The Duchess of Sussex reflects on the pressure, isolation and emotional toll she faced behind palace walls
Meghan Markle has spoken candidly about how difficult life became after she married into the Royal Family, revealing that few people asked how she was coping during one of the most intense periods of her life.
In the Netflix series Harry & Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex looked back on her early months as a newlywed and expectant mother, describing an experience shaped by relentless media scrutiny and a lack of emotional support. She admitted that what should have been a joyful honeymoon phase was instead marked by stress and vulnerability.
Meghan explained that she tried hard to embrace what she described as the British “stiff upper lip” mentality, but said suppressing emotions came at a cost. She suggested that being expected to stay silent while false stories circulated publicly was deeply damaging. Despite knowing the claims were untrue, she felt powerless watching them continue unchecked.
She also spoke about how pregnancy intensified everything. Meghan said that being pregnant made her feel especially exposed, and that the pressure did not ease after her son was born. Juggling new motherhood alongside life in the public eye, she said, was overwhelming.
One of her most striking comments centred on how alone she felt. Meghan recalled thanking an interviewer for asking if she was okay, noting that very few people had done so. She described her experience as a “very real” struggle that played out quietly behind the scenes, far from the public image of royal life.
Her reflections offered a rare glimpse into the emotional reality she says she endured, long before she and Harry decided to step away from royal duties.
