Meghan Markle laughed when she revealed that a friend of hers had sent her a present packed in "shredded tabloids" during the latest episode of her Archetypes podcast.
The duchess discussed women in society being labeled "crazy" with comedian Jenny Slate, actresses Constance Wu and Deepika Padukone and former California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris in the episode, released Tuesday. In the previous four episodes of Archetypes, the duchess discussed labels such as ambitious, diva, singleton and dragon lady. Each episode's guests are chosen to discuss their experiences with the different archetypes.
Discussing her relationship with Burke Harris, Meghan revealed that the doctor had once sent her a present with a humorous card attached.
"I just want to tell you," she told listeners, "it must have been a couple years ago. She sent me a Christmas gift, and as I opened the box there were these two beautiful small glass containers.
"She'd made essential oil from her home, but it was in this bedding—you know, sometimes you have to put mesh in a gift—and in the card she said, 'I just want you to know that to make that mesh in that bedding for the gift I shredded tabloids because that's all they're good for.'"
After saying this, the royal, who has had a well-documented strained relationship with the British tabloid press, laughed and said, "It was great!"
In 2021, Meghan won a long-fought legal battle with Britain's The Mail on Sunday over the publication of extracts from a private letter she had written to her father.
Last week, the duchess's husband, Prince Harry, filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, along with five other high-profile figures. The suit alleges that Associated Newspapers had engaged in unlawful information-gathering techniques.
A spokesperson for the organization refuted the claims in a statement, calling them "preposterous smears."
This is not the first tabloid legal battle for Harry. Will Charlesworth, deputy head of commercial litigation at London law firm Saunders Law, previously told Newsweek that the prince has become a "key player" in the "fight for privacy."
In the podcast episode released Tuesday, Meghan discussed her experiences with the label crazy, and given that Monday was World Mental Health Day, she also discussed her mental health journey.
This included revealing that at her "worst point" she reached out to someone whom Harry had connected her with for "help."
"I think it's for all of us to be really honest about what it is that you need and not be afraid to make peace with that and ask for it," she told listeners.
Along with discussing her negative treatment by the tabloid press in Britain, Meghan has discussed the effect it has had on her mental health and how the monarchy did not offer her adequate support.
Archetypes is Meghan's first major media project since stepping down from her role as a working royal in 2020. She has cited the tabloid press as part of the couple's motivation for moving to the U.S.
The podcast is the product of a multimillion-dollar content creation deal between Meghan and Harry's Archewell Audio production company and streaming giant Spotify.
Upon announcing the project, Meghan said she wanted Archetypes to "dissect, explore and subvert the labels that try to hold women back."
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
