Meghan Markle Opens Up About Pregnancy as a Working Royal: ‘I Was Clinging…’

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot in 2018, and a year later, in May, they welcomed their son, Prince Archie. Markle, like most royal mothers, had to juggle motherhood with her duties as a working royal. Opening up about the challenges of the same, she admitted it was all possible as she had her husband's support. In the season finale episode of her Lemonada Media podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, she recalled 'clinging' on to Harry.

On May 27, as she wrapped the first season of her podcast, Markle invited Spanx founder Sara Blakely, who discussed the origin of her sneaker heel. According to People magazine, the story reminded Markle of the time when she had to wear five-inch stilettos while being pregnant with Archie. As royal protocol ruled out flat-soled shoes, Markle had no option. The Duchess shared, “A friend just said to me the other day, they were like, ‘I just saw this picture I’d forgotten about when you were so pregnant with Archie.’”

The former actress explained how she had made several public appearances while pregnant, after gaining '65lbs'. She allegedly told her friend, “I always wear my five-inch, pointy-toed stilettos.” She added, “You have the most enormous bump, and your tiny little ankles are bracing themselves in these high heels, but all my weight was in the front. So you’re just going, 'How on Earth am I not just tipping,' you know, face planting? I was clinging very closely to my husband, like, ‘Please don’t let me fall.’” Royal author Robert Lacey, however, mentioned in his book, Battle of Brothers, that Markle had carried out only 22 royal engagements from January to June 2019, which is less than 1 per week. With her second pregnancy, things were different for Markle, having moved to the US with Harry. She was able to keep her pregnancy private. They welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet, on June 4, 2021.

During her conversation with Blakely, Markle also had a piece of advice for expectant mothers about naming their children. She said, “I will say this to every woman in the world or every person in the world who's going to have a child — if you have an idea about what you are going to name that baby, you keep it so close to your heart, until that baby is born and it's named. Don't ask anyone's opinion.” The remark caught the attention of royal watchers, given the controversy surrounding the Sussexes allegedly not having sought the late Queen's permission before naming their daughter after her. According to Vanity Fair, Harry and Markle’s firstborn, Archie, was named after the ninth Earl of Argyll, Archibald Campbell, who was also an ancestor of Princess Diana. Meanwhile, Lilibet was named in Queen Elizabeth’s honor.