The Truth About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Funding After Royal Exit

According to newly released royal expenditure reports, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received money from Prince Charles after stepping down as working royals in January 2020.

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Prince Charles financially supported Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after the couple stepped down as working members of the British royal family, according to financial records released on June 24.
 
Clarence House, which serves as the office for the Prince of Wales, released their financial accounts covering expenses made from April 1, 2020 to March 31 of this year. In the report, Prince Charles paid sons Prince William and Harry, along with their families, a total of $6.3 million for their “official expenditure.” However, the exact sum that each family member received out of the total remains unclear.
 
During the couple’s groundbreaking interview earlier this year with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry explained that he was “cut off financially” by his father once they broke from the royal family. The two announced that they would be stepping back from their duties in January 2020 and officially ceased being working members in March 2020, just before the new fiscal financial year began.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s History-Making Moments

However, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Vanity Fair that it was “inaccurate to suggest a contradiction.”

Karwai Tang/WireImage

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“The Duke’s comments during the Oprah interview were in reference to the first quarter of the fiscal reporting period in the U.K., which starts annually in April,” the rep said. “This is the same date that the ‘transitional year’ of the Sandringham agreement began and is aligned with the timeline that Clarence House referenced.”

The financial records also revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan made a $3.3. million rent payment for Frogmore Cottage—the home where they resided with 2-year-son Archie—in September 2020. Although the payment was made long after the pair relocated to California in March 2020, the residence reportedly remains licensed to the couple until March 31, 2022.

A spokesperson from Clarence House also confirmed to the BBC that financial support from Prince Charles for the royal couple has ceased since 2020. “That funding ceased in the summer of last year,” he said. “The couple are now financially independent.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Feud Takes Center Stage in New Lifetime Movie Trailer

As to be expected, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s explosive royal rift—including that Oprah interview—is getting the Lifetime treatment. Scroll on to watch a sneak peek.

Watch: Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Get Sweet Messages From Royal Family

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are once again getting the royal treatment. This time, courtesy of Lifetime.

The network’s latest film, Meghan and Harry: Escaping the Palace, will dive into the couple’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey which detailed their decision to ultimately step down as senior royals and the alleged racism Meghan faced during her time in the U.K.

In the sneak peek released June 22, Prince Harry (played by Jordan Dean) says to his struggling wife (Sydney Morton), “I see you literally being hounded to death and I’m helpless to stop it.”

To which she replies, “I am the person who is strong and gets things right. I can’t lose you.” 

Though there have been other movies made about the couple, this will be the first detailing their departure from the royal family. In a bombshell Instagram post in January 2020, they announced the news and shared they were moving to North America.

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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s Quotes on Parenthood

Since then, they’ve kept busy—to say the least. They’ve inked deals with Spotify and Netflix, expanded their philanthropy work and, yes, sat down with Oprah for that interview. In between, they’ve celebrated their 2-year-old son Archie Harrison‘s milestones and welcome daughter Lili Diana earlier this month.

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“To have any child, any one or any two would have been amazing,” Harry raved in March while sharing the news they were expecting a daughter. “But to have a boy and then a girl, you know, what more can you ask for? But now, you know, now we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great.”

Meghan Markle Reveals What Archie Thinks About Her New Children's Book

In a rare interview released on Father's Day 2021, and which marks her first since her bombshell sit-down with Oprah Winfrey in March, Meghan Markle talks about her new children's book.

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Archie Harrison may be one of the stars of mom Meghan Markle‘s new children’s book, but he’s just as happy to add it to his growing library of stories to enjoy with his parents.

In an NPR interview released on Sunday, her husband Prince Harry‘s first Father’s Day as a dad of two, the 39-year-old Duchess of Sussex spoke about the couple’s 2-year-old son’s reaction to The Bench, an illustrated picture book that depicts the special relationship between father and son, as seen through a mother’s eyes. It was inspired by a 2019 poem Meghan wrote to Harry for Father’s Day 2019, a month after their son was born.

