Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are extremely protective of their children, Archie, three years old, and Lilibet (17 months). They have taken great care to ensure their children live a happy life, and have raised them in Montecito (California) away from the public. After a recent chat with her Spotify, however, she is now more confident. podcast, Archetypes, Markle said she might have to “rethink” her parenting style. All that matters is self-sufficiency.
Check out the latest episode Archetypes, Markle was discussing the “B-word” (and yes, she actually says “B-word” instead of the actual word because she really does not like it) with several guests, including Starbucks CEO Mellody Hobson. The Chicago businesswoman shared her story of being one of six children raised by a single mother and how it helped her become self-sufficient. So much so that when she was 12 years old, she arranged to get her own braces and set up a payment plan with an orthodontist to make it happen because their family couldn’t afford the dental work all at once.
“My mom was very unique. She gave me the hard truths of life with so much love and support,” Hobson told Markle. “But she never wanted me to go through life not being prepared for all that would come. She taught me what to expect from Black women and Black people, and that is something I truly appreciate. I call it ‘brutal pragmatism,’ but with so much love.”
This got Markle, a mom of two, to rethink the way she teaches her children. “I have to rethink my parenting style!” Markle said. “Because if that’s what yields you, then I’ve really got to up my game with our kids being self-sufficient.”
Markle is being fair, Archie (and Lilibet) are too young to be learning self sufficiency. She has been already thinking about how her children will navigate the world as adults. Markle spoke with Variety About the kind of children Prince Harry and her husband are trying raise, she said that she would support them getting into acting if it brought them joy. “When you become a parent, you genuinely want yOur kids to find the things that bring them complete joy. They’re our kids, obviously, and they’re part of a legacy and a tradition and a family that will have other expectations,” Markle shared with Variety. “But I want them to be able to carve out their own path. If it’s the entertainment industry, great. And also, good luck.”
Parents struggle to balance taking care of their children with fostering self-sufficiency. It seems more difficult for parents with greater privileges like the Duke or Duchess of Sussex. Markle probably doesn’t need to rethink her parenting. Perhaps she needs to take a little break, just like most parents.
