Meghan Markle hits out at royal life: ‘Didn’t make any sense’

The Duchess of Sussex has taken a swipe at royal aides and recounted the terror of a fire in baby Archie’s nursery in the first episode of her new podcast.

Meghan Markle has taken a swipe at royal life in the first episode of her new ‘Archetypes’ podcast with Prince Harry during a conversation with Serena Williams.

Nearly two years after signing an exclusive podcast deal with audio giant Spotify, the first series from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Audio debuted on the service on Tuesday in the US.

The hour-long first episode features Ms Markle, the 41-year-old host of the series, in conversation with tennis legend Serena Williams, 40, who announced her decision to retire from the sport earlier this month.

Meghan Markle has taken a swipe at royal life in the first episode of her new podcast with Prince Harry.

In the episode, ‘The Misconception of Ambition with Serena Williams’, the Duchess of Sussex spoke to her sports star friend about double standards women face and drew on her experience of being criticised for being “ambitious” when she started dating Prince Harry.

She said that ambition has become a “dirty, dirty word when it comes to women”.

“I don’t remember ever personally feeling the negative connotation behind the word ‘ambitious’ until I started dating my now husband,” Ms Markle said.

“And um, apparently ambition is, uh … a terrible, terrible thing, for a woman that is — according to some.

“So, since I’ve felt the negativity behind it, it’s really hard to un-feel it. I can’t unsee it, either, in the millions of girls and women who make themselves smaller — so much smaller — on a regular basis.”

She's here ✨ Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex brings us a new podcast. Welcome to Archetypes https://t.co/6qNeebTGxQpic.twitter.com/T9BvTkTAOS

— Spotify (@Spotify) August 23, 2022

Ms Williams agreed with the duchess’ sentiment about how men and women are viewed differently.

“You know, if a man is ambitious, am I saying? Am I bringing down society by saying a woman is something different than ambitious? Or what do I think of women that are ambitious?” the athlete said.

“Often women are definitely put in these different boxes when we are ambitious or when we do have goals or when we reach our goals, it’s a negative connotation on how we reach the goals.”

Serena Williams shared this photo of herself and daughter Alexis with Meghan Markle after the podcast launch episode. She captioned the image: "I loved talking about so many important topics with my dear friend Meghan as her first guest on #archetypes for @spotify! It’s out now and worth the listen, especially if you’re ambitious”. Picture: instagram

During the discussion, Ms Markle also took a swipe at royal life, while recounting an occasion when she was forced to attend an official engagement moments after her son Archie narrowly escaped serious injury in 2019.

Ms Markle explained that there had been a fire in Archie’s nursery at the housing unit the family was staying in on an official tour in South Africa.

The Sussexes had dropped their son off for a sleep straight after flying in for the royal visit to attend their first engagement when the incident occurred, she said.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle visit the sitting volleyball section of the fifth edition of the Invictus Games in The Hague on April 17, 2022. Picture: AFP

“There was this moment where I’m standing on a tree stump and I’m giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say there’s been a fire at the residence. What? There’s been a fire in the baby’s room.” Ms Markle said.

“We came back. And, of course, as a mother, you go, ‘Oh, my God, what?’ Everyone’s in tears, everyone’s shaken. And what do we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement. I said, ‘This doesn’t make any sense’.”

Meghan Markle during their royal tour of South Africa on September 23, 2019. Picture: AFP

The royal couple with their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019. Picture: AFP

According to an earlier press release, the podcast series intends to “investigate the labels that try to hold women back”. Speaking with historians and experts, Meghan will “uncover the origin of these stereotypes and have uncensored conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape narratives”.

“This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us … but where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?” Ms Markle asked in an audio teaser released in March.

Next week’s episode will feature a conversation with Mariah Carey, according to Spotify.

In addition to the couple’s deal with Spotify, Archewell Productions has an exclusive deal with Netflix.

Ms Markle and Prince Harry officially quit their royal roles in February 2021, four months before daughter Lilibet, now one, was born.

The family of four now lives in Montecito, California.