The Duchess of Sussex recently disclosed that she endured a “rare and scary” medical issue following the birth of one of her children.
In the debut episode of her podcast, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” Meghan revealed that she was diagnosed with post-partum pre-eclampsia after childbirth.
She recounted it as a significant medical fright, coping in secrecy without public awareness of her struggles.
Meghan, a mother of two with the Duke of Sussex, chose not to specify whether this complication occurred after the birth of Archie, aged five, or Lilibet, aged three.
The NHS website states that pre-eclampsia can affect some women during or shortly after pregnancy, manifesting early signs such as high blood pressure.
“It’s so rare and so scary,” Meghan commented about the condition.
“You’re still trying to juggle all these things, and the world doesn’t know what is happening quietly. In the quiet, you are still trying to show up for people,” she continued.
“In the quiet, you’re still trying to show up mostly for your children, but these things are huge medical scares.”
Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of the dating app Bumble and the podcast’s first guest, also experienced this condition.
Herd described the condition as a matter of life or death, saying, “It’s really scary.”
She remarked that she would “never forget” the sight of Meghan following the birth of Archie, as the entire world eagerly awaited his first appearance.
In the podcast, Meghan also discussed balancing work and childcare, noting how Lilibet often joins her during online meetings from home.
“I don’t leave the house to go to an office; my office is here,” she explained. “Lili still naps; she gets picked up early and has only a half day in preschool.
“If she wakes up and wants to find me, she knows where to find me, even if my office door is closed.
“She’ll be sitting on my lap during one of these meetings, facing a grid of all the executives.” Yet, Meghan expressed that she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I don’t want to miss those moments. I don’t want to miss a pick-up if I don’t have to. I don’t want to miss a drop-off.”
Meghan’s latest podcast with Lemonada Media follows her previous series on Spotify, “Archetypes,” which received mixed reviews.
This endeavor is among several recent business activities, including starring in a new Netflix lifestyle series called “With Love, Meghan,” and launching a brand named “As Ever.”
She noted that the series will host “candid conversations with amazing women” and engage in “girl talk.”
In the opening episode, she highlighted how managing young children alongside a business adds “perspective.”
“Because you’re building something while your child is going through potty training… and both are just as important,” she said.
“In your own world, that’s super high value. And in [Lili’s] world, it’s super high value.”
