Meghan Reveals the Advice She's Giving Archie to Avoid the Struggles She and Harry Faced at School
The Duchess candidly shared her struggles with socializing in school, and how it influenced her advice for Archie should he face similar challenges.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are devoted parents to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, fiercely protecting their privacy and instilling values of humility. Recently, Archie made headlines when reports surfaced that he would attend Eton College, following in his father’s footsteps. Although Harry has since dispelled those rumors, they sparked memories of his and Markle’s own school experiences. In a podcast once, the Duchess candidly shared her struggles with socializing in school, and how it influenced her advice for Archie should he face similar challenges.
In an episode of her 2022 Spotify podcast, Archetypes, Markle opened up about her experiences when attending Little Red Schoolhouse and the Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. She said, "I was always a little bit of a loner and really shy and didn't know where I fit in." So she came up with a trick to help navigate her shyness — advice she now passes on to her son. "I was like, OK, then I'll become the president of the Multicultural Club and the president of sophomore class and the president of this, and the French Club. And by doing that, I had meetings at lunchtime, so I didn't have to worry about who I would sit with or what I would do because I was always so busy."
Much like Markle, Harry also struggled to ‘fit in’ during his time at Eton College. Recalling his difficult phase, he shared in his memoir, Spare, that he was warned by his brother, Prince William, to act as if they didn't know each other at school. He added that he took William’s decision to distance himself ‘personally’ at the time. He claimed that while sports initially helped him combat his loneliness, they didn’t solve the broader issue of feeling like an outsider.
The Duke further explained, "Sporty boys were separated into two groups: dry bobs and wet bobs. Dry bobs played cricket, football, rugby, or polo. Wet bobs rowed, sailed, or swam." To make more friends, Harry decided he wouldn't be categorized, instead embracing all the activities on offer. "I was a dry who occasionally got wet," he wrote.
Considering Eton’s long history of serving as the alma mater for royal heirs, a close pal of the Prince recently told The Daily Beast that the Duke had already secured a spot for Archie at Eton. The rumors were further exasperated with Harry revealing in his Guardian interview that he was ‘closer’ to bringing Archie and Lilibet back to the UK. However, the Duke’s team issued a statement denying the claims, with a spokesperson clarifying, "Prince Harry has not put his son’s name down for Eton, nor does he have any plans to do so."
