Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Foundation is celebrating a successful year with the release of its latest impact report and a new recap video—and the charitable organization has more than doubled the amount of money it raised in 2022.

The Archewell Foundation's mission is to "show up, do good" while uplifting and uniting communities both in the United States and globally. According to tax records reviewed by Marie Claire, the organization brought in $5.3 million in grants for 2023 versus $2 million in 2022. The duke and duchess both take no income from the foundation.

Prior media reports had claimed the foundation left $4 million of unreported funds in its 2022 tax return, however, per People, "the charity has clarified that all funds were properly accounted for, and that sum is reflected in the current tax filing for the 2023 fiscal year."

Having closed out its third full year of operations, the organization has distributed $1.3 million in grants to charity organizations, including those in key areas supported by the couple such as female empowerment, online safety and mental health.

One such initiative is The Welcome Project, a community-building program to support Afghan women who have resettled in the United States.

During a recent Welcome Project event attended exclusively by Marie Claire, the Duchess of Sussex said that the initiative "is that perfect example of seeing an immediate need and then saying, ‘Okay, how do you make this a much larger vision so it’s not just a short-term banding on a problem, but a long-term solution?’”

The duchess has met with the women of the Southern California Welcome Project and women's empowerment organization Mina's List twice this year, and she told Marie Claire that it felt rewarding to see the participants "on the other side of what has been a really hard time for many of them, more than most can imagine.”

Along with the Welcome Project, one of Archewell's other key initiatives is its Parents Network. The program was launched this summer to unite families whose children have been impacted by the dangers of social media, and Prince Harry spoke out about the harmful effects today's digital world can have on children during several events this year, including the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

As for some of the grants the foundation gave out, Archewell awarded $250,000 to the Women's Wellness (Spa)ce, a Philadelphia-based center run by President Joe Biden's daughter, Ashley Biden, for women impacted by trauma. Mental health organization Humanity Crew received $130,000, and the NAACP received $125,000, per Archewell's tax return.

Update 5/17: The California Attorney General's office confirmed to People that the issue had been resolved: “After being in touch with our Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, the organization is current and in good standing," it said in a statement.

Update 5/15: On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom gave a speech surrounding his state's work on the mental health system, in which he provided clarification on Archewell's standing. "It was a very typical, technical issue around paperwork that persists for so many others as well," Governor Newsom said. "They're in full compliance, and they're a celebrated organization that does great work in the state of California."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Archewell told Marie Claire, "We have diligently investigated the situation and can confirm that The Archewell Foundation remains fully compliant and in good standing. Due payments were made promptly and in accordance with the IRS’s processes and procedures. Furthermore, all necessary paperwork had been filed by the Foundation without error or wrongdoing."

Original story: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing an unfortunate situation with their charity, the Archewell Foundation.

On Monday, Page Six reported that a letter from California Attorney General Rob Bonta had declared Archewell "delinquent" with the state's Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, and ordered the organization to halt the soliciting and distribution of funds.

While "delinquent" sounds dire, and well, it technically is, it seems like this all amounts to an oversight/postal error, and should be resolved soon.

Basically, according to a source who spoke to Page Six, a physical check Archewell had sent to cover its registration fees never arrived, causing the charity to fall out of good standing.

The Attorney General's letter—which was apparently the first Archewell heard of the mishap—described delinquency as follows: "An organization that is listed as delinquent is not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including soliciting or disbursing charitable funds.

"The organization may also be subject to penalties and its registration may be suspended or revoked by the Registry."

Archewell has reportedly now sent a new check, and should return to good standing promptly.

Archewell was established in 2020 after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their roles as senior royals and moved to Southern California permanently.

The organization supports several causes close to the Sussexes' hearts, including building a healthier internet, bettering communities, fighting misinformation, and supporting mental health.

The delinquency news came just as the royal couple capped off their three-day visit to Nigeria, where they had official engagements with local communities and organizations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Following Harry's frosty reception in his home country, the U.K., last week, the royal couple appeared to be welcomed with open arms in the West African country.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marked World Mental Health Day in New York City yesterday at an emotional summit that doubled as The Archewell Foundation’s first in-person event. (Harry and Meghan founded their nonprofit in 2020 and one of its core beliefs, according to People, is that “mental health and collective wellbeing is paramount”; the Foundation “approaches all philanthropic work through this lens.”)

At the summit, Harry and Meghan hosted an emotional panel of parents who are navigating mental health challenges in today’s digital age; the event featured parents who have experienced tragic loss connected to their child’s social media use. People reports that Harry and Meghan have been working with the parents involved in the summit behind the scenes.

“I can’t start without thanking all the parents, the mothers and fathers, for being with us physically today, but also being on this journey with us for the last year, creating this community of shared experience,” Harry said as he took the stage with Meghan for the panel. “We know it’s not easy for you guys to be here, so thank you very much.”

Meghan added “A year ago we met some of the families, and at the time, it was impossible not to be in tears hearing their stories, because it’s just that devastating,” she said. “As parents, though our kids are really young—two-and-a-half and four-and-a-half—but social media isn’t going away, and by design, there was an entry post that was supposed to be positive and create community, but something has developed, and there’s no way to hear that and not try to help these families have their stories be heard.”

The panel was moderated by Carson Daly, who, at the end of the panel, turned to Meghan and asked “As a mom of two young kids, after the stories that we heard today from these families that you’ve gotten to know over the past year and the work that Archewell is doing in this space, where is this on the priority list, not as a kick-ass woman, but as a mom? Excuse my French!”

“Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life—outside, of course, being a wife to this one,” she replied, gesturing to Harry. “But I will say I feel fortunate that our children are at an age, again, quite young, so this isn’t in our immediate future, but I also feel frightened at how it’s continuing to change, and this will be in front of us. They say being a parent, the days are long but the years are short, so it worries me, but I’m also given a lot of hope and energy by the progress we’ve made in the past year being able to have these incredible parents, these survivors of these experiences, share their stories, and the more information gathering we’re able to do, the more we can move the needle a little bit. Everyone is affected by the online world and social media. We all just want to feel safe. I’m confident that with more ears and awareness and visibility of what is really happening, we can make some significant change together.”

For the event, Meghan wore a cream off-the-shoulder top and wide-legged trouser combination from Altuzarra; Aquazzura heels completed the look.

Daly is a board member of Project Healthy Minds and the three were also joined by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to discuss the work and explore potential solutions. The summit, “The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age,” was created to give “a voice to families who are passionate about building a safer online world for children and teens,” People reports. At the end of the panel, Harry and Meghan received a standing ovation and shared hugs with Daly and Murthy before quietly exiting the stage.

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle approach the three-year mark since signing a lucrative contract with Netflix, the streaming service seems as intent on their collaborative success as ever. As Marie Claire reported yesterday, Harry and Meghan have secured the film rights to the bestselling fiction book Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune; however, whereas yesterday it was understood that Harry and Meghan’s production company, Archewell Productions, paid around $3 million for the rights to the novel, new information is emerging that it was reportedly Netflix that fronted the money—showing the streaming giant’s commitment to the partnership.

The deal was inked within the past few weeks, Page Six reports, and, while the rights are being paid for by Netflix, Archewell Productions will produce the film. The novel tells the story of a couple who meet in their thirties—Harry and Meghan met when they were 31 and 34, respectively—and has several ties to the couple’s real life experiences: Childhood trauma surrounding losing a parent in a car accident (reminiscent, of course, of Harry’s mother Princess Diana’s death in 1997, when he was just 12) and post-natal depression, which Meghan has opened up about experiencing. The book is “right up their alley,” a source told Page Six. “They love love stories and rom-coms.”

The Sussexes have been restructuring Archewell Productions as of late, following the departure of producer Ben Browning, who was the company’s head of productions—he oversaw Harry and Meghan’s hit docuseries on Netflix, the eponymous Harry & Meghan. The company has also parted ways with its senior vice president of scripted television, Nishika Kumble. Meghan, who signed with talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) back in May, and Harry “have a lot of logs in the fire,” a source told Page Six. “Production is one piece of the pie. It’s not all entirely shaped by Ari [Emanuel, who is leading Meghan’s team]—they’ve had the deal with Netflix for a while.” Now, the source added, they “have the right team and vision in place and execution is happening.”

Referring to Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company—which has many times turned books into film or television projects—“Meghan’s not doing a Reese or making acquisitions for herself,” they said. “She doesn’t want to direct or act.” Someone who knows Harry and Meghan told the outlet that Meghan wants to be “a bit of Reese, a bit of Gwyneth [Paltrow, founder of Goop], a bit of Princess Kate, a bit of Gloria Steinem.” (Or maybe, perhaps, she could just be Meghan and do it her way? Just a thought.)

In addition to Harry & Meghan, Harry’s project Heart of Invictus, about his Invictus Games organization, is due to premiere this month, and Harry will also do another solo documentary that will take him to Africa, a continent long close to his heart. After that, it seems the focus will shift from documentaries to fiction projects.

Fortune, who wrote Meet Me at the Lake, called her collaboration with the Sussexes a “perfect partnership,” per The Independent. Fortune, who is based in Toronto (a city that Meghan loves, and where she filmed Suits), has previously called the book a “love letter to Toronto” and told The Independent “I’m so thrilled about working with Netflix and Archewell to bring Meet Me at the Lake to the screen. Will and Fern [the book’s main characters]’s love story is dear to my heart, and I can’t imagine a more perfect partnership.” 

The book, which came out this past May, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

As their Netflix deal continues, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving from documentaries—think last year’s Harry & Meghan and this month’s Heart of Invictus—and into fiction production, The Daily Express reports. Multiple outlets report that the couple have acquired the movie rights for the romance novel Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune for around $3 million, and that the love story told in the book “echoed the Duke and Duchess’s real-life relationship,” The Daily Express writes.

“The themes of the book gripped the couple, and it was chosen for their first adaptation with Netflix,” a source told The Sun. 

The book’s publisher is also Penguin Random House, which published Harry’s bestselling memoir, Spare, earlier this year. “Meet Me at the Lake bears many striking parallels to Harry and Meghan’s own lives and relationship,” The Sun writes. “Main characters Fern Brookbanks and Will Baxter fight mental health problems stemming from childbirth and grief over the death of a parent in a tragic car accident. Harry lost his mother Princess Diana in a crash, and Meghan revealed she suffered deep depression around the birth of son Archie. Fern comes from a broken home like both Harry and Meghan. The book is set in Canada, where Meghan made her name in Toronto-based TV show Suits, and where she and Harry made their first photographed appearance together.” The book, which made The New York Times bestsellers list, also has “steamy sex scenes” and “drug use,” per The Sun.

This marks the first time Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Productions has paid to turn a novel into a fictional drama, but production is stalled at the moment because of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

“This is their biggest and most significant as producers,” a source told The Sun, and marks the end of Harry and Meghan making projects about their own lives: “That period in their life is over,” a source said.

This is Fortune’s second book; her first, Every Summer After, was also a hit. The Daily Mail unearthed a 2018 Tweet from Fortune—written shortly before Harry and Meghan’s wedding that May—that said “I’m binging my way through Suits. I felt a bit sheepish about it at first but I’ve decided to own my fandom. SUITS ROCKS, YOU GUYS! (I think that Meghan Markle is going places.)”