“Archie loves the book,” Meghan told NPR, “which is great because he has a voracious appetitive for books and constantly, when we read him a book, he goes, ‘Again, again, again!’ But now, the fact that he loves The Bench and we can say, ‘Mommy wrote this for you’ feels amazing.”

The Bench is illustrated by Christian Robinson and made up of series of vignettes showing different fathers and their sons sharing a bench while doing simple activities together like drinking apple juice or looking at the stars. The book also contains illustrations of Archie and Harry themselves as well as other father-son duos. One dad and his boy pose together in matching pink tutus.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Family Album

On another page, an excited child greets his father returning from military deployment. The man lifts his son in the air while the boy’s mom watches, crying tears of joy, from inside the house.

There is also an apparent nod to Meghan and Harry’s daughter Lilibeth “Lili” Diana, who was born two days before the book was published. One illustration appears to show Meghan in a garden, carrying a baby in a sling over her shoulder.

SussexRoyal/Instagram

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The Bench also contains a number of other Easter eggs and personal tributes, including one for Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.

“If people start digging, I think you can find sweet little moments that we’ve tucked in there, from my favorite flower— even my husband’s mom’s favorite flower, forget-me-nots, we wanted to make sure those were included in there.” Meghan told NPR. “There’s a lot of special detail and love that went into this book.”

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Meghan’s audio interview with NPR marked the first time she has spoken with the press since her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. The Duke of Sussex also joined his wife for part of the session and also granted the media mogul a solo interview for their Apple TV+ mental health series, The Me You Can’t See, which was released in May. Harry and Meghan have largely kept away from the public eye since leaving the monarchy and their previous home in the United Kingdom last year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, and have self-isolated at their California home with Archie and their pets.

“I often find, and especially in this past year, I think so many of us realized how much happens in the quiet,” Meghan told NPR, talking about her book. “It was definitely moments like that, watching them from out of the window and watching [my husband] just, you know, rock him to sleep or carry him or, you know … those lived experiences, from my observation, are the things that I infused in this poem [that is in the book].”

Meghan Markle's Dad Thomas Markle Comments on Baby Lili and Makes Accusation About Oprah

Meghan Markle's father Thomas Markle commented on the birth of his granddaughter and spoke negatively about Oprah Winfrey following her interviews with his estranged daughter and Prince Harry.

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Meghan Markle‘s father Thomas Markle has expressed hope of reconciling with his estranged daughter and her husband Prince Harry‘s and meeting both their kids, including their newborn daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Mountbatten-Windsor.

In a new interview, the 76-year-old reiterated an apology to the couple over their family rift while also accusing Oprah Winfrey of exploitation following her bombshell interview with the pair in March and a separate sit-down with Harry for an Apple TV+ series, both of which have fueled a massive PR crisis for the royal family.

During their joint sit-down, a pregnant Meghan and Harry voiced criticism of the monarchy, which they left more than a year ago. They also told Oprah they were expecting a baby sister for 2-year-old son Archie Harrison. Lili was born earlier this month in Southern California, less than five hours away from Thomas’ beachfront home in Mexico. In his interview with Australian TV show 60 Minutes, broadcast in full on Sunday, June 13, Thomas revealed how he found out about his granddaughter’s birth.

“No phone calls,” the 76-year-old retired Hollywood lighting director said. “I just heard it on the radio.”

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Family Album

Lili is named after both Queen Elizabeth II and Harry’s late mother Princess Diana. “Lily is a perfect name,” Thomas said, “and the other thing that makes me happy is now there’s a lot more Markle blood in the royal family. All I can say is I hope I get to eventually, sometime see these grandchildren of mine because I’m a pretty good grandpa.”

During her interview with Oprah, Meghan discussed her difficulties acclimating to life as a member of the monarchy, revealing that she at one point felt suicidal as a royal. She also shocked the interviewer—and millions of viewers—when the couple said an unnamed family member expressed “concerns” over the skin color of their future first child. When asked about it, Harry’s brother Prince William later said their family was not racist.

