The Duchess Of Sussex interview with Oprah Winfrey
In a candid and revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey on 8 March, the Duchess of Sussex spoke openly and in-depth for the first time about her battle with depression while pregnant with baby Archie in 2019 – disclosing that she ultimately reached the point of suicidal ideation. “I was really ashamed to say it at the time, and ashamed to have to admit it, to Harry especially, because I know how much loss he suffered, but I knew that if I didn’t say it, I would do it,” Meghan explained in the middle of the 120-minute sit-down. “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought.” As for why she chose to speak out about her experiences, the Duchess told Oprah, “What’s so important for people to remember is you have no idea what’s going on for someone behind closed doors… I share this because there are so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help.”
In a wide ranging interview, during which she was later joined by Prince Harry, the couple spoke about tensions within the royal family, and tackled themes including race, mental health and the intense stress that they experienced marrying and living in the spotlight. The interview was filmed at a house belonging to a mutual friend of Winfrey and the couple’s, near the home in the Santa Barbara neighbourhood where they live.
Meghan also touched on her much-dissected interview with journalist Tom Bradby during her tour of southern Africa with Harry in 2019, in which she famously teared up when asked how she had been coping with the pressures of royal life. “That was the last day of the tour,” the Duchess reflected. “You know, those tours are – I’m sure they have beautiful pictures, and it looks vibrant, and all of that is true, but it’s also really exhausting. So, I was fried, and I think it just hit me so hard because we were making it look like everything was fine. I can understand why people were really surprised to see that there was pain there, because we were doing our job. Our job was to be ‘on’ and to smile.”
Today the Duchess describes her life in California as one of “peace” and contentment – telling Oprah her existence with Harry, Archie, and their forthcoming baby girl is “greater than any fairytale you’ve ever read”. In a tellingly symbolic move, Meghan wore a Giorgio Armani dress featuring the image of a lotus flower – a symbol of enlightenment and rebirth – for the appearance. “Now, we’re actually on the other side,” she said with a smile towards the close of the interview. “We’ve actually not just survived but are thriving… This in some ways is just the beginning for us.”