According to 2021 tax filings from Archewell, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nonprofit, the couple worked on the foundation for just 52 hours that year—averaging out to one hour per week, per Page Six.

But there’s potentially a reason for the shockingly low number: The Daily Mail reports that one hour per week is the standard amount that nonprofits disclose for board participation and should be reported as such. In addition to Harry and Meghan reporting just 52 hours per year, other officers for the foundation who reported the same amount of working time include Executive Director James A. Holt, Treasurer Secretary Catherine St-Laurent, President Richard Genow, and Treasurer Andrew K. Meyer, according to the papers. One can assume that there is no way that this entire group of six people only worked one hour per week per person and still kept a functioning nonprofit afloat, and that each worked far more than the filing would leave a casual reader to believe. (The more you know.)

But numbers are interesting, and the report said that the nonprofit only allocated $163,085 on salaries, which also seems very low. Executive Director Holt was apparently paid only $59,846, with $3,832 on other benefits. If you go off of the aforementioned one hour per week ratio, Holt earned a staggering $1,224 per hour in 2021. (The nonprofit is but one arm of Harry and Meghan’s business empire, meaning that salaries could also potentially come from the for-profit side of the business, like Archewell Audio, which produced Meghan’s “Archetypes” podcast, and Archewell Productions, which generated Netflix’s Harry & Meghan docuseries.)

The filing also states that two independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation from Archewell that year. The foundation handed out over $3 million in grants after raising $13 million from “two wealthy benefactors,” one of whom is rumored to be Oprah Winfrey, reports The Daily Mail. Harry himself apparently donated $3 million of the $20 million advance he earned from Spare to the nonprofit, and OK reports Archewell raised less than $5,000 from the public.

Archewell was founded in 2020—the same year Harry and Meghan stepped back as working members of the royal family—as an “impact-driven global nonprofit” aiming to put “compassion into action; uplifting and uniting communities locally and globally; online and offline.”

Harry was in the U.K. this past week to appear in court over a phone hacking lawsuit he, Elton John, and other celebrities brought against the publisher of The Daily Mail. While in London, reports The Mirror, Harry stayed with friends, with royal expert Christopher Andersen reporting that Harry “apparently has no plans to try and smooth things over with his brother, William, or his father, the King” while in town. As Charles’ Coronation looms in just over a month, RSVPs to the ceremony are reportedly due in tomorrow, with no official word on Harry and Meghan’s attendance at the event. 

It appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are trying a new strategy out for size: No more “dishing dirt” on the royal family.

It’s all a part of what’s being dubbed the “Sussex rebrand,” according to The Daily Express, and the couple “are set to take a new course and stop making damaging claims against the royal family,” the outlet reports. Instead of focusing so much on the royal family, Harry and Meghan will be “carving out new projects, building on their Archewell brand, and distancing themselves from the Firm.”

Harry and Meghan were only married for 20 months—from May 2018 to January 2020—when they stepped back as working members of the royal family in exchange for a life in the U.S. Since then, they’ve appeared in a bombshell interview alongside Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, released an eponymous Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, in December 2022, and, in addition to numerous interviews in print and on television, Harry published his explosive memoir, Spare, last month. All of these projects have been mostly predicated on being tell-alls of Harry and Meghan’s experience inside the royal family, and the couple has been talking about their experience as a married couple in the Firm longer than they actually were a married couple in the Firm.

But, according to The Daily Express, Spare is the last of the Sussexes’ “look back projects,” which Harry himself said in so many words to ITV’s Tom Bradby: “Now we can focus on looking forward,” he told the interviewer, “and I’m excited about that.”

This new approach “will be aimed at improving their reputation and making amends with Harry’s family,” the outlet reports. Royal expert Afua Hagan tells The Daily Express that Harry and Meghan will shift towards projects that will be “less about what happened to them before” and more about new content, like supporting charitable causes and continually building Archewell, their shared nonprofit. She said there won’t be any need to talk about the royal family in the way they’ve done so in the past, but that doesn’t mean interviewers won’t try to go there—“What interviewer wouldn’t ask them?” she says—but Harry and Meghan probably won’t take the bait, as they “are reaching a saturation point” with the number of attacks against the royal family.

“They can’t keep going over and over and over the past forever,” Hagan says. “It’s just going to be painful.” Hagan adds it’s vital for the couple to bury the hatchet and “get on with their lives.”

Public relations expert Shannon Peerless of branding agency 10Yetis told The Daily Express that she doesn’t think the Sussexes will be able to escape the fervent interest surrounding their relationship with the royal family: “Whilst the drama may die down for Harry and Meghan in the not-too-distant future, the royal feud will unfortunately follow them around for years and years to come,” she says. “Even if a reconciliation occurs, which it certainly could, the spotlight will be so heavily focused on them all that the rumor mill will never be far from churning into gear again.”

As a part of the rebrand, royal historian Marlene Koenig suggested even a potential renaming, switching from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex—and, vis a vis, being known as “the Sussexes”—to simply going by the last name of Mountbatten-Windsor, which is the surname their children, Archie and Lilibet, carry.

“It would make much more sense and take away tension,” Koenig says.

If the couple opt to do this on their own, she says, it would show both the U.K. and the Firm that they are prepared to “stop cashing in” on their royal status, she says.

“They need to be more than just their titles and move beyond using their connections to establish a new life in America,” Koenig says.

All of this said, we’re still hearing buzz that Meghan may be in talks to write a memoir of her own, which no doubt will at least have some focus on her 20 months as a working member of the royal family. 

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s eponymous Netflix docuseries was released last month, Buckingham Palace said it was not approached for comment about Harry & Meghan. But, according to the series’ director, Liz Garbus, that is not true.

In an interview with Vanity Fair (and per People), the Oscar-nominated director described the experience of creating the docuseries as a polarizing experience that gave her insight into the “alleged Palace mind games” that Harry and Meghan went through.

“For instance, Buckingham Palace said that we didn’t reach out for comment [on the docuseries] when we did,” Garbus said. “They did that to discredit us…and by discrediting us, they can discredit the content of the show.”

She added “We lived through some of those moments that were a little bit like Alice Through the Looking Glass.”

At the beginning of Harry & Meghan, a title card states “Members of the Royal Family declined to comment on the content within the series.” After the series premiered on December 8, a Palace source told People that neither members of the family nor Buckingham Palace or Prince William’s office at Kensington Palace were approached for comment on the content of the show.

“A Netflix source later told People that communications offices for King Charles and Prince William were contacted in advance and given the right to reply to claims within the series,” People reports. “A royal source added while speaking with People that Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace did receive an email claiming to be from a third-party production company through an unknown organization’s email address. When they contacted Archewell and Netflix to verify the source, they received no response. The royal source also says the substance of the email did not address the entire series.”

Garbus tells Vanity Fair (and per OK) that Harry and Meghan saw the docuseries as a way to tell “their love story from their point of view, as opposed to the love story as told by others”—and she added that she wanted to add another layer to the show.

“For me, what was really important was to connect the dots to these larger historical issues,” she says. “They were, to their credit, very open and willing to journey down some of the paths that they might not have originally considered. [The love story] is the spine but, for me, it was always necessary to…connect the dots to the personal story and the larger historical context.”

She continued “I don’t feel that [questioning] the monarchy is sacrilege, in the way that I don’t feel [questioning] the American government is sacrilege. It’s our role as storytellers and critical thinkers to raise these questions.”

Addressing the so-called “Sussex fatigue”—a moniker given to many people’s perception that, with the docuseries, Harry’s book, Spare, and other interviews as of late, that the couple are overexposed right now—Garbus says “people are very happy to read everything about Harry and Meghan when it’s somebody else writing about them. But when Harry and Meghan want to tell their story in their own words, it suddenly becomes an issue. There have been more documentaries and books written about Harry and Meghan than Harry and Meghan have produced themselves. So I think it’s an interesting kind of pearl-clutching that doesn’t quite add up with the public’s appetite for reading stuff about them from other people.” 

While Princess Kate wore jewelry and symbols which honored the late Queen Elizabeth at an official function on Tuesday, on the other side of the Atlantic Meghan Markle sent her own symbolic messages via jewelry.

Attending the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple Of Hope Gala, where she and Prince Harry were honored for their humanitarian work with Archewell, the Duchess of Sussex accessorized her stunning custom Louis Vuitton gown with a very special ring.

The duchess chose to wear a fairly giant aquamarine ring which once belonged to the late Princess Diana, her husband's mother, which she has also previously worn for her 2018 wedding, as well as bringing it back out for a state dinner in Tonga.

Here, a jeweler breaks down the value and—very interesting—significance of this gorgeous ring.

"The striking aquamarine emerald-cut cocktail ring features an aquamarine flanked by small solitaire diamonds—the eye-catching aquamarine was given to Princess Diana by her friend, Lucia Flecha de Lima, and created into a ring by Asprey in 1996," says Maxwell Stone, a diamond specialist at Steven Stone.

"Aquamarine is one of the most visually beautiful gemstones. With an enchanting pale blue color, the ring was a perfect addition to Meghan’s Ripple of Hope Gala outfit and carries a great deal of sentiment with it—not only did it belong to Meghan's late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, but the duchess wore it as her 'something blue' on her wedding day in 2018."

But that's not all—Stone implies that the duchess might have been saying something else about her state of mind by wearing this ring during this particularly charged week.

"Having been passed down to Meghan Markle from Harry, it’s interesting to know that the aquamarine’s light blue color symbolizes feelings of sympathy, trust, and friendship—particularly ahead of the couple's upcoming Netflix docuseries, which premieres tomorrow," he says.

Sadly, it seems the wait for the documentary has inspired quite different sentiments from royal insiders, who are concerned about what it might reveal. We'll just have to wait and see, though.

On Tuesday night, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped out for a glamorous night in New York City.

There, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award Gala, where they accepted an award for their humanitarian work with the Archewell Foundation—especially on racial justice and mental health, according to People.

Meanwhile, although the royal couple couldn't be in two places at once, the duchess was also honored over in Santa Monica, California, where her Archetypes series won the award for Pop Podcast of 2022 at the People's Choice Awards. Her podcast has attracted millions of listeners, who came to hear women's stories of being stereotyped by a still-misogynistic world.

The royal couple have already won a number of awards, including an NAACP Image Award and a Change Champions from Population Matters.

Back in NYC, the duchess reminded royal fans of her sister-in-law, Princess Kate, with her beautiful white gown, a sort of hybrid between the Princess of Wales' two-toned Roland Mouret Top Gun dress, and her bridal Jenny Packham from a recent state dinner.

Markle's dress was a Louis Vuitton creation, an off-the-shoulder ankle-length gown with long sleeves and a lightly ruched skirt, with a modest slit. Vogue reports that this number was a custom design by Nicolas Ghesquière, which the duchess paired with black patent pointy stilettos.

She wore her hair in a tight, slicked-down bun with a middle parting and long drop earrings.

Her royal husband looked dashing in a navy blue suit, also reminiscent of his brother Prince William's go-to business-casual uniform.

