Meghan Markle Dedicated New Book 'The Bench' to Prince Harry and Archie

"For the man and the boy who make my heart go pump-pump."

cape town, south africa september 25 prince harry, duke of sussex, meghan, duchess of sussex and their baby son archie mountbatten windsor meet archbishop desmond tutu and his daughter thandeka tutu gxashe at the desmond leah tutu legacy foundation during their royal tour of south africa on september 25, 2019 in cape town, south africa photo by poolsamir husseinwireimage
(Image credit: TOBY MELVILLE)

Well, this is lovely: Meghan Markle's new children's book, The Bench, was published on June 8, and since it's a tribute to the bond between fathers and sons, it makes perfect sense that it's dedicated to Prince Harry and Archie Harrison. And the dedication is positively adorable: "For the man and the boy who make my heart go pump-pump," the Duchess of Sussex wrote, as TODAY reports.

Meghan's book, illustrated by Christian Robinson, was announced last month, and the Duchess explained the inspiration behind it in a press release. "The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born," she said. "That poem became this story."

"Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens," Meghan continued. "My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine."

Robinson spoke to TODAY's Natalie Morales about collaborating with Meghan on The Bench, explaining, "I connected with the manuscript, and I fell in love with the story." He added, "The origin is in a specific bench that Meghan watched Harry and Archie bond on, but it was important for us both to make sure that this story connects with as many readers as possible."

"What I'm really passionate about is telling those stories that are inclusive, that represent as many different kinds of kids as possible," Robinson said. 

Emily Dixon
Morning Editor

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.