“The only person benefitting from this is Oprah Winfrey,” Markle said on 60 Minutes. When asked if he thinks the TV mogul is exploiting Meghan and Harry, he replied. “Yes, I do…that’s just my opinion. It seems to me she’s pushing it to get more and more out of it.”

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Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images/News Licensing/MEGA

Thomas also said he thought Harry and Oprah’s Apple TV+ mental health docu-series The Me You Can’t See, in which the duke detailed his wife’s struggles and also criticized his royal upbringing in a solo interview, is a “setup.”

“I think she’s patting herself on the back and making a lot of money on this,” he said. “I think Harry’s being put into a position where he’s saying things he’ll never be able to take back…I’m not attacking Oprah but I really think Oprah’s taking advantage of Harry.”

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How Meghan Markle Forever Changed the Royal Family

Neither Meghan, Harry nor Oprah has responded to Thomas’ comments, which also come two months after he drove up to the TV personality’s Montecito, Calif. home, located not far from the Sussex’s, and left with a security guard a letter in which he requested she grant him an interview as well.

“I left a letter for Oprah with my phone number and email and I said, ‘Give me a chance to tell my story,” he said on 60 Minutes. “I said, it’s not fair to tell [their] story without hearing my story. I got no response.”

Thomas explained he would never show up at his daughter’s doorstep uninvited. “I’d never do that,” he said. “That makes me a stalker. I’m not a stalker.”

He also reiterated that he has not spoken to Meghan or Harry since two days before their 2018 royal wedding, after he drew controversy by posing for staged paparazzi photos that the tabloids released just before the nuptials. In an August 2018 Mail on Sunday interview, the duchess’s dad confessed to initially lying to Harry about posing for the pictures, saying he told him he was “being measured for a hoodie.”

Harpo Productions/ Photographer: Joe Pugliese

“If I am [to blame for the estrangement], tell me why and how I’ll fix it. I’ll try to fix it,” Thomas said on 60 Minutes. “As always, I do love you and I wish we could sit down and talk about it. I’m not an ogre.”

He later added, “July 18th, I’ll be 77 years old. Most of the Markle men don’t make it much past 80. So there’s a good chance I might never seen my grandchildren. I’m not looking for pity. I’m just saying that’s a reality.”

How Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Introduced Baby Lili Diana to Queen Elizabeth

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are adjusting to life as a family of four following the arrival of daughter Lili Diana. Her arrival is "happy news," according to Prince Charles.

Watch: How Meghan & Harry Introduced Baby Lili to Queen Elizabeth II

Thanks to modern technology, Queen Elizabeth II has already met Lilibet “Lili” Diana.

According to People, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry introduced the monarch to their newborn daughter over a video call following her birth on Saturday, June 4. People‘s source said the couple, who relocated to Santa Barbara, Calif. last year, “were very excited and couldn’t wait to share that their daughter arrived.”

The introduction took place shortly after the pair returned to their home in the neighborhood of Montecito, Calif., People reported.

Queen Elizabeth wasn’t the only one delighted to meet Lili. A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told E! News their son Archie Harrison “is very happy to have a little sister.”

People shared Meghan and Harry “prepared Archie” for becoming a big brother by talking about Lili’s impending arrival “a lot” prior to the big day. That being said, Archie is only 2 years old and “is too little to understand” all the changes happening around him.

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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s Quotes on Parenthood

The insider told the outlet Archie may not comprehend all that’s going on, but he’s “big enough though that he is now starting to have his own life too.” They shared, “He enjoys preschool and outdoor activities. He will have a fun summer.”

David Fisher/Shutterstock

Meanwhile, Prince Charles called Lili’s arrival “happy news” during an engagement at the Mini Cooper Factory in Oxford, England on Tuesday, June 8. The Prince of Wales told the workers at the Mini Cooper factory that he’s excited for more green energy vehicles, especially after “recently become a grandfather for the fifth time.” 

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, previously said in a statement, “Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie on the arrival of baby Lilibet Diana. Wishing them all well at this special time.”

Lili is named after the Queen, who was affectionately nicknamed Lilibet by her family. Additionally, her middle name Diana honors Harry’s mother the late Princess Diana.

