Since marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has been the subject of relentless public scrutiny. Her personal life has become a constant topic of interest, with paparazzi tracking her every move. After she and Prince Harry stepped back from their royal duties and moved to the United States, Meghan faced intense criticism, particularly from Britons who accused her of causing a rift between Harry and his family.
Recently, Meghan opened up about a deeply painful experience: suffering a miscarriage. Following the birth of their son, Archie, the couple was preparing to welcome another child when tragedy struck.
Meghan shared her heartbreak in a poignant essay for The New York Times titled The Losses We Share, which resonated with many readers.
“Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” the 39-year-old Duchess wrote.
Recalling the moment she realized something was wrong, Meghan shared, “I felt a sharp cramp. I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right.”
She continued, “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.
“I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second,” Meghan Markle writes about her miscarriage. Today, we are sharing an essay by the Duchess of Sussex about the loss that she and Prince Harry suffered earlier this year. https://t.co/xCJbgPgufq
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) November 25, 2020
“Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband’s hand. I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal.”
Despite her pain, Meghan has bravely maintained a public smile—a burden that often accompanies fame.
“In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning,” Meghan wrote.
She emphasized the importance of breaking the silence surrounding miscarriage, encouraging women to speak openly about their grief. While the loss of an unborn child is not uncommon, societal stigma often forces many to suffer in silence, hiding their pain even from loved ones.
As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, have three children, speculation abounds about whether Harry and Meghan might have a third child. However, the couple has been clear on their stance.
When Archie was just a year old, Harry expressed his views on family size in an interview with Vogue Magazine. Reflecting on his environmental concerns, he said, “I think, weirdly, because of the people that I’ve met and the places that I’ve been fortunate enough to go to, I’ve always had a connection and a love for nature. I view it differently now, without question. But I’ve always wanted to try and ensure that, even before having a child and hoping to have children…”
Meghan Markle writes powerful essay about suffering miscarriage https://t.co/7qpPF6nZB3
— The Independent (@Independent) November 25, 2020
Dr. Jane Goodall, conducting the interview, interjected with a laugh, “Not too many!” Harry agreed, “Two, maximum! But I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed. And, surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”
In her interview with Oprah, Meghan echoed this sentiment, saying, “[I’m] just grateful to have any child. Any, one or two, would have been amazing, but to have a boy and then a girl—what more can you ask for? Now we’ve got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs.”
Harry affirmed their decision, stating they were “done” with two children, to which Meghan added, “Two is it.”