The Surprising Reason Meghan Markle Is Stepping Back From Podcasts and Interviews
After years of intense media scrutiny, is this the smartest move for the Duchess of Sussex?
Meghan Markle has not had it easy in the past few years when it comes to media interaction. As a result, she may now be taking a more careful approach to interviews, especially when it comes to unscripted conversations. After years of intense media attention, the Duchess of Sussex may now be more selective about choosing her platforms.
Having learned lessons the hard way, Markle is reportedly turning down interviews and podcasts. As per Star Magazine, the Duchess is now routinely declining offers for public appearances or interviews of any kind. The source added, “She’s afraid to go on other people’s shows where she’ll get asked tough questions in a long-form setting." The source also suggested that Markle is simply too guarded for the relaxed nature of podcasting, noting that she is “too guarded and too self-controlled” to enjoy the format.
Further explaining her restraint from interviews, the insider detailed, “Everything she says and does is so manicured and rehearsed that nobody will ever look to her for authentic moments. In podcasting, that’s a death sentence." While many might find her stepping back from the media a little odd, others completely understand her decision given her complicated equation with the press. Markle herself has previously spoken about navigating difficult public moments and being intentional about how she chooses to respond to them.
During an April 2025 episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, she said, “No matter what scale you’re at, there’s going to be a point where you’re going to take a hit. There’s a point where you’re going to decide if you’re going to cower, conquer, or rise above it.” Limiting interviews could therefore be less about avoiding the press altogether and more about carefully controlling the circumstances in which she chooses to speak.
After years of headlines and scrutiny, a carefully chosen interview may simply feel safer than an unpredictable conversation where a single answer can quickly become the next big royal story. Since the beginning of her time in the royal family, Markle has had a rough run-in with the British media. Even after she and Prince Harry stepped down from royal duties, they remained intensely covered by the press, with Harry speaking openly about the heavy impact British tabloids had on his wife.
During his January testimony in his privacy case against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, Harry became emotional while discussing the effect of the press coverage. He added, “By standing up here and taking a stand against them, this has continued to come after me,” the Duke of Sussex said as his voice cracked. “And they have made my wife’s life an absolute misery, my Lord.”
