More than two years have passed since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they would be stepping back from their roles as senior royals. They’re living proof of how quickly things can change.
In her first public sit-down interview since that bombshell Oprah Winfrey special in 2021, Markle has come clean about her post-royal life in the US—from her relationship with Prince Harry to her new projects. And, of course, she took the opportunity to reflect on the past.
Speaking to The Cut for its latest cover story, Markle told writer Allison P. Davis that she’s “still healing” from everything that happened during her short stint as working royal.
Below, six things we learned from the new interview.
Harry and Meghan tried to stay in the royal family
On a summer morning in January 2020, Harry and Meghan’s official Instagram page, Sussex Royal, shared an announcement detailing their intention to step back from their roles as senior royals.
Headlines around the world exploded. From heated feuds to Meghan’s “brainwashing” of Harry—the theories behind the decision ran rife. Now, Meghan has detailed what really went down before that fateful announcement, revealing that she and Harry actually tried to stay in the royal family with some exceptions—but they were given no avail.
“I was an actress,” she told The Cut. “My entire job was, “Tell me where to stand, tell me what to say. Tell me how to say it. Tell me what to wear, and I’ll do it.”
But when things got too much for the Sussexes, who had just welcomed their first child, Archie, they requested they get a reprieve from the relentless paparazzi in London by moving to another Commonwealth country. Be it Canada, New Zealand or South Africa, the pair were happy to move anywhere that would allow them a quieter life.
“Because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, ‘Okay fine, let’s get out of here. Happy to,” she explained.
But the idea was quickly shut down, according to Markle.
“That, for whatever reason, is not something we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the royal family do that exact thing,” she said.
Meghan’s first royal doubts
While Meghan has spoken before about how her royal wedding, albeit a near-flawless event, was filled with pressure and stress—as well as alleging that Kate Middleton made her cry during a rehearsal, Markle has now detailed another major red flag she encountered in the moments after she welcomed her first child.
Per royal tradition, couples are required to pose for an official photocall in order to share the first glimpse of their newborn with the public.
“There’s literally a structure by which if you want to release photos of your child, you have to give them to the Royal Rota,” Markle explained.
Obviously, this didn’t go down well with the new mother who understandably just wanted to enjoy some quiet time with her newborn.
“Why would I give the very people that are calling my children the N-word a photo of my child before I can share it with the people I love?” she asked.
Prince Harry makes a brief cameo
During the interview, Prince Harry briefly joined in to give a little insight into his and Meghan’s relationship. The pair currently live in a sprawling California mansion where they undertake most of their work together.
“Most people that I know and many of my family, they aren’t able to live and work together,” Harry said, adding that the set-up seems “really weird,” but for him and Meghan, “it just feels natural and normal.”
Harry and Meghan’s relationship
Meghan Markle also divulged some extra details on her relationship with Harry—a rarity for any royal couple.
“The piece of my life I haven’t been able to share, that people haven’t been able to see, is our love story,” she said.
She added that she is continuing to try to instil manners in their children, Archie and Lilibet, recalling a piece of advice she once received from a friend’s mother: that salt and pepper are always passed together.
“That’s like me and Harry,” Markle said. “We’re like salt and pepper, we always move together.”
Harry “lost” his dad
Markle said that both she and Prince Harry had lost their fathers as a result of the events of the last three years.
Meghan no longer has a relationship with her father Thomas Markle after he shared personal information about his daughter and their relationship with tabloids.
But similarity, Prince Harry’s relationship with his own dad, Prince Charles has become strained as a result of their decision to step back from the royal family.
“Harry said to me, ‘I lost my dad in this process.’ It doesn’t have to be the same for them as it was for me, but that’s his decision,” Meghan explained. Harry previously said that Charles stopped taking his calls when they decided to move to California.
Meghan is getting her Instagram back
Markle’s shared Instagram with Prince Harry, named Sussex Royal, was famous enough in it’s own right—it was one of the fastest growing profiles in the social media platform’s history. But the page was taken down after the pair stepped back from the royal family.
Before that, Markle also had her own personal Instagram account which she updated in tandem with her now-debunked blog, The Tig. From pictures of Meghan’s beloved dogs to the former actor enjoying cocktails with her friends—it was a goldmine insight into her pre-royal life.
And now, Markle is ready to get back on the platform.
“I’m getting back… on Instagram,” she told The Cut. The 41-year-old will likely use her page to promote her new podcast, Archetypes, as well as any formal announcements on the projects she and Harry are working on.