According to People, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, was also in attendance and was honored with the Ripple of Hope Award for his admirable leadership and courage in the face of Russian attacks this year. (The conflict is still going on—if you'd like to help, Marie Claire put together a guide to all the resources you can turn to.)

It would be a big week for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle without this: their highly anticipated six-part docuseries, Harry & Meghan, hits Netflix at last on Thursday, December 8 (the first three parts) and Thursday, December 15 (the remaining three).

But in addition to the bombshell releases of the project’s teaser and trailer—and just days ahead of the show’s full release—the president of their nonprofit organization, Archewell, has left the company, with another key hire, the showrunner for Meghan’s podcast “Archetypes,” doing the same just days later. On Saturday, Archewell President Mandana Dayani stepped down from the nonprofit organization in a mutually planned decision, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex saying of the departure “Ms. Dayani has been an integral part of Archewell, and we are grateful for her passion, commitment, and leadership.”

Harry and Meghan continued that Dayani will not be replaced, and that the Duke and Duchess will “now take full lead of their company.” The statement continued “Ms. Dayani is fully supportive of the Duke and Duchess in their new leadership roles, and they remain friends.”

Dayani joined the company in September 2021 while Harry and Meghan were on parental leave after the birth of daughter Lilibet that June. She was hired to “move the company and its projects forward,” and she “continued to shape its vision and future successfully,” they said.

Then, just 48 hours later, it was announced Rebecca Sananés, Archewell’s head of audio and the producer of Meghan’s “Archetypes” podcast, had also left the company, making it unclear whether a second season of the Spotify show will happen. Sananés had been at Archewell since July 2021, Page Six reports. While Dayani will not be replaced, Sananés’ replacement, Serena Regan, has already been hired; Sananés’ departure is part of a “larger growth plan” for the Sussex brand, the outlet reports, adding it’s unknown whether the couple will continue their Spotify deal. Still, a highly placed industry source tells the publication “I think they would be happy if their contracts with Netflix and Spotify went away, quite honestly. But the question is then, how else will they make money?”

The Sussexes also parted ways with their public relations firm, Sunshine Sachs, to move matters in-house this past October.

Harry and Meghan will be in the public eye this week, not just for their docuseries, but for an appearance at the Ripple of Hope Awards in New York City on Tuesday, where they will be recognized for what Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights president Kerry Kennedy (also a daughter of RFK) calls having the “moral courage” to take a stand against “structural racism” within the monarchy, according to journalist Gustavo Egusquiza.

In case you missed it, the trailers for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix docuseries have dropped, and we're officially freaking out. The clips feature never-before-seen photos of the ex-royals, including snaps from the couple's wedding reception and from Meghan's pregnancy. 

The new series, simply called Harry & Meghan, comes as part of the Sussexes multiyear deal with Netflix in which their production company, Archewell Productions, will produce documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows, and children's programming for the streamer. 

If you're just as royal-obsessed as we are, you're probably shaking in anticipation for the docuseries' release. So, when can you plan to binge-watch? And what kind of royal tea can we expect to be spilled? Read on for everything you need to know about the new series. 

When is the release date for 'Harry & Megan'?

Get ready to binge. Netflix has announced that the first three episodes of Harry & Megan will be available to stream on December 8, while the second half will release on December 15. 

It was originally reported that Prince Harry and Meghan's docuseries would be postponed thanks to the controversial fifth season of The Crown. Netflix reportedly did not want to add fuel to the fire by releasing the docuseries too soon afterward.

What can we expect to see in 'Harry & Megan'?

Per a press release from Netflix, Harry & Megan will dive into the Sussexes' love story from their own point of view. Across six episodes, the series will explore Harry and Meghan's relationship from their early courtship to the events that led to their exit from the royal family. Additionally, the series includes commentary from close friends and family members, many of whom have never spoken publicly of what they've witnessed, and from historians on the royal family's relationship with the press. 

The trailer also shows Harry and Meghan in separate confessionals, so you can expect to hear from the Sussexes themselves. Over a photo of Meghan sobbing into her hands, Harry says, "No one sees what's happening behind closed doors," then adds, "I had to do everything I could to protect my family." Later in the clip, Meghan asks the camera, "When the stakes are this high, doesn't it make more sense to hear our story from us?"

Who directed 'Harry and Meghan'? 

Harry and Meghan seemed to have creative differences with the docuseries' original director, Garrett Bradley. “Garrett wanted Harry and Meghan to film at home, and they were not comfortable doing that,” a source for OK said. “There were a few sticky moments between them, and Garrett left the project." 

Since his departure, Liz Garbus, director of 2015’s What Happened, Miss Simone? and 2012’s Love, Marilyn, has taken over. In an interview with Variety, Meghan spoke candidly about working with Garbus. "It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story—a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired—even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it," she says. "But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens."

'Tis the season for giving, and Meghan Markle is passionate about helping those in need.

Last week, she appeared to join members of the Archewell team in preparing lunch—including a delicious-looking pumpkin pie—for women served by the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles.

Archewell shared a photo of someone who at the very least looks very similar to the Duchess of Sussex (and I mean, come on, it probably is her) preparing the pie.

They wrote, "Earlier this week, the Archewell Foundation Team helped prepare a Thanksgiving lunch for over 300 Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) residents in Los Angeles.

"DWC provides a wide array of resources to decrease barriers and end homelessness for all women including female veterans and their families, women with severe physical and mental health concerns and survivors of domestic violence."

Taking to Instagram following their Thanksgiving celebrations, the DWC shared photos of volunteers serving food, captioning it, "As we celebrate Thanksgiving with the amazing women served by Downtown Women’s Center, we give thanks to you, our community, that make it all possible.

"From decorations, to flowers, to pies, your thoughtfulness created a festive and joyful environment. Special thanks to @mayorofla and his staff for joining us today and to @hildasolis for her support!"

Not that I had any doubt about this, but in case you were wondering, the duchess is more than qualified to help prepare delicious festive food.

On her now-defunct Instagram, Markle posted of herself next to a beautifully golden turkey in 2016, and wrote, "Oh, that time I roasted a pretty perfect Thanksgiving turkey! The question is, can I do it again? The pressure is on!" (via People). So, now you know.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new lives are developing in California, far away from the U.K.-based royals.

The latest sign of this has come in the form of an update to their Archewell website homepage, which now features a loved-up photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex taken by their friend, photographer Misan Harriman.

Next to this picture is the quote, "Each of us can change our communities. All of us can change the world," signed, "Harry and Meghan."

For royal expert Angela Levin, this isn't an innocuous decision.

"What's very interesting is you can always read the underlying content of what they want to say really, and the main thing, right at the beginning, is 'each of us can change our communities,'" Levin told The Sun.

"I think that's saying very much that they can do without the Royal Family, they don't need them, they're fine where they are, they're building another community.

"And then, 'all of us can change the world,' they're back to wanting to be global and saying to the Royal Family, 'we can do without you,' but actually they can't.

"If they could, they would have done it before and dropped their titles and been totally independent, but they're clinging on."

The Archewell website was blacked out during the period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, with just a message from Harry about his grandmother's sad passing. Now, those mentions of the late Queen have gone.

"There's not even a few lines saying something kind and nice about the loss of the Queen," Levin remarked.

It is worth noting for context that Levin, who is the author of Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort, is consistently quite critical of the Sussexes.

Still, many signs point to Levin being right about this: After all, the Sussexes have spent the past few years distancing themselves from the Royal Family, both physically by moving to California, and in terms of their work and media appearances.

With that in mind, Meghan Markle did say in her interview with The Cut that she hopes that Harry doesn't lose his father over all of this drama, in the same way that she lost her father Thomas in the run-up to their 2018 wedding.

"Harry said to me, I [Meghan] lost my dad [Thomas] in this process," she recalled. "It doesn’t have to be the same for them as it was for me, but that’s his decision."

Meghan Markle is a sucker for a good love story, and to that I can only say, "hard relate."

In a new cover interview with Variety, the Duchess of Sussex was asked about what an "ideal project" would be under hers and Prince Harry's Archewell umbrella, and the duchess said that the common thread always has to be love. And you may find that cheesy, but I think we can all agree that we need more of that kind of lightheartedness these days.

"So much of how my husband and I see things is through our love story," the duchess revealed.

"I think that’s what people around the world connected to, especially with our wedding. People love love. I’m not excluded in that sentiment. And our definition of love is really expansive: Partner love, self-love, the love of community and family. We use that as the baseline of the kind of shows and documentaries we want out there."

Markle went on to give examples of how love informs hers and Harry's life and work.

"For my husband, the Invictus Games have been such a huge piece of his life and his work, having been in the army for 10 years and working for the rehabilitation of wounded vets and their families," she explained.

"We talk about emotional injuries that come from those types of experiences. Those are love stories. For scripted, we want to think about how we can evolve from that same space and do something fun! It doesn’t always have to be so serious. Like a good rom-com. Don’t we miss them? I miss them so much. I’ve probably watched When Harry Met Sally a million times. And all the Julia Roberts rom-coms. We need to see those again."

Now I need to see these again, too... If this is all giving you ideas, BTW, here's Marie Claire's guide to some of the best romantic comedies ever.

This isn't the first time the duchess has revealed how much love informs her day-to-day. In her recent interview with The Cut, she said that she and Harry have a pair of palm trees in their Montecito backyard which represents their love. :) :) :)

Of course, the Sussexes' love encompasses their family life with children Archie and Lilibet, which the duchess addressed further in the Variety interview.

"We work from home, as most people started to do during lockdown," she revealed.

"It allows us to have significant time with our kids at this really special moment in their lives. We’ll never get this time back. I make breakfast, and we get the kids set for the day."

How very lovely and wholesome for everybody involved.

Just days ago, a Netflix rep said, "There’s never been any documentary from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed," following news that the docuseries had been delayed.

Indeed, for months, news outlets have been reporting on this alleged "fly-on-the-wall" documentary about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's life behind the scenes, but no official sources have ever confirmed it. As it stands, Archewell Productions lists only the duke's Heart of Invictus documentary on its website.

But now—NOW, the duchess herself has directly addressed the docuseries, meaning it's really real and it's really happening, and I'm, frankly, not OK.

Markle's cover story for Variety, which was delayed following Queen Elizabeth's passing, was published on Oct. 19, and the duchess got candid about a ton of subjects surrounding her family life, her work, and her late grandmother-in-law.

When asked what we could expect from the Sussexes' upcoming docuseries, which was previously reported to have Liz Garbus for a director, the duchess praised Garbus for her process.

"It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story—a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it. But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens," she told Variety.

"It’s interesting. My husband has never worked in this industry before. For me, having worked on Suits, it’s so amazing to be around so much creative energy and to see how people work together and share their own points of view. That’s been really fun."

OK, so she didn't exactly reveal any juicy details, but still, this feels big.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have helped build a playground for the residents of Uvalde, Texas, to provide hope and community six months after the senseless Robb Elementary School shooting.

The Duchess of Sussex visited the town in the days following the tragic killing of 19 children and two teachers on May 24. She lay flowers at a makeshift memorial and donated food to help a blood drive.

In the following weeks, the duchess called the family of one of the victims, Irma Garcia, to check in on how they were doing after their terrible loss.