Meghan Trainor Recalls Baby Boy Riley's "Terrifying" Health Complications

Meghan Trainor shared details of son Riley's "terrifying" breathing complications that led him to spend five days in the NICU after his birth on Feb. 25.

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Meghan Trainor is giving fans more details about welcoming her first child on Feb. 25 with husband Daryl Sabara.

The 27-year-old “Lips Are Movin” singer spoke to Today on Wednesday, June 2 about the challenges that now-3-month-old son Riley faced when he joined the world. 

“It was one of those horror stories where he didn’t cry,” Meghan shared. “He didn’t make noise when he came out. I was like, ‘Why isn’t he crying?’ Then they told me he was having breathing issues. It was terrifying.”

After he was born, Riley was taken to the hospital’s NICU, where he used a feeding tube. Meghan recalled that not getting to bond with him right away was particularly difficult. 

“I got to see him for one second before they took him away. That was probably the worst part,” she continued. “It was definitely a rough start. But we’re so lucky we got to bring him home after five days.”

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2021 Celebrity Babies

Back in February, Meghan had announced on Instagram that Riley arrived one week early at a healthy weight of 7 pounds and 8 ounces.

“This sweet baby boy’s due date was today on Valentine’s Day. We got to meet him Monday, Feb 8th!” the star wrote at the time. “We are SO IN LOVE [crying emoji]. Thank you @darylsabara for the best Valentine’s gift ever! Welcome to the world Riley!”

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In April, she gave offered more information about Riley’s journey by sharing a video to TikTok showing him hooked up to tubes and monitors shortly after birth.

“We had a rocky start…but thanks to the amazing nurses, doctors, and pediatricians, Riley is a perfect, healthy and happy baby,” she captioned the video back then. 

In December 2020, Meghan—who tied the knot with 28-year-old Spy Kids franchise alum Daryl in December 2018—revealed she had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, a temporary condition that can lead to breathing difficulties in babies. 

Every Heartwarming Quote Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Said About Parenthood

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are now a family of four! Relive the couple's heartwarming quotes about their road to parenthood.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s household just got bigger!

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed a baby girl earlier this week, a spokesperson for the couple announced on Sunday, June 6.

“It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world,” a statement read. “Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz.”

Per the statement, Meghan and her little one are “healthy and well, and settling in at home.”

Moreover, the couple chose a name that honors both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.

“Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet,” the statement continued. “Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales. This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family.”

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How Meghan Markle Forever Changed the Royal Family

The pair celebrated their son Archie Harrison‘s second birthday with a sweet tribute back in May.

And of course, it was only four months ago, Meghan and Harry revealed they were expecting a baby girl. On Valentine’s Day, the duo announced their pregnancy news with a black-and-white family photo that showed the activist’s growing baby bump.

Over the years, the twosome has been open about their road to parenthood. Scroll through our gallery below to relive their heartwarming quotes about their kids.

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Uncle Harry

“I don’t think you can force these things. It will happen when it’s gonna happen,” he told Sky News back in 2015 when asked if the birth of his niece Princess Charlotte made him think about settling down. “Of course, I would love to have kids right now, but there’s a process that one has to go through.”

Peter Nicholls/PA Wire

Planning for Her Little One

Years ago, Meghan even made a purchase with her future daughter in mind. “I’ve always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch. When I found out Suits had been picked up for our third season—which, at the time, felt like such a milestone—I totally splurged and bought the two-tone version,” she recalled to Hello! in 2015. “I had it engraved on the back, ‘To M.M. From M.M.’ and I plan to give it to my daughter one day.”

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Waiting for That Special Someone

Fatherhood is a subject that—along with marriage—has long trailed Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana‘s younger son. “There have been moments through life, especially when we do a tour abroad, when I think, ‘I’d love to have kids now’… And then there are other times when I bury my head in the sand going, ‘All right, don’t need kids!’ There’s no rush. I tell you what: There’s been times I’ve been put off having children,” he admitted to People back in May 2016, shortly before meeting his future wife. 

