Meghan Markle took another swipe at the Royal Family, saying she “couldn’t be as vocal” while living in the UK.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, revealed in a Bloomberg Originals interview that she felt her life was “inauthentic… several years ago.”
The mum-of-two, who lives in a £12 million Montecito home and spends her evenings learning French on Duolingo, was asked if it’s hard to seem “relatable.”
She said, “No, I’m just being myself. It was probably different a few years ago when I couldn’t be as vocal and always had to wear nude pantyhose.
“Honestly, that’s not really me—I hadn’t worn pantyhose since the ‘80s when they came in those little egg-shaped packages.
“That felt a bit inauthentic. It’s a small example, but it shows that when you can dress how you want, speak your truth, and show up naturally, that’s when you truly feel comfortable in your own skin.”
The Duchess added that she no longer feels the need to prove anything.
She said, “I believe our true character, who we are at our core, doesn’t change. However, the behaviors, habits, and roles we take on in life can bring out both the best and worst in us.”
She said, “I’m just being myself.”
But despite saying she was once forced to be “inauthentic,” the Duchess seemed to contradict herself later on.
When asked by Emily Chang what she’s learned about herself since becoming a Sussex, Meghan said that no matter her name or what people call her, she remains the same person. She emphasized that this hasn’t changed who she is and called that her biggest defining trait.
She also highlighted that her legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, referencing a moment from her show With Love, Meghan where she corrected Mindy Kaling for calling her Meghan Markle.
When asked if she feels she owns her life story now, Meghan confidently replied, “I know I do.”
Touching on her children’s future, Meghan said she wants Archie and Lilibet to “carve out the life they want for themselves,” hinting at her hopes for them to shape their own paths differently from what she and Harry experienced.
The Duchess said she wants her children’s choices to reflect both her and Harry’s values, including financial independence. Meghan often refers to her own upbringing as a “latch-key kid,” saying she grew up clipping coupons, hunting sales, and always working.
However, her estranged father Thomas Markle has disputed these claims, saying Meghan lived with him full-time from age 11 to 18, money was never an issue, and he often picked her up from school. He also mentioned Meghan’s grandmother would be upset to hear her described as a latchkey child.
Meghan stressed the importance of young women earning their own money and said her parenting with Harry focuses on values despite their privilege. She shared that she feeds her kids simple meals like chicken nuggets, tater tots, and macaroni cheese.
She also discussed a “really big choice” to share a video of herself dancing while nine months pregnant, aiming to show that real life continues behind the scenes despite public noise.
Throughout the interview, Meghan made veiled criticisms of the Royal Family, hinting she has “receipts” to support her claims against them.
Harry and Meghan have consistently criticized the Royal Family, from their 2021 Oprah interview to their Netflix docuseries, Harry’s book Spare, and his recent BBC interview. Their Oprah appearance was especially controversial, with claims about conversations regarding Archie’s skin color and Meghan’s mental health struggles being ignored.
Royal expert Jack Royston told The Royal Exclusive that despite hints Meghan has “receipts” to back up her claims, it likely won’t make much difference. He explained that the Sussexes damaged their own reputation by relentlessly attacking the royal family without facing much pushback. Even if they hold back some explosive information, the royals aren’t worried since Harry and Meghan are widely seen as the villains, both in Britain and America.
Meghan’s Bloomberg interview aired just hours after Netflix released season two of her lifestyle show With Love, Meghan.
Despite stepping down as senior working royals and leaving the UK, Meghan faced criticism for being hypocritical after revealing her 40th birthday gift for Prince Harry in the seventh episode of her show.
On a Malibu day trip with friend Heather Dorak, Meghan spent several minutes discussing how she packs her bag, mentioning she brings “things that bring me joy,” including a blue PH40 baseball cap she made for Harry’s 40th birthday—PH standing for Prince Harry—even though they stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
She had teased the episode earlier, saying she loves finding ways to show she cares. The new season, which features more celebrity guests, also touches on her Royal Wedding and anniversary.
Despite mixed reviews, the show was renewed for a second season that premiered shortly after Harry and Meghan announced a downsized Netflix deal—a “multi-year, first-look” contract rather than the reported $100 million deal from five years ago.
In other clips, Meghan shares how much she misses Magic FM, a UK radio station, saying it’s one of the things she misses most since moving to the US five years ago.
Prince Harry does not appear in the new episodes except in two photos. Meghan reveals how being away from their children for almost three weeks left her feeling “not well,” during a conversation with Tan France, who also shared his struggles being apart from his kids.
In episode two, Meghan is joined by Chrissy Teigen and briefly by John Legend. She jokes about wishing Harry had joined them, calling him by a playful nickname: “Oh, I should’ve told H to come.”
In episode three, Tan France visits, and Meghan gifts his children a set of books, including her own The Bench.