Meghan Markle: We were upsetting the royal dynamic ‘just by existing’

In a new interview, Meghan Markle has claimed “just by existing” the Sussexes had upset the royal “dynamic” and that Harry has now “lost” his dad.

Meghan Markle has taken a fresh swipe at the royal family in a new interview, declaring that “just by existing”, she and Prince Harry were “upsetting the dynamic” of the institution.

The Duchess of Sussex said that while other members of the royal household had previously been allowed to step back from official duties, they were barred from doing “that exact thing”.

In the interview for New York magazine’s The Cut supplement, Meghan also said Prince Harry had confided in her how he had “lost” his father, Prince Charles, during the tumult over their relationship.

The Duchess has been on a publicity spree to coincide with the launch of her new Spotify podcast Archetypes, the first fruits of a rumoured $US30 million ($A43.5 million) deal with the audio giant.

Marketing for the series says it will focus on the unfair labels women are given – and the first episode, featuring tennis superstar Serena Williams, has gone straight to the top of the Spotify charts in several nations.

But it has divided audiences. Some have lauded Meghan for championing women’s issues. But others have criticised the former Suits actress for talking too much in the broadcast, rather than letting her interviewees speak, and that it featured her famous friends rather than less celebrated women.

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Meghan Markle recording her new podcast Archetypes. Picture: Spotify

The Cut interview, with Allison P Davis, took place at the Sussexes’ $US14.65 million ($A21.22 million) California home where they live with children Archie, 3 and Lilibet, 1. Meghan said the couple were wary about buying the house as “we didn’t have jobs” at the time.

But a couple of trees swung the deal.

“One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees.

“See how they’re connected at the bottom? He goes, ‘My love, it’s us.’ 

“And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, ‘Hi, Mumma. Hi, Papa.’”

She said when she walks into the house she feels “joy, calm”.

“It’s healing. You feel free,” she said.

Turning to her brief time in the heart of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex said it was a “bittersweet” experience and that “none of it had to be this way”.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made a new life for themselves in America in 2020. Picture: Timothy A. Clary/AFP

Meghan compared with Mandela

But the Duchess said her journey was a sign of progress for people of colour.

She recalled a moment at the 2019 London premiere of musical The Lion King when she had a chat to a South African cast member.

“He looked at me, and he’s just like light. He said, ‘I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison.’”

Meghan also spoke of how she was aware that as a royal she was a role model. But others could aspire to less lofty goals.

“I was conscious of the fact that there are little girls that I meet and they’re just like, ‘Oh my God, it’s a real-life princess.’ 

“I just look at all of them and think, ‘You have the power within you to create a life greater than any fairytale you’ve ever read.’

“I don’t mean that in terms of, ‘You could marry a prince one day.’ I mean you can find love. You can find happiness. You can be up against what could feel like the greatest obstacle and then you can find happiness again.”

Meghan and Harry went back to the UK for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations earlier this year. Picture: Matt Dunham/AFP

‘Just by existing, we were upsetting the royals’

The Duchess blamed the press as being behind many of her problems. And that was one of the reasons they approached the Queen about stepping back from some duties while making their own money and not being dependent on public funds.

“Then maybe all the noise would stop,” she said of the proposal.

As part of the plan, she said leaving Britain and the gaze of the press seemed like the best idea.

“Anything to just … because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, ‘OK, fine, let’s get out of here. Happy to.’”

The Duchess said the proposal wasn’t “reinventing the wheel,” but it was given short shrift. She saw that as double standards.

“That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family were do that exact thing.”

When asked why others were allowed to do what she and Prince Harry couldn’t, she said: “I don’t know.”

Prince Charles and Prince Harry were close in the past. Picture: Luke MacGregor/AFP

Harry: ‘I lost my dad’

The Duchess also pointed a finger at the media for putting a wedge between her family members and her husband’s – including Prince Charles.

“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.”

She said it would take “a lot of effort” to forgive the royals.

“I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive.

“But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I’ve really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything.

“I have a lot to say until I don’t. Sometimes, as they say, the silent part is still part of the song.”