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Looking Towards the Future

In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed their engagement and sat for their first joint interview. Naturally, the topic of future kids came up. “Of course. You know, I think you know one step at a time, and hopefully, we’ll start a family in the near future,” Prince Harry said at the time with Meghan smiling beside him.

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Joys of Motherhood

“It’s magic,” Meghan said about becoming a mum following Archie’s birth. “It’s pretty amazing and, I mean, I have the two best guys in the world, so I’m really happy.”

Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Proud Pops

Following Archie’s birth in May 2019, Harry gushed, “It’s been the most amazing experience I can ever possibly imagine. How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension but we’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing so we just wanted to share this with everybody.”

Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Changed for Good

Harry reflected on the lessons he’s learned since becoming a parent during a speech at the National Youth Mentoring Summit in 2019. He shared, “I’m struck by a few things today, most of which is the power of the invisible role model. The person who may be sitting here today that doesn’t realize that someone looks up to them that—for that person—you inspire them to be kinder, better, greater, more successful, more impactful. Perhaps it’s the newfound clarity I have as a father knowing that my son will always be watching what I do, mimicking my behavior, one day maybe even following in my footsteps.”

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Speaking Candidly

The Duchess of Sussex opened up about her struggles as a new mom amid scrutiny by the British tabloids in a 2019 ITV documentary. “Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging,” she explained. “And then when you have a newborn, you know…especially as a woman, it’s really, it’s a lot, so you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed its, yeah, well I guess.” 

Toby Melville /PA Wire

Doting on Archie

“Our little man is our No. 1 priority but then our work after that is the second priority,” Prince Harry shared during a speaking engagement in 2020, “and we’re just doing everything we can to try and play our part in trying to make the world a better place.”

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Archie’s Firsts

Harry and Meghan found a silver lining amid the coronavirus pandemic through baby Archie. “In so many ways we are fortunate to be able to have this time to watch him grow, and in the absence of COVID, we would be traveling and working more externally,” Meghan shared in October 2020. “We’d miss a lot of those moments. So I think it’s been a lot of really good family time.”

Harry added, “We were both there for Archie’s first steps, his first run, his first fall, everything.”

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A Girl Dad

“To have any child, any one or any two would have been amazing,” the proud dad told Oprah during his and Meghan’s tell-all interview in March, “But to have a boy and then a girl, you know, what more can you ask for? But now, you know, now we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great.”

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Archie Turns Two

To celebrate Archie’s second birthday on May 6, 2021, the proud parents gushed over their baby boy. Additionally, they expressed their gratitude for people’s ongoing kindness when it comes to their little one. “We have been deeply touched over the past two years to feel the warmth and support for our family in honor of Archie’s birthday,” the couple said in a statement, per their Archewell Foundation. “Many of you donate to charities on his behalf, and mark the occasion by giving back or doing an act of service—all through the goodness of your hearts. You raise funds for those who need it the most, and continue to do so organically and selflessly. We remain incredibly grateful.”

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Awaiting Her Baby Girl’s Arrival

In May 2021, Meghan made a rare TV appearance during Global Citizen’s VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World special. The former actress opened up about her pregnancy and shared her excitement about raising a daughter. “My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It’s a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world,” she said at the time. “When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and the support to lead us forward.”

She added, “Their future leadership depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now to set them up, and set all of us up, for a successful, equitable and compassionate tomorrow.”

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Raising the Future

Meghan makes a brief cameo in her husband’s Apple TV+ series with Oprah, The Me You Can’t See. During her appearance, the California native seemingly pays tribute to her growing family with a shirt that reads, “Raising the Future.”

Paul Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire

Party of Four!

The couple welcomed their baby girl. In a statement shared on their Archewell Foundation page, they gushed, “On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”

Toby Melville – Pool/Getty Images

Book Worms

On June 8, 2021, Meghan will release her first children’s book, The Bench, which is a celebration of fatherhood from a mother’s perspective. Of her new project, she said in a press release in May, “The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born. That poem became this story.”