Meghan Markle hopes that detailing her “unbearable grief” of suffering from a miscarriage will help other women feel less alone in their struggle.
In late November, the Duchess of Sussex revealed the painful loss she and her husband Prince Harry endured in an opinion article published by The New York Times.
“They kept their miscarriage private for months because it was very painful and not anything that they knew if they would ever want to share,” a source told People magazine in this week’s issue.
“They both seemed shocked at how painful it was,” the insider continued. “Meghan was ready to share now because so many women go through the same thing in silence.”
MEGHAN MARKLE TALKS ‘UNBEARABLE GRIEF’ AFTER REVEALING SHE SUFFERED MISCARRIAGE
In this Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 file photo Meghan the Duchess of Sussex stands after she and her husband Britain’s Prince Harry placed a Cross of Remembrance as they attend the official opening of the annual Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London. The Duchess of Sussex has revealed that she had a miscarriage in July. Meghan described the experience in an opinion piece in the New York Times. She wrote: “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.” The pair share a son named Archie, born in 2019.
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
According to the outlet, the confessional was a departure from tradition as British royals don’t usually disclose personal sorrow to the public.
Since unveiling their grief, the source claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been enjoying the holiday season with their firstborn Archie, 1. They celebrated their first Thanksgiving in America as a family and they gathered vegetables from their own garden to prepare a home-cooked meal at their California home.
“They are doing well,” a pal shared. “They are in good health. They took the time off just to focus on family.”
In the op-ed, the former American actress, 39, described how she realized something was wrong one July morning while caring for Archie.
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“After changing his diaper, 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 wrote. “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently reside in California.
(Getty)
The former “Suits” star said she laid in a hospital bed hours later, where she kissed Harry’s knuckles that were “wet from both our tears.”
“Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over,” Markle shared. “I tried to imagine how we’d heal.”
Markle said she was sharing her story to help break the silence around an all-too-common tragedy.
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“Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” she wrote. “Some have bravely shared their stories; they have opened the door, knowing that when one person speaks truth, it gives license for all of us to do the same.”
In the Times article, Markle goes on to describe how she tried to keep a “brave face” in the public eye. She recalled a moment last year as she was finished up a long tour in South Africa with Harry when a journalist asked her “Are you OK?”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals earlier this year.
(Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty)
“Thank you for asking,” she replied. “Not many people have asked if I’m OK.”
Markle deemed the question of “Are you OK?” to be important, especially in 2020, a year she said that has brought “so many of us to our breaking points.”
She mentioned the losses many have experienced due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She added that the polarization in the world – whether it be politics-related or otherwise – coupled with the isolation many have experienced during the pandemic “has left us feeling more alone than ever.”
“So this Thanksgiving, as we plan for a holiday unlike any before – many of us separated from our loved ones, alone, sick, scared, divided and perhaps struggling to find something, anything, to be grateful for – let us commit to asking others, ‘Are you OK?'” Markle wrote.
Markle married Harry, 36, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, in a televised ceremony at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son was born the following year.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed a son named Archie in 2019.
(Getty)
Earlier this year, the couple announced they were stepping back as senior royals and moving to North America, citing what they said was the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They recently bought a house in Santa Barbara, Calif.
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Fox News’ David Aaro and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
