Royals

Meghan Markle Opens Up About Stress of Being a New Mom: 'Not Many People Have Asked If I'm Okay'

ITV released a new clip from their documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey

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Published on October 18, 2019 08:25AM EDT

Meghan Markle is getting real about the pressures of being a new mother in the public eye.

ITV released a new clip from their documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, which will debut in the U.K. this Sunday and give a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the royal couple’s recent tour of southern Africa, on Friday. In it, the Duchess of Sussex speaks to Tom Bradby about the negative attention from the press during her pregnancy and first months with son Archie, born May 6.

“Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging. And then when you have a newborn, you know. And especially as a woman, it’s a lot,” she said. “So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed. It’s um…yeah. I guess, also thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

Bradby asked if it “would be fair” to say that she’s “not really okay, as in it’s really been a struggle?” to which Meghan responds, “Yes.”

Towards the end of the tour, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to launch legal action against the Mail on Sunday for publishing a private letter than Meghan sent to her father as well as News UK (owner of The Sun) and MGN (former owner of The Mirror) regarding alleged illegal interception of voicemail messages.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex — Chris Jackson/Getty

In addition to the law suits, Prince Harry lashed out against the British tabloid press for the “ruthless” treatment his wife has received “over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son” in a rare statement.

The prince went on to say that he and Meghan have “continued to put on a brave face – as so many of you can relate to – I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been.”

Prince Harry also opened up about the pressures of his royal role in the documentary. In the first clip released on Thursday, the dad talks about the death of his mother, Princess Diana, while being back in a place that was so close to her heart, saying it’s a “wound that festers.”

“I think being part of this family — in this role, in this job — every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back,” he said. “In that respect, it’s the worst reminder of her life as oppose to the best.”

“Being here now 22 years later trying to finish what she started will be incredibly emotional. But everything that I do reminds me of her,” he continued. “But as I said — with the role, with the job and sort of the pressures that come with that — I get reminded of the bad stuff.”

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The documentary will air in the U.S. on ABC Wednesday, Oct. 23. at 10 p.m. ET.