"We're two people who are really happy and in love". These are the romantic and telling words Meghan Markle shared with contributing editor Sam Kashner for an astonishing interview for Vanity Fair. In the incredibly open piece Meghan discusses her relationship with Prince Harry, the challenges of her newfound fame, her background, her life as an actress and more.
Sam Kashner begins with this insightful part recalling the rainy day she interviewed Meghan in June:
Of course we all want to know exactly what Meghan said about her relationship with Prince Harry, so we'll start with that fascinating portion of the interview: “We’re a couple,” she explains. “We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours. But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
Meghan confirmed the couple met in July 2016 and were introduced by friends: “I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple,” she says. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”
Discussing the new level of fame, Meghan credits the support of those around her in helping her deal with the challenges it has presented: “It has its challenges, and it comes in waves—some days it can feel more challenging than others,” she says. “And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend’s support. I don’t read any press. I haven’t even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise.”
Kashner continued: "One thing Markle noticed about how she was perceived was that “at almost every photo shoot they would airbrush out” her freckles. “I’ve always loved my freckles,” she now says, so when she was photographed for V.F., she was “thrilled to work with Peter [Lindbergh] because he rarely retouches and he believes in such little makeup. I gave him a big hug and said, ‘I am so excited to work with you because I know we will finally be able to see my freckles!"
Meghan also recalled auditioning for Suits and the support she received from her parents:
Speaking about growing up: "What’s so incredible, you know, is that my parents split up when I was two, [but] I never saw them fight. We would still take vacations together. My dad would come on Sundays to drop me off, and we’d watch Jeopardy! eating dinner on TV trays, the three of us. . . . We were still so close-knit.” When she turned 18, she left for Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois—becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college—and double-majored in theater and international relations. In line with her international-relations major, Markle worked at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina her senior year, “so I had been in a completely different world and then suddenly jumped into this one."
Meghan discussed growing up feeling like "a question mark, an absolute incomplete":
"One of the strongest bonds Prince Harry and Markle share is their philanthropy. For Markle, it began at an early age. Her mother, Doria Ragland, made sure that her little girl knew about the greater world and its political and economic challenges when she was growing up in Los Angeles. Markle thinks her social awareness began during the South-Central riots, in Los Angeles, sparked by the police beating of Rodney King, in 1991, and the subsequent riots in 1992, when she was 11 years old. “They had let us go home [from school] during the riots and there was ash everywhere.” As the ash from street fires sifted down on suburban lawns, Markle remembers, she said, “Oh, my God, Mommy, it’s snowing! “No, Flower, it’s not snow,” Doria answered. “Get in the house."
Meghan wore a selection of simple, classic and monchrome looks for the shoot. However, she also sported a stunning gown. The talented ladies at Meghan's Mirror have identified it as the Carolina Herrera Mikado Bustier Tulle Ball Gown. Made in Italy, the piece is from the Resort 2018 Collection.
Royal reporter Rebecca English commented on the piece.
When the engagement was mentioned, Rebecca responded "100%".
I think there is absolutely no question this piece was done with Harry's full knowledge and support. In many ways, it very much feels like a pre-engagement 'Get to know the real Meghan' article. So much has been written, so many false rumours continue to do the rounds daily... This was a wonderful opportunity for her to have her say. Meghan was very open in the interview and above all, it's simply wonderful to hear how happy and in love they are. I thought this quote particularly interesting regarding future plans "I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time." The articles noted Meghan's achievements - she's the first person in her family to graduate college and worked in the U.S. embassy in Argentina during senior year. Meghan and Harry's shared interest in philanthropic initiatives stood out as another important part of the piece, something that will serve them in the good stead in the future. Meghan has experience working with charities and global organisations, relationships that could be fostered and continued in the royal family. The natural, pared back styling and photographs worked beautifully with the tone of the interview. I thought it an excellent read, you can view the full article here. You can view a behind-the-scenes video from the photoshoot here (with thanks to Solid Moonlight). What are your thoughts on the piece?
Sam Kashner begins with this insightful part recalling the rainy day she interviewed Meghan in June:
'Meghan Markle was going to London. She had a week’s hiatus before returning to Toronto to film the 100th episode of Suits, a surprise-hit series on the USA Network, now in its seventh season. On a rainy afternoon in June, Markle came to her front door and welcomed me into her home, on a quiet, tree-lined street in Toronto. Markle was wearing a red, knee-length floral dress (“Erdem, a designer I’ve been wearing for years”), with her rescue dogs, Bogart and Guy, wagging their tails beside her. A slim brunette with a lightly freckled, glowing complexion and an upturned nose, she looks like the sun-kissed California girl she’s always been.
Markle had prepared a lunch of organic greens, a crusty bread to be dipped in olive oil, and pasta tossed with chilies bought from “a little place called Terroni, which they have in L.A. and in Toronto. They’re really hot, but if you’re good with heat, then I think they’re going to be your new favorite thing . . . I’ll give you a little jar to take home.” Her warmth is genuine. She seems to be the happy genius of her home of seven years. “Seven Canadian winters!” she exclaims about her time filming Suits. “A long time for someone who grew up in Southern California.” She has tried to make her Canadian house look like a California bungalow, exposing the hardwood floors and letting in as much light as possible.
Markle suggested that we move outside into the small garden behind the house, where she opened up even more about the object of her affection, her “boyfriend,” as she calls the prince.'
Of course we all want to know exactly what Meghan said about her relationship with Prince Harry, so we'll start with that fascinating portion of the interview: “We’re a couple,” she explains. “We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours. But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
Meghan confirmed the couple met in July 2016 and were introduced by friends: “I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple,” she says. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”
Discussing the new level of fame, Meghan credits the support of those around her in helping her deal with the challenges it has presented: “It has its challenges, and it comes in waves—some days it can feel more challenging than others,” she says. “And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend’s support. I don’t read any press. I haven’t even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise.”