But the Sussexes wanted to do more, and joined forces via their Archewell Foundation with Uvalde and the charity KABOOM!, which aims to build playspaces for underserved communities.

"The City of Uvalde, Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation, and @KABOOM (a nonprofit with the mission to end playspace inequity) have built a new playground for children and families 'to provide a sense of hope' to the community following May’s Robb Elementary School tragedy," royal reporter Omid Scobie tweeted, alongside members of the community posing in the brand new playground.

Scobie added, "The DeLeon Park project was created to foster a sense of togetherness and healing and honour lives lost. Says Archewell director James Holt, 'Our hope is that this special project can help the community heal, and be home to imagination, games and play for many years to come.'"

Fans flocked to Scobie's mentions to praise the generous gesture.

Uvalde community member Mayra Vasquez said as part of a press release, "It warms my heart to see everyone unify to bring hope and positive change for our community and children by helping to build this special playground. I'm excited to see many families come together to work out, have family gatherings, and allow our kids to release energy and have fun at the end of the day."

The Sussexes' Archewell Foundation works on a number of causes close to their hearts, including curbing misinformation, fostering a safer internet, and promoting vaccine equality, among other charitable initiatives.

Meghan Markle is releasing the new episode of her Archetypes podcast next Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The news, first reported by Variety, comes after the release of further episodes was paused in recognition of the official mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II.

During the hiatus, the podcast's Spotify description read, "New episodes of Archetypes will be paused during the official mourning period for Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II."

It now reads, "Regularly scheduled episodes will resume Tuesday, October 4."

This episode, the fourth of the series, features a conversation between the Duchess of Sussex and comedian Margaret Cho, in which they will dissect "Asian American tropes in the entertainment industry," according to Variety.

Previous episodes featured tennis legend Serena Williams, beloved diva Mariah Carey, and amazing multi-hyphenate Mindy Kaling (who just so happens to be Marie Claire's current cover star).

During each episode, the duchess and that week's guest attempt to redefine a word, phrase or concept which is commonly used against women in society, and find power in it instead.

However, the podcast has reportedly caused certain fears in the Royal Family because of anecdotes Markle has told about her time as a senior royal (like the one about Archie's nursery catching fire during a royal tour). It's unclear whether the duchess and her producers have edited further episodes following the Queen's passing on Sept. 8.

Now that the official period of royal mourning has ended, it's back to business as usual for the whole family: The Sussexes' Archewell website, which displayed only a message from Prince Harry about the Queen, is now back in working order. As for Prince William and Princess Kate, they returned to Wales on their first post-mourning outing on Sept. 27.

Since their departure from the Royal Family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have concentrated their efforts on philanthropy, namely through their Archewell Foundation.

Now, those efforts are being rewarded in part with the Human First Coalition Partner Organization Award, according to the Daily Mail.

Back in December, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the first official photo featuring baby Lilibet in the form of their family holiday card via the charitable organization, which wrote on Twitter, "We're proud to partner with Archewell Foundation and Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Through a generous contribution this holiday season, they're providing care for families in need in Afghanistan & supporting life-saving efforts we are undertaking daily."

The organization is hosting a cultural celebration of Aghanistan in New York City on Aug. 15, which will raise funds for humanitarian relief in the country.

There, Archewell executive director James Holt will collect the award on the Sussexes' behalf.

According to the Mail, Holt said, "It’s an honor to be recognized by Human First Coalition, whose steadfast work in Afghanistan has played a critical role in delivering much needed aid and resulted in the successful evacuation and resettlement of thousands globally.

"We share a commitment to supporting families and veterans and are grateful for their partnership."

The duke and duchess were in NYC last month for Prince Harry's speech at the United Nations on the occasion of Nelson Mandela Day.

The couple's other philanthropic causes include advocating for family leave, hunger relief, mental health, and working to reverse climate change, among other worthy projects.

In May, it was reported that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were filming an "at-home with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex-style" docuseries for Netflix, and they have indeed been spotted trailed by a camera crew during official events.

Now, sources tell Page Six that Netflix wants to accelerate the release of the series to time it with the new season of The Crown, presumably to get in while the zeitgeist is doing its thing. Season 5 of the hit show will hit our screens November 2022.

"There is a lot to organize and a lot of things at play here. Netflix wants to make sure they get in there and don’t get scooped" by Harry's upcoming memoir, one source said.

The much-anticipated book was supposedly due out this fall, but announcements have been made and it's nowhere to be seen, so it's unclear when we will actually get our hands on it. Still, Netflix isn't taking any chances, apparently.

"[Netflix executives] knew the book was coming out, which is why they wanted the series this year," the source added. "They don’t want to hold off any longer."

While I'm personally super excited for this alleged docuseries, neither Netflix nor the House of Sussex has responded to requests for comment, so it's technically still a rumor that the show is happening at all.

At time of writing, the Sussexes' Archewell website still only lists the Netflix documentary Heart of Invictus, about Harry's Invictus Games initiative, as far as upcoming video projects go.

You may remember that Meghan Markle's animated series for Netflix, titled Pearl, was canceled earlier this year.

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry publicly announced that they were stepping down as senior royals in January 2020, they wrote in a statement, "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution."

Now, royal biographer Tom Bower is shedding light on what those "internal discussions" may have looked like in practice—on the Sussexes' side and the Windsors'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent the last few weeks of 2019 on Vancouver Island in Canada with their baby son Archie, and according to Bower, they weren't just relaxing there.

"Located in the same time-zone as Los Angeles, Meghan was in constant communication with Andrew Meyer, her business manager, Rick Genow, her lawyer, and Keleigh Thomas Morgan and others at Sunshine Sachs, her PR agency," he writes in an excerpt of upcoming biography Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, published by The Times.

"Top of the agenda were continuing negotiations with Netflix and Spotify, and the re-registration in Delaware on October 22, 2019, of Frim Fram Inc, the company behind her discontinued blog The Tig. Their new Archewell Foundation—meaning 'source of action'—had already been registered in Delaware."

Yeah, I mean, that all makes sense so far. If you were moving to a different continent and had to, like, start your life over, you'd probably need to know where your income would be coming from.

Bower also claims in his book that the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all basically clued into the situation, and prepared for the Sussexes' exit from their end as well.

"The Queen, after consulting Charles and William, took control. Convinced that Harry and Meghan would never resume normal life in Britain, the trio agreed that the monarchy’s future should be focused on reinvigorating Brand Cambridge," Bower writes.

The author goes on to claim that all of this behind-the-scenes planning became visible during the Queen's Christmas broadcast in 2019. "As Harry watched his grandmother from Vancouver, he was staggered," he writes.

"Four silver-framed family photographs had been carefully placed behind her. They showed the Queen’s father George VI, Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla, and finally William and his family. To Harry’s fury, there was no photograph of himself, Meghan and Archie. The Windsors were airbrushing the Sussexes from history."

It's not the first time a royal expert has claimed that Prince Harry was hurt by the Queen's decision: Christopher Andersen said something to that effect in December 2021, too.

An upcoming royal biography alleges that Queen Elizabeth was happy Meghan Markle didn’t attend the late Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, Us Weekly reports.

British journalist Tom Bower alleges in Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between The Windsors that the Queen was “relieved” when she found out her daughter-in-law was not planning on coming to the service.

“‘Thank goodness Meghan is not coming,’” the Queen said in a clear voice to her trusted aides,” Bower alleges in his book. While we don’t have confirmation, it’s possible the Queen did not want the added attention that the Duchess of Sussex’s presence would likely bring. Ever since Meghan and Prince Harry stepped down from their duties as senior royals, there has been drama within the royal family.

Reports at the time explained that Meghan was advised not to travel overseas since she was seven months pregnant with her daughter, Lilibet Diana. “Meghan will be staying in California. She can’t go on doctor’s orders,” a source told Us Weekly at the time. “She is too far along to fly and it’s recommended she rest in the final months.”

However, Harry did attend his grandfather’s funeral, and following the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a heartfelt message to the Archewell site in his honor. It read: “In loving memory of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021. Thank you for your service… you will be greatly missed.”

As a mom of two with many projects of her own, Meghan Markle knows that balancing childcare with work isn't always easy.

That's why advocating for better childcare support is such a personal cause for her. As such, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' company Archewell has announced its support for the "National Business Coalition for Child Care" initiative organized by Marshall Plan for Moms.

As part of a press release for the initiative, the duchess stated, "Families everywhere, and especially working moms, are asked to shoulder so much."

She continued, "This has only been heightened by the pandemic, with increased caregiving responsibilities, rising prices, and economic uncertainty. As it's been said many times, it takes a village to raise a child. Today, we're sending a message that childcare isn't just a community imperative—it's a business imperative. Creating a stronger workforce starts with meeting the needs of families."

Marshall Plan for Moms released a report that showed the measurable benefits for businesses of providing more childcare benefits for employees.

"The input from working parents is clear: employer child care supports can improve the recruitment, retention, productivity, and happiness of employees," stated Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Marshall Plan for Moms, as part of the announcement. "This is not only crucial for the health and wellbeing of individual American families, but also central to American economic competitiveness."

The duchess has previously voiced her support for paid family leave on multiple occasions, and her involvement in this project is a continuation of her previous work.

Last week, it was announced that Meghan Markle's upcoming animated series for Netflix, Pearl, had been scrapped amid the streaming giant's ongoing financial struggles.

Now, the Daily Mail reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wasted no time in removing the project from their Archewell website. And who can blame them, right? The show sounded really sweet and exciting, so I'm sure Markle must feel really disappointed right now—it makes sense that she wouldn't want a reminder of it staring her in the face. Besides, since it's no longer in the works, it no longer makes sense to list it as an ongoing project.

As Marie Claire previously reported, Pearl was set to center "on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history."

When the show was announced, the duchess released the following statement (which appeared on Archewell): "Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges. I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today."

Despite Pearl's cancelation, the Sussexes' foray into TV production isn't over yet: Their Archewell Productions page still lists Netflix project Heart of Invictus, a docu-series which will highlight some of the most inspiring stories from Invictus Games participants.

About that particular project, the Duke of Sussex wrote, "Since the very first Invictus Games back in 2014, we knew that each competitor would contribute in their own exceptional way to a mosaic of resilience, determination, and resolve. This series will give communities around the world a window into the moving and uplifting stories of these competitors on their path to the Netherlands next year. As Archewell Productions’ first series with Netflix, in partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation, I couldn’t be more excited for the journey ahead or prouder of the Invictus community for continuously inspiring global healing, human potential and continued service."

As for the duchess, her podcast Archetypes is very much alive and well, though an official release date has yet to be announced.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been incredibly busy since stepping down from their royal duties in 2020.

Under the Archewell umbrella, they have launched various charitable initiatives, as well as media projects including a podcast titled Archetypes.

Their long-awaited partnership with Netflix, however, has hit a slight bump in the road, as Netflix faces increasing financial struggles (basically, subscribers are dropping like flies).

In order to cut costs it can no longer afford, the streaming giant has canceled a number of upcoming projects, and Meghan Markle's animated series Pearl was unfortunately among them, reports the BBC.

