get takeout, I try to serve it nicely. My show is about doing what you can and doing it with love,” said the king’s daughter-in-law.
The Duchess also spoke about their family routine. “I wake up earlier than my kids, usually at 6:30, and then I wake them up, dress them, and we go downstairs. I love making breakfast for my family. My husband and Archie love scrambled eggs with bacon. Sometimes I don’t have time for all of that, and I just pop a frozen waffle in the toaster and that’s it. And there’s no shame in that,” she added.
Meghan recalled her happy childhood when her mother, Doria Ragland, attended Thai cooking classes, and they would have Thai barbecued chicken and spring rolls every week. “Mom cooked a lot of comfort food. I remember those flavors so well, and I want my kids to have the same formative memories of the meals I make. We call them ‘mom’s dishes,’ and I hope they’ll return to them when they’re older, when they get married, and have their own kids, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, let’s make “mom’s dish.” And it will be the same baked chicken I’ve been making since they were little,’” Meghan shared.
Harry makes a brief appearance in the final episode, but his presence is felt off-screen. He, Archie, and Lilibet visited the set to support Meghan. “I loved that my kids could watch me work and see the balance between work and family, understanding what mom does and how she works. It was really special because they hadn’t seen me working before. I hope that when they’re old enough, they’ll truly be proud that they were part of this with me,” Meghan remarked.
According to the former actress, she has spent much of her life fighting for women and girls’ rights. Having a daughter and the opportunity to pass on this legacy is a special role for her. Over the five years since the prince and his bride stepped down from royal duties and moved from the UK to the US, their lives have changed significantly. The children have grown and need their mom less, so Meghan now has more time for her own ambitions. “Anyone who has children will tell you that a woman changes a lot over this time. And this is just the beginning. Life is full of surprises. My goodness, in 10 years, Archie will be driving a car!” Meghan added