Meghan's friends, Suits actress Abigail Spencer and designer Misha Nonoo contributed:
'A close friend is the actress Abigail Spencer, who has been a Suits cast member. When asked why she thinks Harry was drawn to Markle, Spencer says, “She’s got warm elegance, though her style is hard to pin down. It’s classy and timeless. When you’re talking to her, you feel like you’re the only person on the planet. And it’s just wonderful to see her so in love.”.
Another close friend is the Bahrain-born fashion designer Misha Nonoo. They met in Miami through a mutual friend and immediately bonded. “Her greatest strength is her compassion for others,” says Nonoo. “Much of the work she does is unseen by the public.'
Kashner continued: "One thing Markle noticed about how she was perceived was that “at almost every photo shoot they would airbrush out” her freckles. “I’ve always loved my freckles,” she now says, so when she was photographed for V.F., she was “thrilled to work with Peter [Lindbergh] because he rarely retouches and he believes in such little makeup. I gave him a big hug and said, ‘I am so excited to work with you because I know we will finally be able to see my freckles!"
Meghan also recalled auditioning for Suits and the support she received from her parents:
When she auditioned for the role, Markle showed up in black jeans, a plum-colored spaghetti-strap top, and heels. It suddenly occurred to her that for the screen test she needed to look less casual and more like a lawyer. She dashed into an H&M and bought a little black dress for $35. Sure enough, she was asked to change into the dress, which she hadn’t even tried on. Thank God it fit.
“My parents had been so supportive,” she told V.F., “watching me audition, trying to make ends meet, taking all the odds-and-ends jobs to pay my bills. I was doing calligraphy, and I was a hostess at a restaurant—and all those things that actors do. My father knew how hard it is for an actor to get work, so he above all people was so proud that I was able to beat the odds.”
Speaking about growing up: "What’s so incredible, you know, is that my parents split up when I was two, [but] I never saw them fight. We would still take vacations together. My dad would come on Sundays to drop me off, and we’d watch Jeopardy! eating dinner on TV trays, the three of us. . . . We were still so close-knit.” When she turned 18, she left for Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois—becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college—and double-majored in theater and international relations. In line with her international-relations major, Markle worked at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina her senior year, “so I had been in a completely different world and then suddenly jumped into this one."
Meghan discussed growing up feeling like "a question mark, an absolute incomplete":
'Markle’s parents “crafted the world around me to make me feel like I wasn’t different, but special,” as she wrote in a 2015 essay for Elle. As dolls in the 1980s were generally sold in sets of black and white, for Christmas one year her father bought “a black mom doll, a white dad doll, and a child in each color. My dad had taken the sets apart and customized my family.”
Problems began in the seventh grade, when she had to complete a mandatory census by checking one of four boxes: “white, black, Hispanic, or Asian.” The pale, freckled, curly-haired Markle felt that to choose either white or black would be a rejection of one of her parents. Her teacher told her to check “Caucasian” because she looked white, but she couldn’t. She ended up leaving the boxes unchecked. “I left my identity blank—a question mark, an absolute incomplete—much like how I felt,” she once said.'
"One of the strongest bonds Prince Harry and Markle share is their philanthropy. For Markle, it began at an early age. Her mother, Doria Ragland, made sure that her little girl knew about the greater world and its political and economic challenges when she was growing up in Los Angeles. Markle thinks her social awareness began during the South-Central riots, in Los Angeles, sparked by the police beating of Rodney King, in 1991, and the subsequent riots in 1992, when she was 11 years old. “They had let us go home [from school] during the riots and there was ash everywhere.” As the ash from street fires sifted down on suburban lawns, Markle remembers, she said, “Oh, my God, Mommy, it’s snowing! “No, Flower, it’s not snow,” Doria answered. “Get in the house."
Meghan wore a selection of simple, classic and monchrome looks for the shoot. However, she also sported a stunning gown. The talented ladies at Meghan's Mirror have identified it as the Carolina Herrera Mikado Bustier Tulle Ball Gown. Made in Italy, the piece is from the Resort 2018 Collection.
Royal reporter Rebecca English commented on the piece.
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| Rebecca English Twitter Feed |
When the engagement was mentioned, Rebecca responded "100%".
I think there is absolutely no question this piece was done with Harry's full knowledge and support. In many ways, it very much feels like a pre-engagement 'Get to know the real Meghan' article. So much has been written, so many false rumours continue to do the rounds daily... This was a wonderful opportunity for her to have her say. Meghan was very open in the interview and above all, it's simply wonderful to hear how happy and in love they are. I thought this quote particularly interesting regarding future plans "I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time." The articles noted Meghan's achievements - she's the first person in her family to graduate college and worked in the U.S. embassy in Argentina during senior year. Meghan and Harry's shared interest in philanthropic initiatives stood out as another important part of the piece, something that will serve them in the good stead in the future. Meghan has experience working with charities and global organisations, relationships that could be fostered and continued in the royal family. The natural, pared back styling and photographs worked beautifully with the tone of the interview. I thought it an excellent read, you can view the full article here. You can view a behind-the-scenes video from the photoshoot here (with thanks to Solid Moonlight). What are your thoughts on the piece?
Since the interview, Harry and Meghan enjoyed three blissful weeks in Botswana and returned to Kensington Palace together last week. Emily Andrews noted they spent the weekend away together. By all accounts, it's going incredibly well and I very much look forward to a special announcement, I don't about you, but I think it's coming sooner rather the later :)