The Sussexes have been planning content in partnership with Netflix since 2020, and the premise of Pearl was first announced in the summer of 2021. It was teased as an animated series that "centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history."

"Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges," Meghan said in a statement at the time. "I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today."

Although Pearl is no longer going ahead, documentary series Heart of Invictus is still on the cards. There were also reports that the royal couple was filming their New York City trip in September 2021 for a Netflix documentary, but it's unclear how that footage will be used.

In a wide-ranging interview with Hoda Kotb of NBC’s Today, Prince Harry said he feels like his late mother, Princess Diana, has been with him more in his turbulent past two years than ever before.

“It’s almost as though she’s done her bit with my brother and now she’s very much helping me,” he said. “Got him set up, now she’s helping me set up.”

The Duke of Sussex spoke to Kotb on Wednesday in The Hague, Netherlands, where the Invictus Games just wrapped up after a week of competition. And, while Harry said he doesn’t tell almost three-year-old son Archie “all the stuff that happened,” he does frequently talk about “Grandma Diana,” and shows him photos of her kept in their Montecito home.

“For me, it’s constant,” Harry said of feeling her presence. “It has been over the last two years, more so than ever before.”

The past two years, of course, have included the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s infamous “step back” from being working royals in January 2020, their move to the U.S., the launch of their nonprofit Archewell and commercial deals with the likes of Netflix and Spotify, Meghan’s miscarriage and then pregnancy and birth of daughter Lilibet Diana, the couple’s Oprah interview, grandfather Prince Philip’s death, and the unveiling of a statue in honor of Diana at Kensington Palace alongside estranged brother Prince William—just to name a few of the last two years’ signposts.

“Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character—qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” the brothers said in a statement obtained by Insider at the time. “Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.”

William, of course, also gave his daughter a middle name of his late mother, as well. And Harry said that while his circumstances are “obviously different” from his older brother’s, they’re in a similar position with their children.

“She’s watching over us,” Harry said to Kotb, who replied that she was sure Diana is proud of Harry.

“I’m sure she is,” he replied.

Speaking to a fan at the Invictus Games in the Netherlands, Meghan Markle revealed that she and Prince Harry almost gave their son Archie a different first name. When introduced to a little boy named Harrison, Meghan told Harrison's mom, Mandy, that she and Harry had nearly given their son the first name Harrison as well—ultimately deciding to give it to Archie as a middle name. "[My wife] was like ‘Harrison, that’s Archie’s middle name’, and Mandy was like ‘Yeah, I know’," said Mandy's wife, Sherry McBain, per PA. "They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn’t decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name.”

Ultimately, the decision to name their son Archie may have come down to the origins of the word. When Harry and Meghan announced Archewell, the organization the couple founded to continue their life of public service, they noted that they had been inspired by the Greek word "arche" for both Archewell and Archie. They said at the time: "Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche'—the Greek word meaning 'source of action.' We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters."

Traditionally used as a nickname for "Archibald," Archie has become a popular full name in and of itself, especially since Harry and Meghan used it for their first son. In England and Wales, "Archie" was the ninth most popular baby name in 2020 (although it doesn't come close to "George," the name of Archie's cousin, whose name is the second most-popular).

"Harrison" also has sentimental meaning for the couple—it means "son of Harry." The couple also chose a name with personal meaning for their second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor: Lilibet has been Queen Elizabeth's family nickname for decades. Diana, of course, is a nod to Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Meghan Markle is officially a podcast host! The Duchess of Sussex’s first podcast series is underway, and a newly-released teaser for her forthcoming show promises to tackle women’s issues head on.

Archetypes, which is the first series under her and Prince Harry’s production company, Archewell Audio, aims to “dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back,” focusing on gender-based stereotypes and their origins. And how clever is that name? 

The one-minute audio teaser packs a punch, opening with a series of sexist remarks (“Do you have the word ’skanky’ in America?” and “I was waiting for you to smile at the compliments, but you didn’t”), which the Duchess goes on to describe as “how the media reflects women back to us.”  They’re the sort of comments women receive regularly, but the Duchess is digging deeper to reveal their sinister history. She goes on to ask: “Where do these stereotypes come from?  And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?” 

The Duchess is no stranger to this sort of scrutiny—public attacks made against her often target her race and gender—and she’s not shying away from difficult conversations. Bringing in historians, experts, and other special guests who are well versed in a variety of subjects, Meghan will discuss an array of hot-button topics on each episode. 

For fans of the Sussexes, this news is cause for celebration. The podcast launch comes over a year after Archewell Audio announced their exclusive, multimillion dollar deal with Spotify, and the ~radio silence~ led fans to wonder if a podcast was really ever coming. Then, earlier this year, Meghan and Harry were urged by fans to reconsider their deal following claims of COVID-19 misinformation on the platform, and the prospect of a new series was once again threatened. While the Duke and Duchess did respond—they urged Spotify to address issues of misinformation—they  ultimately chose to maintain their deal.   

An official release date for Archetypes has yet to be revealed. 

It’s a question many royal followers—including us—have had on their minds for over a year: Whatever happened to Archewell Audio?

After 15 months of silence on the Archewell Audio feed, there is, it seems, finally an answer—Meghan Markle will release her first Spotify podcast this summer, confirming that she and husband Prince Harry will stick with the platform after previously expressed concerns over COVID-19 misinformation.

Though details are sparse, an Archewell Audio spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that more details about Meghan’s podcast series would be shared soon.

Harry and Meghan inked a massive, multi-year partnership with Spotify in late 2020, announcing it mid-December with an aim to “build community through shared experience, narratives, and values.” By the end of the year, Archewell Audio’s debut podcast, a holiday special, was released, with Harry and Meghan both on the mic, a glittery lineup of celebrity guests, and even a cameo from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s then-19-month-old son, Archie.

“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” the couple said  in a joint statement at the time. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

Then—silence.

In 2021, Archewell Audio landed a big hire in podcast producer Rebecca Sananes, whose previous work includes New York Magazine’s “Pivot” podcast with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. Then, in January 2022, the Sussexes released a statement possibly explaining the delay in content—COVID-19 misinformation, including that spread by fellow Spotify podcaster Joe Rogan (though the Sussexes never mentioned Rogan directly). The statement said that the Sussexes had expressed their concerns to Spotify as early as April 2021 and were looking “to Spotify to meet this moment and are committed to continuing our work together as it does.”

The Archewell Audio spokesperson told PEOPLE that Meghan and her team have worked closely with Spotify and the company’s senior leadership “to ensure that the digital technologies so many of us use every day are rooted in strong principles of trust and safety.” Meghan’s show—and any of Archewell Audio’s future offerings—will be “well-resourced with quality, fact-based information—particularly when it comes to public health,” the spokesperson added.

Both the Cambridges and the Sussexes are standing with Ukraine, with both couples releasing messages of support amidst Russia’s invasion of the country.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement on Archewell’s website Thursday condemning the invasion, writing “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same.”

On Saturday, Prince William and Kate Middleton took to Twitter to offer words of support for the country amidst the turmoil. “In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future,” the couple wrote. “Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future.” They signed the Tweet “W & C”–for William and Catherine–and added an emoji of Ukraine’s flag.

And, though the Queen has not yet publicly spoken about the ongoing events, she took the advice of the U.K.’s Foreign Secretary and has postponed a diplomatic reception scheduled for March 2 at Windsor amidst the crisis, PEOPLE reports. 

Last night, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Meghan’s mom, Doria, stepped out to attend the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored with the President’s Award, given in recognition of the couple’s distinguished public service. (Archewell, the pair’s nonprofit, has supported efforts geared towards fighting for racial justice, the Black Lives Matter movement, and vaccine equity for all.)

For the event, both Meghan and Harry chose Black designers to accept the award–Meghan in a custom Christopher John Rogers blue one shoulder silk dress (with a train!), which is “most likely a bespoke piece, as we have not been able to find the dress in any of his collections,” according to What Meghan Wore. (Rogers also designed the purple coat and dress Vice President Kamala Harris wore to her Inauguration in January 2021.) On her feet were a Meghan-favorite brand, Aquazzura, specifically the Celeste glitter sandal in gold. She accessorized with gold earrings that What Meghan Wore believes to be the Alexis Bitter Crumpled Gold post style, and her bracelets also had significance–she wore a gold and blue stone bracelet that once belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, as well as her oft-worn Cartier Love bracelet.

For his part, Harry’s bespoke tuxedo is also by a Black designer–Ozwald Boateng, based in London.

After walking onstage, Meghan said that she and Harry “are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees.” Harry then acknowledged the people of Ukraine before saying “I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly. I think it’s safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason.”

He added “We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice, and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to.”

Meghan continued “I couldn’t be prouder that we’re doing this work together. We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds. In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress.”

She closed by saying “My mom’s here with us tonight, and we all feel very proud. Thank you.”

Past recipients of the President’s Award include Condoleezza Rice, LeBron James, Rihanna, Muhammed Ali, Jesse Jackson, and more.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have set off on many ventures since leaving their roles as senior royals—including championing many causes close to their hearts.

Now, their social justice work is being recognized in a big way, as they prepare to receive the President's Award at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 26. The Sussexes have also created the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award to honor leaders utilizing technology to advance social justice, whose winner has yet to be announced.

The awards take place over several days, and many winners have already been named, including Saweetie for Best New Artist, Jazmine Sullivan for Outstanding Female Artist and Anthony Hamilton for Outstanding Male Artist.

"We're thrilled to present this award to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who together have heeded the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity in the U.S. and around the world," the president and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson, said in a statement (via ABC News).

"Not only do they continue to lead by example, the duke and duchess have also decided to inspire the next generation of activists through the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award," the statement continued.

The President's Award has previously gone to huge names, including LeBron James, Rihanna, Jay-Z and John Legend. Ella Fitzgerald was its first recipient in 1987.

In response, the Sussexes stated, "It's a true honor to be recognized by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP. We're proud to support the NAACP's work and to also partner with the organization on the newly created annual NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award."

The royal couple has advocated for (and donated to) diverse causes, such as vaccine equality, female education, safety from domestic violence and many more. They do much of their philanthropic work through their foundation, Archewell.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle famously have a lucrative deal with Spotify. When the streaming platform came under fire recently for allowing podcast host Joe Rogan to spread COVID-19 misinformation on his hit podcast, it was only a matter of time until the Sussexes were expected to break their silence on the controversy—which they have now done.

Let's back up. When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex swapped royal life for California living, one of the most talked-about projects they announced was their Archewell Audio podcast. They released a holiday special episode on Spotify in December 2020, followed by—pardon the pun—total radio silence.

While we waited patiently for another podcast drop that never came, the Sussexes worked on many other projects, not least of which was their campaign to promote vaccine equality.

Enter Joe Rogan, who also has a Spotify-exclusive podcast, and the streaming giant's most popular one at that. Rogan has repeatedly spread misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines, a fact which made headlines last week when singer and vaccine advocate Neil Young released a statement on his website telling Spotify to choose between him and Rogan (via CNN).

Spotify removed Young's music, and creators including Joni Mitchell and Brené Brown followed him out. Spotify will now "add a content advisory to any podcast episode that includes a discussion about COVID-19," but of course has not taken any steps to remove Rogan's podcast.

