Meghan Markle shared a deeply personal experience on the premiere episode of her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, revealing a “life or death” health scare she faced after giving birth. Markle, 43, and her first guest, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, both discussed their struggles with postpartum preeclampsia, a rare and dangerous condition characterized by high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine following childbirth.
Markle described the experience as “so rare and so scary,” explaining that it was a silent challenge. “You’re still trying to juggle all of these things, and the world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly,” she recalled. “And in the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people – mostly for your children — but those things are huge medical scares.” While Markle didn’t specify which of her children, Archie (5) or Lilibet (3), the condition occurred after, the experience seemed to have a lasting impact on her.
In the episode, Markle also opened up about her life as a working mother, juggling her career with raising two young children. She described her home as her office, explaining how her children have been a constant presence during work meetings. “Lili… only has a half day in preschool. If she wakes up and wants to find me, she knows where to find me, even if my door is closed to the office,” Markle said.
Despite her busy schedule, Markle emphasized that being present for her children is a priority. “I don’t want to miss those moments,” she said, noting how her children bring perspective to her life and work as she builds her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The balance between business and motherhood is a theme Markle repeatedly returns to, describing moments like potty training as just as valuable as professional milestones.
Markle’s podcast debut comes after she launched her new brand and podcast through Lemonada Media, following her departure from Spotify’s “Archetypes.” She remains committed to her work, sharing, “I need to work, and I love to work,” in a recent interview with The New York Times.
