Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been rocking new parenthood in the public eye. The two successfully toted Archie all the way to South Africa for their recent tour of the country. While there, ITV filmed footage for an upcoming documentary called Harry & Meghan: An African Journey.
Bits and pieces of the documentary have been discussed in the media, and one recent revelation is about Meghan's experience navigating the highs and lows of being a first-time mom.
Meghan says: "Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging. And then when you have a newborn, you know."
She continues: "And especially as a woman, it’s a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed. It’s um … yeah. I guess, also thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if I’m OK, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."
In the video footage, Meghan is seen as visibly emotional as ITV's Tom Bradby begins asking her about Princess Diana and Prince Harry. As the conversation continues, Meghan relaxes, and thanks the interviewer for checking in on her.
The first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was born on May 6, 2019. Harry and Meghan announced the baby's birth on their Instagram account, including standard details like his weight. Prince Harry continued the royal tradition of speaking to the press about his firstborn child later that day. Their Instagram caption noted, "Their Royal Highnesses thank you for your support and kindness during this exceptionally joyful time in their lives as they welcome their baby boy."
Harry and Meghan waited two days to reveal their baby's name: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. They shared a few additional photos of the baby, including one of Queen Elizabeth and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, greeting Archie with smiles.
Meghan took a few months off from royal duties following Archie's birth, but pretty quickly she was back to balancing work and home life as a new mom under intense media scrutiny. In September, she launched Smart Works, a charity that provides clothing and coaching for women who are setting out on job interviews.
A week later, Meghan met with a group of activists, parliamentarians, professors, educations, and policymakers to talk about women's rights in South Africa. The meeting took place before the couple set out on their royal tour, with Meghan noting, "In the lead up to this tour it weighed heavily on my heart to see the countless violations against women, and I wanted to spend my time on the ground learning about the situation at hand."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in South Africa to great energy and excitement on September 23. The pair visited Justice Desk, a charity organization in Cape Town's township of Nyanga. They also began their tour by taking an education workshop in Nyanga.
By all accounts, Meghan and Harry had a very successful trip to South Africa. Fans eagerly waited for glimpses of Archie on the trip, but for the first couple days were forced to wait it out. The duke and duchess visited Cape Town's District Six Homecoming Centre on September 23.
The royal three finally met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a family, thrilling royal followers. Archie was also given the African name "Ntsika" on the tour by the team at Justice Desk. They said that "his name of Xhosa African origin means ‘pillar of strength.’ May you always be a pillar of strength for those who need you."
In the interview for the ITV documentary, the conversation continues on the topic of the stress Meghan has faced. The interviewer Tom Bradby asks Meghan if it “would be fair” to say that she’s “not really OK, as in it’s really been a struggle?” and Meghan responds, "Yes."
For his part, Prince Harry has been endlessly supportive of Meghan as they continue down the road of parenthood. The pair have reportedly discussed moving to Canada at some point with Archie, which may be a bid to gain a greater sense of privacy and safety for Meghan and the baby.
