The news of Prince Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle was first met with mixed reactions. At first, many thought it was just another in a string of girlfriends for Harry, who had developed a reputation as a partying bachelor. When things began to appear serious, Harry spoke out, condemning the negative discussions of his then-girlfriend in the press. That changed the conversation. Here was a woman who was biracial, a divorcée, and three years his senior. She was an actress with an active career, and she had caught the prince's eye. When the couple got engaged, it changed everything for Harry and Meghan.
People began to take to the new side of Harry that Meghan had brought out. Since she was accustomed to the spotlight and was a relatively tame member of Hollywood, many believed her transition into the royal family would be smooth and simple. Unfortunately, it was anything but that, as rumors of her being disliked by the royal family emerged and members of her own family attacked her in the press. With the birth of Harry and Meghan's first child, her place in the spotlight has become even more complicated.
Meghan Markle's life in the spotlight didn't begin when she met Prince Harry. Before her royal romance, Meghan was a working actress enjoying a successful career and low-key life, splitting her time between Toronto and California.
Things changed wildly for her when she began dating Prince Harry. The media began to make some very racially charged comments about her, especially as things began getting serious between them. It got so bad that Prince Harry had to release a statement slamming her treatment by the media.
Things ramped up when the couple announced their engagement. Meghan was slated to become the first biracial member of the royal family. She was also a divorcée, which many people took issue with. Meghan did her best to just be herself and discuss the things that were important to her and Harry.
What she could have never anticipated were the attacks from her own family as she prepared for her royal wedding. Her father, Thomas Markle, and half-sister, Samantha Markle, repeatedly said inflammatory things about Meghan.
According to a source close to the royal family, Meghan has apparently struggled much more than has been revealed. "Meghan has struggled with the intensity of the spotlight," the source told People. "Although she is a former actress, this is on a different level."
Harry and Meghan have always been open about wanting more normalcy and a quieter life. To that end, they moved from Kensington Palace to the more secluded Frogmore Cottage as they prepared to welcome their first child.
Since welcoming baby Archie on May 6, they've doubled down on that commitment. It started with their decision to spend their first few days as a family alone. They didn't introduce their baby boy to the world until two days after he was born.
When it came to Archie's christening, privacy was also very important. They decided to have the christening at the Queen's Private Chapel in Windsor Castle. They didn't reveal the names of Archie's godparents and did not allow the press to photograph guests arriving at or leaving the event.
Luckily, Meghan has had someone to lean on and discuss all her concerns. Motherhood has strengthened the bond between Meghan and Kate Middleton, despite constant rumors that the duchesses are feuding.
Kate has opened up about her own experiences being a mom and a royal. During a visit to the Global Academy in London to discuss mental health initiatives, Kate said this of motherhood: "It is lonely at times. You do feel quite isolated."
The women have another experience in common. Both have experienced pressure from the media to define their own relationships. As Meghan tried to figure out her place in the royal family, Kate was juggling her responsibilities as a future queen and being a mother of three.
Neither has had an easy time coping with these things, which made the pressure to forge a close friendship even harder. "There was undue pressure where the whole world wanted them to be best friends," the royal insider explained.
They're certainly in a better place now. Meghan is getting a lot of support from Kate as she navigates being a first-time mom in the public eye. With more common ground between them, they seem more at ease with each other than they did in the past.
"Babies are a great leveler," added royal commentator Victoria Arbiter. "The minute you’re bonding over your stories and sleepless nights, suddenly all the stuff that mattered before doesn’t matter anymore." With Archie and Prince Louis just a year apart, we're sure that there will be many more opportunities for the duchesses to bond.