In a statement obtained by Page Six, a spokesperson for Archewell weighed in on the whole situation.

"Last April, our co-founders began expressing concerns to our partners at Spotify about the all too real consequences of COVID-19 misinformation on its platform," the statement began.

"We have continued to express our concerns to Spotify to ensure changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis.

"We look to Spotify to meet this moment and are committed to continuing our work together as it does."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to make all of their business activities have a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030, they announced on their Archewell site this week. The pledge comes after royal family members Prince Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker Bowles all attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference—COP26—in Scotland this month. Harry and Meghan were not in-person at COP26, but the goals set forth there clearly inspired them: “As global leaders convene for COP26 to commit to solutions for our climate crisis,” the statement began, “all of us at Archewell, led by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, share our pledge towards a more sustainable future by becoming net zero by 2030.”

Per the Archewell site, carbon emissions will be reduced in areas including “what we eat and how often we eat it; our transport and the frequency of it; our daily commute; our use of electricity/heating; our reliance on big industries that contribute to the problem.” They also posted a link to Net Zero Climate, an organization that offers solutions for everyday carbon reductions.

The Sussexes write that with an independent consultant, alongside Harry’s nonprofit Travalyst and their “sustainable investing platform” Ethic, they will make “a series of choices over time to make that footprint as small as possible, while compensating for any remaining emissions through high-quality carbon removal projects.”

The company says it joins its co-founders, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in committing to the net zero goal by 2030. “While we have actively made choices to offset and balance this carbon footprint, now, with the tools provided by partner organizations, we know that we can all do better.”

While there is some controversy over how effective monitoring individual "carbon footprints" are at actually mitigating global emissions—the term itself was coined by oil company British Petroleum to try to turn the focus of climate change toward individual choices, rather than the fact that just 100 companies are responsible for nearly three-fourths of the world's carbon emissions—the announcement is still a big turning point in the conversation. It shows that one of the world’s most powerful families is all-in on fighting climate change, and wants to lead in that space while also showing others how to follow their example. The Sussexes have enormous political power, and making a step like this shows that they are willing to use it for change.

The announcement also comes after Prince Harry and Meghan got into some hot water over the past year for taking seemingly unnecessary private jet trips (like Harry’s choice to fly private to and from a polo match). While “travel” broadly is featured on the list of sectors in which Archewell will curb emissions, how exactly the private jets will factor in is something that we’ll have to wait and see about as these changes are made.

Well, here's some news to thaw my cold, cold heart: Meghan Markle apparently "lights up" when her husband Prince Harry walks in the room.

This much-welcome nugget comes courtesy of actress Melissa McCarthy, who joined forces with Markle to film her 40th birthday video, which launched the Archewell 40x40 mentoring initiative.

McCarthy recently spoke to Lorraine's Ross King alongside her The Starling costar Chris O'Dowd. After discussing the movie for a bit, King moved on to much more pressing matters, asking McCarthy whether Chris O'Dowd was "funnier than Prince Harry juggling"—which he did as a gag during the 40x40 video.

"I mean, they're different, glorious traits, you know," she said. "It's apples and, you know, orangutans. They're both my favorites."

O'Dowd then jumped in with this classic line: "There's this funny video of me juggling Harry." That I would pay to see.

Refusing to pit the two men against each other, even in jest, McCarthy instead turned the conversation to what she saw of the Sussexes' relationship. "You know what was so cute is when I could tell when he walked in, 'cause we were talking and she went, 'oh hiii!' and her whole face lit up and I was like, 'did Prince Harry just walk in the room and like her whole face...' I just thought it was like so sweet and genuine, and then he ducked his head in and he was like, 'is it weird if I juggle?' I was like, 'it sure is!'"

Yes. Love this. Adorable. Thanks to everyone involved.

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on June 4 in Santa Barbara, California, and her parents have rightfully been very discreet about what they do and don't share with the public about their baby daughter. Now, Meghan Markle seems to have shared the very first picture of Lilibet as part of her 40th birthday video—but you have to be looking really closely to spot it.

Page Six confirmed that the middle picture in this triad is in fact of Lilibet, with her dad Prince Harry leaning over her and kissing her. You can see it at the very beginning of Markle's birthday video, which announces a new Archewell charity initiative, as the Duchess starts a video call with actress Melissa McCarthy. The adorable (if blurry) photos also feature the Sussexes' two-year-old son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Baby Lilibet was named after both her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and her late grandmother, Princess Diana.

The family is currently living in Montecito, California, where they are in close proximity to Markle's mom, Doria Ragland, who reportedly helps out her daughter and son-in-law with childcare. The couple moved to the U.S. with Archie after their controversial decision to withdraw from their royal duties, which they told Oprah Winfrey were causing them undue stress. During that much-discussed interview, the couple accused senior royals of racist behavior, and Markle revealed the drastic toll their life was taking on her mental health.

Since leaving the UK, the Sussexes have been able to concentrate on their family life, as well as landing major business deals with Netflix and Penguin Random House, and using their Archewell platform to promote charitable causes.

Catherine St-Laurent is the woman behind the curtain. And "curtain," in this case, means some of the most powerful women in the world. Formerly Melinda Gates’s right-hand woman, St-Laurent most recently held the coveted title(s) of Meghan Markle’s chief of staff and executive director of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s impact-driven non-profit, Archewell.

In March, St-Laurent transitioned into an advisory role at Archewell because she had a mission of her own in mind: She wanted to use her breadth of experience in the philanthropy and social impact spaces to build a venture that "unlocks and unleash[es] more women in philanthropy." So, along with business partner and former Time's Up CEO Rebecca Goldman, St-Laurent launched Acora Partners, a social impact venture. Though the firm is still in its earliest stages, the goal is well-established: The duo want want to bring more women—no matter their financial status—into the fold of philanthropy. In addition to her new venture, St-Laurent is also an advisor at the Helm, a firm investing in female-founded startups.

Despite working for the namiest of names, St-Laurent has no ego. Her goal, no matter the job, is unwavering: create true change. Ahead, St-Laurent shares how her past experiences have readied her to build something of her own.

Marie Claire: You were the senior communications officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and later joined Pivotal Ventures, Melinda's investment and incubation firm. What initially attracted you to the role?

Catherine St-Laurent: The foundation historically had led through its partners and through the organizations that they had been funding. There was, relatively speaking, little work done to position the Gates Foundation itself. This was an opportunity to build a more defined profile for the organization, to really cement the mission, values, and goals of the organization to create a more distinct presence.

About six months in, I was offered the opportunity to lead Melinda's profile in communications, specifically. Melinda at the time had not had a [large] profile, but had been very much behind the scenes. She had focused a lot on her family and on the work the foundation was doing at a strategic level, but had not been very public facing. [My hiring was part of] a lead up to what was effectively her big moment, when she launched publicly her work and her commitment to family planning and access to contraceptives for women around the world, which she did in the spring of 2012. She had been hard at work for many years, but this was her taking a more public posture and being a much more public advocate.

MC: What does it take to build trust with a person at that level?

CSL: It's a good question and it's something that is critical to any principal-facing job. That's where the difference in the kind of work you can do is really meaningful. I think it's earned. I think you have to be mindful of what they're comfortable with, [what they are not], and accept that there's going to be a journey. You have to be a bit of a situational reader in that sense. You have to come in open minded, meet them where they are, and provide what's necessary for each step of that journey.

MC: You ultimately left Pivotal Ventures to become executive director at the Archewell Foundation. What did that transition look like for you?

CSL: It sure looked different. The week between my resignation and the world coming to a screeching halt [at the start of the pandemic] was definitely different. I made the leap because it was a fantastic opportunity to build. One of the things that really became clear to me when we created Pivotal was that I like to build from the ground up. I'm comfortable with the early ambiguity of that; things that feel a little bit messy at the beginning. It was also an incredible opportunity to put acquired knowledge to work and to see how that could contribute to accelerating the impact of these two leaders, [the Duke and Duchess of Sussex].

MC: What's the most challenging thing about helping an organization grow during its earliest launch stages, especially an organization at the level of Archewell?

CSL: There were so many other things in play that it's hard for me to disentangle that experience from the backdrop [of the pandemic] that it was happening against. There were hard things, and everything was different, because life was suddenly, unexpectedly, completely different. There were so many competing priorities; there were so many important things happening in the world. I think what we wanted to do was to get clear on our purpose and our mission for the organization.

MC: Outside of pandemic-related challenges, Archewell is uniquely positioned because it is helmed by two of the most famous people in the world, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Can you speak to those specific challenges?

CSL: I wouldn't describe that as a challenge. We tried to take that and think about how that is an opportunity. How does that become a unique lever for us for change? How do we take that and use that to mobilize people? How do we use that to do really powerful storytelling? How do we use it to shine a light on others and on organizations? So, we used it to our advantage for impact. We took it and we redirected it, which I think was the best thing we could do from an organizational perspective. We knew it was there, but we chose to use it to shine a light on other people, on leaders that we thought were doing extraordinary things, on organizations that we really admire that we want to partner with. In some ways, the premise of the question is, what do you do when all that noise is happening? I think that we chose to take it and use it for good.

MC: You were executive director at Archewell, but you were also Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's chief of staff. Chief of staff is one of those mysterious roles that means different things at different places. For you, what did that job look like?

CSL: It is admittedly not a well documented or understood role. I would say chief of staff typically means something different in every organization. For me, I think what makes the best version of it...is basically tak[ing] an approach that is, how do I help my principals?, because in this case, I was working with both [Harry and Meghan] in the capacity [of] how do I help you do your best work?

So for me, it was about helping to set priorities, building trust, keeping a bird's eye view, but also sweating the details. I think it's about acting as an advisor and a sounding board for ideas, but also providing feedback on work, and keeping certain bodies of work really focused.

MC: We asked as it relates to Melinda Gates, but in the context of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: How do you build trust with the person that you're working with, especially when, in their case, trust is of paramount importance?

CSL: I think, again, the grounding principles are the same. I don't think it's necessary under these circumstances, frankly in either case, to go into the minute detail of exactly how that happens. You show up authentically. You meet them where they are—anybody—on a daily basis. Everybody's human. There's days when they're tired.

You have to be empathetic. This was true for Melinda. This is true for [The Duke and Duchess of Sussex]. I think it's true for anybody who's principal-facing that you want to embrace their multitudes, meet them where they are, be authentic, and create room for questions to be asked and for things to be improved. I also think that, broadly speaking, there are instances when you also make sure that you've got clear accountability. If things don't always go as planned, whether it's you directly or across the team, call it out. Make it better. Find a process that's going to improve things. I think it's a bit of a growth mindset. It's like, Look, in these relationships, because they are human, there's no play book. You have to come into it wanting to find the best way forward together.

MC: You left your official roles at Archewell—though you are staying on in an advisory position—to launch your own social impact firm. What sparked the decision for you to take the leap?

CSL: When I moved into this advisory role for Archewell, I considered what the next step could be. It was a natural evolution. [I had] helped to set up the basic, lower-case f foundation of work and the strategy. So, they had an opportunity to think through what the next chapter looked like.

