Meghan Markle Opens Up About Queen Elizabeth’s Passing, Life With Harry & Quitting Acting For Good

Oct 21, 2022 by apost team

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shocked the world by announcing they were stepping back as senior royals in early 2020. They have since relocated to the United States, where they live with their two children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet. Although they retained their HRH titles, they would no longer receive financial support from the palace or undertake any royal duties as representatives of the monarch. Their sharp criticism of the royal family's culture in the now infamous Oprah Winfrey interview of 2021 was met with some opprobrium around the world, but the couple also found a lot of support.

Since relocating to Montecito in Santa Barbara, California, the Sussexes have been busy setting up their own brand, Archewell, whilst working on a podcast, a documentary and a memoir, among other things. But the events of Sept. 8, 2022, would put everything on hold.

On that fateful day, the British monarchy was upended by the tragic news that Queen Elizabeth II, who had ruled for 70 years, passed away. The same day, her firstborn son ascended the throne to become King Charles III. In the days following, all senior members of the royal family descended on London to attend and take part in the traditional funeral rites, procession and services. Among them were Prince Harry and Meghan. 

Since the funeral, speculation has surfaced on how Charles intends to deal with the Sussexes. Some state that the father-son relationship is on the mend, while others have run with the assumption that Charles will shun the couple even more. Whatever the case may be, Meghan appeared to be enjoying life outside the palace walls. Read on to find out what she revealed to Variety about grieving the queen’s passing, her portrayal in the media and life as a working mom.

In an October 2022 feature on Meghan, Variety’s Matt Donnelly sat down with the duchess for an in-depth profile into her life in sunny California. Among the topics of discussion was the passing of the queen. Meghan reflected on how “proud” she was “to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family.” She added:

“I’m really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time. What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like. I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her.”

Donnelly also touched on a New York Magazine article in which Meghan appeared to have come off as “snarky.” However, Meghan told him she has since come to terms with the backlash.

“I’ve had some time to reflect on it. Part of me is just really trusting, really open — that’s how I move in the world. I have to remember that I don’t ever want to become so jaded that that piece of me goes away. So despite any of those things? Onward. I can survive it,” she said.

Meghan also talked about Liz Garbus’ forthcoming docuseries on her and Harry, as she said: “It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it. But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens.”

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On Aug. 23, 2022, Meghan launched her podcast “Archetypes,” where she speaks to different personalities every episode. She revealed to Variety her most challenging interview was with Paris Hilton. 

“I was embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve had a judgment about her that’s based on everything I’ve seen, and I don’t like to come from a place of judgment. But I also didn’t grow up pretty. … I grew up as the smart one. So much of what I ended up thinking about, when I thought about Paris, was envy and judgment — two of the most dangerous things,” Meghan said. 

Meghan also affirmed that she was done with acting, as she said: “I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not (to return to acting).” However, she said if her children were to show interest in it, she would not stop them from pursuing their passions.

As for the future, Meghan said she and Harry are optimistic about the kind of projects they want to work on.

“So much of how my husband and I see things is through our love story. I think that’s what people around the world connected to, especially with our wedding. People love love. I’m not excluded in that sentiment. And our definition of love is really expansive: Partner love, self-love, the love of community and family. We use that as the baseline of the kind of shows and documentaries we want out there,” she said.

Despite the hectic schedule, Meghan said she and Harry enjoy their routines, which include fast-food runs.

“My husband’s favorite is In-N-Out. There’s one at the halfway point between L.A. and our neck of the woods. It’s really fun to go through the drive-thru and surprise them. They know our order.”

What do you think about Meghan’s life in California? Are you excited about any of her and Harry’s forthcoming projects? Let us know and pass this along to friends and family who’d be excited to hear about what she’s up to.