I've always had a latent interest in creating something myself. Towards the end of last year, I reconnected with my now-co-founder, Rebecca Goldman. We were just sharing observations and thoughts about philanthropy today, and social change, and felt very aligned in terms of what the potential is in that space. We said, "With all these observations we have about the sector and what's possible, what if we took a pass at it? What if we partnered together?"

She and I both had worked with really extraordinary leaders in our careers. We think impact work doesn't need to only be in certain places, or in certain spheres, or because we've got a certain amount of wealth, or because you exist in a certain place. We really want to bring the experience that we have, and the skills we've acquired to a new cohort of philanthropists, to people who are just getting started out, or people who've been doing it for a while but want to hone their strategies, or organizations that are grappling with big questions about how to affect the change that they really want to have.

MC: How about your work with the Helm?

CSL: What keeps me up at night is closing the gender gap, and making sure that women are being empowered. That legitimately keeps me up at night. My [hope is that] we can look at some of the things like closing the pay gap, and more flexible work environments, better childcare subsidies, or making childcare more affordable generally.

This is where I think The Helm is interesting: I was not versed on what it means to be an investor, nor did I have necessarily a community at my disposal to ask obvious questions, or test certain things around. [The Helm] helps normalize and make that accessible. That's incredibly important because oftentimes that could be a barrier to being involved. The bottom line here is that not only are you encouraging women to be investors, but you're also in the same breath supporting women entrepreneurs. It's this opportunity that women have to differentiate themselves as leaders and to step into their power as wealth holders, and invest that money, and give that money.

MC: You have worked closely with two incredible female leaders, and you are one yourself. What traits do you think you, Melinda, and the Duchess of Sussex share that make you effective leaders?

CSL: What I can tell you is what I think are good traits of leadership: I don't know that they are Melinda's or [The Duchess of Sussex's]; I hope they're my own, but I'll speak for myself, because I've observed this also with other women in my own network.

Leading with empathy is really important. I think it's important to lead with humility and consider alternative point of views. You might have done it before. It doesn't mean that you have the right answer by default, and to be able to be open and humble in that. I also think it's important to lead with a collaborative mindset. Let's do it together. I think it's really important to lead in a way that really empowers others, and that shows appreciation for others and the contributions that they make.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Happy birthday, Meghan Markle! To mark her 40 years, the Duchess filmed a lighthearted chat with actress Melissa McCarthy over Zoom for Archewell, the website she shares with Prince Harry and which includes their charity foundation as well as some media endeavors.

The scripted video starts with McCarthy in a robe doing a Rubik's cube until Markle helpfully points out that her camera is on, at which point the actress changes into an over-the-top tea party-ready outfit. As for Markle, she wears a simple all-white outfit with heeled pumps and two star sign pendants around her neck: Taurus for Archie and Gemini for Lilibet, both from Logan Hollowell. Behind her, Guy the beagle sleeps contentedly on his bed, and on the back of the chair next to her is a towel with the letter H on it—for Hermès, but also to stand in for Harry.

Markle goes on to explain the point of the video, which is to announce her 40x40 initiative, an invitation to 40 of her friends to "donate 40 minutes of their time to help mentor a woman who's mobilizing back into the workforce" amid COVID.

Before Markle can fully explain what she's getting at, McCarthy takes a few wild guesses as to what the Duchess really wants for her birthday:

"My first guess, is it another photo shoot under a tree where you're looking very peaceful?"

"Are we finally getting matching tattoos?"

"Are you finally gonna do a Suits reunion?"

"YACHT PARTY! Yacht party."

The real highlight, though, is delivered by the bloopers at the end of the video. McCarthy bursts out laughing when she notices Prince Harry juggling — yes, juggling — outside the window.

I know it was totally planned, but I can't deny that got a chuckle out of me, too. Maybe if animated series don't work out, the Sussexes have a future in comedy?

watch the video

Nine months ago, in October of 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared as guests on the Teenager Therapy podcast in honor of World Mental Health Day, marking their first appearance in the podcast space. By the end of the year, the couple had announced the launch of their own audio-first production company, Archewell Audio, inking a multiyear, multimillion dollar deal with Spotify to much fanfare.

“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement at the time. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

The announcement came on December 15, followed by a “2020 Archewell Audio Holiday Special” on December 29—33 minutes of “a special collection of inspiration, reflection, and perspective from guests around the world." Luminaries from Sir Elton John to Dr. Brené Brown to Naomi Osaka—and even the pair’s then 19-month-old son Archie, heard speaking for the first time publicly—made appearances. Then, silence, and a barrage of questions from the public: Where did Archewell Audio go?

Given that the holiday special dropped so soon after the announcement, many assumed that new episodes would come shortly. But a deeper look at the Spotify announcement reveals otherwise: “Ahead of the new year, Archewell Audio and Spotify’s Gimlet studio will release their first offering; a holiday special." Note the use of the word offering, not episode—suggesting that the holiday special was standalone content, not part of a broader series. The release continues: "In 2021, The Duke and Duchess will produce and host podcasts that build community through shared experiences and values,” leaving the door open for exactly when in 2021 the first series will drop.

One possible reason Archewell Audio stalled: The U.S. Patent Office has not yet approved the Sussexes' “Archewell Audio” trademark, royal correspondent Rebecca Taylor reported. “The office has approved Archewell, but the couple have to go back and make more changes to their two other requests, for Audio and Foundation,” she explained in a piece for Yahoo. Clarification needed includes adding disclaimers; making clear the nature of the “live stage performances” the couple say Archewell Audio could hold; and clarifying that the “podcasts, audio programs, music, and audio books” Archewell Audio wishes to trademark are “entertainment-based services.” The Sussexes have until December 25 to make the adjustments.

But that may not be the only reason. To say that a lot happened to the Sussexes in 2021 is an understatement. Professionally, in 2021 Meghan became a bestselling children’s book author with the release of The Bench; Harry released a docuseries with Oprah Winfrey on Apple TV+, The Me You Can’t See; and accepted a new role as chief impact officer at BetterUp. In addition to numerous appearances, the duo launched Archewell’s website, served as campaign chairs of #VaxLive: The Concert to Reunite the World, announced Archewell Productions’ first Netflix series, Heart of Invictus, as well as an animated series called Pearl, and announced a multiyear partnership with Procter & Gamble to focus on gender equality, more inclusive online spaces, and resilience and impact through sport. Oh, and they appeared in the TV event of the year in March, interviewed by Oprah Winfrey to an audience of tens of millions.

The Oprah interview was just one of many personal milestones for the couple in 2021. Following a pregnancy loss last summer, the Sussexes announced they were expecting baby No. 2 on Valentine’s Day; their daughter, Lilibet Diana, was born on June 4. Harry traveled to the U.K. twice, once to mourn the death of his grandfather, Prince Philip, in April, and earlier this month to unveil a statue on what would have been his mother Princess Diana’s sixtieth birthday. Both Harry and Meghan are on parental leave, and sources say they are planning to take “proper time off” to soak in time as a family of four, including celebrating Meghan’s upcoming fortieth birthday on August 4.

Yet, there are signs that Archewell Audio is revving up for its grand debut: In July of 2021, Archewell hired veteran podcast producer Rebecca Sananes as its Head of Audio. And Sananes, who will join the team in August, comes with an impressive resumé: She was lead producer on the award-winning podcast Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway and has more than a decade's worth of experience in podcasting and journalism. The hire signals that new content is coming—and signals, too, that it will be high-quality.

Even with all of the above at play, we should be able to expect Archewell Audio content this year: An Archewell Audio spokesperson confirmed to Marie Claire that the team is looking forward to sharing more content later in 2021. In the meantime, Harry and Meghan are expected to spend the summer settling into life as a family of four before returning to work in the fall.

• Meghan Markle will create and executive produce an animated series for Netflix, as part of Archewell Productions' multi-year deal with the streaming service.
• Pearl will depict "the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history," Deadline reports.
• "Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges," Meghan said in a statement.

More exciting Sussex news! Meghan Markle has announced her new show for Netflix, an animated series under the working title Pearl. Meghan will create and executive produce the family series, which "centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history," Deadline reports. Sounds lovely!

The Duchess of Sussex will executive produce the series alongside David Furnish, Carolyn Soper, Liz Garbus, and Dan Cogan, according to Deadline, with Amanda Rynda as showrunner and executive producer. Pearl is the second project to be announced as part of Archewell Productions' multi-year deal with Netflix, following Invictus Games documentary series Heart of Invictus.

"Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges," Meghan said in a statement. "I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today."

"An exciting tale that weaves together fantasy and history, Pearl focuses on a young girl who learns to step into her own power when she embarks on a heroic adventure and meets important women from history along the way,” said Megan Casey, director of original animation at Netflix. "We’re excited to develop this animated series with our partners at Archewell Productions and Story Syndicate." There's no release date as of yet, but you'd better clear some space in your Netflix queue in anticipation!

• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry updated their Archewell website Wednesday with a moving message about compassion.
• "Our mission at Archewell is to drive systemic, cultural change—one act of compassion at a time. We believe that compassion is at the core of all culture and connection in this world," the post reads.
• The Sussexes encouraged readers to share their own experiences of compassion.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Archewell website received an update Wednesday, with the Sussexes delivering a moving message about the importance of compassion and inviting their followers to share their stories. "Our mission at Archewell is to drive systemic, cultural change—one act of compassion at a time. We believe that compassion is at the core of all culture and connection in this world," a post titled "What is Compassion?" and attributed to the "Team at Archewell" reads.

"To us, compassion means more than the dictionary definition. It means listening with open ears to the suffering and celebrations of communities and people beyond ourselves," the post continues. "It means taking the time to understand their perspectives, experiences and needs based on what they say, rather than assuming what they need. It means uplifting diverse voices and giving a platform to people to share their stories. It means taking that newfound understanding and empathy and channeling it into action for people who need it the most."

"Each time someone conducts an act of compassion—whether it’s mentoring a young woman or holding space for someone having a difficult day—our world becomes a better place," the post adds. "Compassion is at the core of everything we do. We hope you’ll join us in building a better world, one act of compassion at a time."

"What is an act of compassion you did or that someone did for you? Share your story for a chance to be featured," the update concludes. Readers are invited to submit their own experiences of receiving or enacting compassion; you can share yours here.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have long made compassion the center of their work. The official description of the Archewell organization reads, "At Archewell, we unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change," while Meghan's author bio for bestselling book The Bench includes the line, "Through the nonprofit work of the Archewell Foundation, she and her husband are committed to activating compassion in communities across the world." At the Diana Awards last month, meanwhile, Harry commended young winners for "inspiring us with your brilliance, your determination, and your compassion."

What's more, the Sussexes celebrated son Archie's second birthday by asking royal fans to donate to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in order to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to underserved communities and achieve global vaccine equity. "We cannot think of a more resonant way to honor our son’s birthday," Meghan and Harry said in a statement. "If we all show up, with compassion for those we both know and don’t know, we can have a profound impact. Even a small contribution can have a ripple effect."

• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed their second child, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4.
• Lili was named after the Queen and Princess Diana—but her name also has a sweet link to the Duchess of Sussex's mom, Doria Ragland.
• Ragland's nickname for Meghan is "flower," the Duchess revealed on her lifestyle site The Tig.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry delighted royal fans Sunday when they announced the arrival of their second child, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, a younger sibling to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. An official statement on the Sussexes' Archewell website explained that Lili, who was born on Friday, June 4, was "named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet," while "her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."

But Lili's lovely name also has a sweet connection to the Duchess of Sussex's mom, Doria Ragland, as People notes. On her former lifestyle site The Tig, Meghan listed her nicknames as "Meg, MM, M&M, and Flower (which my mom has called me since I was little)." See it yet? Flower and Lili? Adorable!

"It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world," the Sussexes' official statement read. "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA."

"She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home," the statement continued.

Meghan and Harry also shared a personal message celebrating Lili's arrival. "On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili," the Sussexes wrote. "She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."

• Prince Harry has a new job: chief impact officer at Silicon Valley mental health startup BetterUp.
• It's his first official role at a private company since he and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals.
• BetterUp provides professional coaching, mentorship, and mental health support to employees, with clients including Nasa and Mars.
• All staff at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Archewell Foundation have access to BetterUp coaching, Harry said.

Prince Harry has accepted his first official job at a private company since stepping down as a senior royal last year, joining Silicon Valley mental health startup BetterUp as chief impact officer. As the Guardian reports, BetterUp provides professional coaching, mentorship, and mental health support to employees, with clients including Nasa, Mars, Hilton, and Chevron.

Harry, who has made mental health a central focus of his public platform, will reportedly focus on building mental health awareness and advocacy, as well as guiding product strategy and advising on charitable collaborations.

In a press release, he said, "I firmly believe that focusing on and prioritising our mental fitness unlocks potential and opportunity that we never knew we had inside of us. As the Royal Marine Commandos say, ‘It’s a state of mind.’ We all have it in us."

"What I’ve learned in my own life is the power of transforming pain into purpose," he continued. "As BetterUp’s first Chief Impact Officer, my goal is to lift up critical dialogues around mental health, build supportive and compassionate communities, and foster an environment for honest and vulnerable conversations. And my hope is to help people develop their inner strength, resilience, and confidence."

All staff at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Archewell Foundation have access to BetterUp coaching, Harry said.

BetterUp, based in San Francisco, is valued at $1.7 billion, making it a "unicorn"—a startup valued at over $1 billion. According to the website, the company aims to "[change] the world by bringing the power of transformation to each and every person."

In a press release, BetterUP CEO and co-founder Alexi Robichaux applauded Prince Harry's previous work in founding the Invictus Games, a competition for injured service personnel and veterans that promotes sport as a tool for physical and psychological recovery, and Sentebale, which offers mental health and wellbeing support to children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

"We are energized by his model of inspiration and impact through action," Robichaux said. "As a member of the BetterUp executive team, Prince Harry will expand on the work he’s been doing for years, as he educates and inspires our community and champions the importance of focusing on preventative mental fitness and human potential worldwide."

• Last month, news broke that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal exit will be permanent and the couple is now diving into the next stage of their lives, both personally and professionally.
• On the professional front, much of the Sussexes' work will be through their nonprofit, Archewell. The Archewell website was updated this week to include information about the organization's upcoming projects as well as its motto, "Community. Service. Compassion. Action."
• Some royal fans and commentators believe the Archewell update includes a jab at the royal family and the Palace, which released a statement last month confirming that Harry and Meghan will be stripped of their remaining honorary titles and patronages as a result of their royal exit.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are very clearly done staying silent when it comes to their side of the royal exit. Last month, the couple made their step back from royal duties permanent—a decision that was announced about a month before the Sussexes were expected to do a royal exit review with Queen Elizabeth II.

When news broke that Harry and Meghan were officially parting ways with the royal family (professionally, at least), Buckingham Palace released a statement confirming that (as had long been rumored and expected by many royal experts, FWIW) the Sussexes would indeed be stripped of their remaining honorary titles and royal patronages as a result. This was a particular blow to Harry, who was widely-reported to have been working on a way to retain his honorary military titles after the exit, apparently to no avail.

The Buckingham Palace statement about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal exit becoming permanent read:

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family.

Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family.

While all are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family."

In a rare move that was surprising from royals (even non-working ones), the Sussexes publicly hit back with a statement of their own that was described as "angry" and "abrasive" by some experts and outlets.

"As evidenced by their work over the past year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role," a spokesperson for the Sussexes said after Buckingham Palace's statement was released, according to royal author and correspondent (and Sussex biographer) Omid Scobie. "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."

That's all just background info you need before we get into the latest potential bit of royal family drama. Read for it? Okay, let's go. This week, the Sussexes updated the website for their nonprofit, Archewell. When the couple relaunched the site at the end of last year, they included an open letter and childhood pictures of themselves with their mothers. " I am my mother’s son. And I am our son’s mother. Together we bring you Archewell," the letter read. "We believe in the best of humanity. Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness, From our mothers and strangers alike."

It's worth noting that even the tribute to Princess Diana and Doria Ragland was rumored to irk some in the royal family, particularly Harry's brother, Prince William. In the new update, Harry and Meghan's tribute to their mothers was taken down and replaced with descriptions of some of the projects the Sussexes are tackling in the months ahead. The revamped version of the website also features the Archewell logo, encircled by the organization's motto, summed up in just four words: "Community. Service. Compassion. Action."

The four-word mission statement was a new addition to the website and one that some have interpreted as a jab at the Queen and the royal family in general. Why? It's the second word, "service," which those on Team Harry and Meghan Are Totally Dragging the Queen see as a reference to the dueling statements released by the two camps earlier in February (which is why we needed a refresher on what those statements said before we could talk about the reaction to the Archewell logo).

Who's to say if the inclusion of service was intended as a message for the Palace and the rest of the royal family or not, really. While it's easy to see why some royal fans and commentators interpreted it as a reference to the Sussexes' recent exchange of tense statements with the Palace, it's also important to remember that, well, service has always been really important to Harry and Meghan.

Harry and Meghan also outlined exactly what they hope to accomplish through Archewell, writing on the About Us page, "Welcome to Archewell. Through our non-profit work, as well as creative activations, we drive systemic cultural change across all communities, one act of compassion at a time."

Shade or no shade, Archewell's primary mission is definitely something we can get behind.

• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's partnership with World Central Kitchen, through their non-profit Archewell Foundation, just reached a huge milestone.
• The Sussexes pledged to fund four "Community Relief Centers" in regions frequently struck by climate disasters.
• Construction has finished on the first center in Dominica.

Last year, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Archewell Foundation announced a new partnership with World Central Kitchen, a non-profit founded by chef José Andrés that helps feed communities worldwide, primarily in the aftermath of natural disasters. The Sussexes pledged to fund four "Community Relief Centers" in regions frequently struck by climate disasters—and on Wednesday, World Central Kitchen announced that construction on the first center, built in Dominica, was complete.

Dominica suffered serious damage from Hurricane Erika in 2015 and Hurricane Irma in 2017; Hurricane Maria, which struck weeks after Irma, "destroyed over 90% of the island's infrastructure," World Central Kitchen said in a press release. The new community relief center, developed in collaboration with non-profit the Resilient Dominica Project and the Ministry of Education, is located inside the reconstructed Soufriere Primary School, which was seriously damaged by Maria. The school "was constructed under Dominica’s climate resiliency plan to be a safe shelter against future hurricanes," World Central Kitchen explained.

The Community Relief Center's kitchen features solar powered refrigerators and freezers, enabling them to function outside of the electrical grid. School staff can use the kitchen to prepare food for students and the wider community, while World Central Kitchen will soon start a chef training program. "From this Community Relief Center, we anticipate being able to prepare thousands of meals per day in the direct aftermath of any future storm," the nonprofit said in their press release.

The next Community Relief Center to be built in collaboration with the Archewell Foundation will be located in Puerto Rico. Planning has already begun on the project, World Central Kitchen said.

Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke to Bloomberg about their work with World Central Kitchen. "The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect to our shared humanity," Meghan and Harry said via email. "When we think about Chef Andrés and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we’re reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing—and working tirelessly—to support each other. World Central Kitchen inspires us through compassion in action."

Andrés told the magazine, "We are more energized than ever to continue this vital work," adding, "We’re proud that it will be hand in hand with Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I have come to know both of them well, and believe that their values are directly aligned with what we stand for at World Central Kitchen."

• According to a new report, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "very unlikely" to ever return to social media.
• The Sussexes have been on a break from social media since the official start of their royal exit last March.
• A source close to the couple told the Times of London that they have no plans to return to having an online presence in light of the "hate" they received on social media in the past.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are done with social media—probably for good.

According to a new report from the Times of London, the Sussexes are "very unlikely" to ever return to social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook because of the barrage of "hate" they received during their time on the apps.

Not only do Harry and Meghan plan to personally boycott social media, but a source close to the couple said that they also have no plans to use social media to promote the work of their nonprofit Archewell Foundation.

The Sussexes have been off social media since the official start of their royal exit last spring. They initially suggested they would return to an online presence in their farewell message on the Sussex Royal Instagram. In their lengthy goodbye message to followers, the couple wrote:

"As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile. Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise.

What’s most important right now is the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic.

As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute.

While you may not see us here, the work continues.

Thank you to this community - for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great!

Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another.

Harry and Meghan"

• According to a royal expert, there could be some more drama in Prince Harry and Prince William's future, thanks to Harry's latest tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana.
• Royal author Phil Dampier says Will might be "worried" about the 2021 letter Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, shared on their Archewell website.
• "I don't think he would be happy if Harry appears to be exploiting his mother's iconic status," he explained.

Prince Harry's latest tribute to Princess Diana was incredibly sweet—but it could put more strain on his relationship with his brother, Prince William, apparently.

The tribute in question was posted to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell website, which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex updated with a letter to fans for 2021. Alongside photos of themselves with their mothers, Harry and Meghan wrote:

"I am my mother’s son.

And I am our son’s mother.

Together we bring you Archewell.

We believe in the best of humanity.

Because we have seen the best of humanity.

We have experienced compassion and kindness,

From our mothers and strangers alike.

In the face of fear, struggle and pain,

It can be easy to lose sight of this.

Together, we can choose courage, healing, and connection.

Together, we can choose to put compassion in action.

We invite you to join us.

As we work to build a better world,

One act of compassion at a time."

Speaking to the Daily Mail, royal expert Phil Dampier, author of Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan In Their Own Words, explained why the sweet letter might not sit well with William. 

"I think William will be slightly worried if Harry uses Diana for any of his charitable or commercial ventures without consulting him, and I don't think he would be happy if Harry appears to be exploiting his mother's iconic status," Dampier said.

Another potential issue: Harry's "snub" of his father, Prince Charles, in the letter.

"It's also very significant that Harry called himself his 'mother's son' but has made no mention of Prince Charles. William is very much following now in his father's footsteps with his environmental and conservation work," Dampier explained. "And although Harry has praised his father in the past, it seems odd not to mention him more and work in conjunction with him, rather than separately."

Of course, this is all guesswork and we hope none of it turns out to be true because Harry, Will, and the rest of the royal family definitely deserve a drama-free year in 2021.