"Not many people have asked if I’m OK," says the Duchess.
The Duchess of Sussex has given an emotional interview about her experience ofpregnancyand motherhood as part of a documentary for ITV titled Harry and Meghan: An African Journey, which airs on Sunday at 9pm.
Presenter Tom Bradby followed the couple, and five-month-old Archie, throughout their African tour which saw Prince Harry undertake solo engagements while Meghan took care of their son.
When asked about the struggles of having a baby under such enormous scrutiny, Meghan said: "Look, any woman especially when they are 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. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed it’s, well..."
She goes on to say, it an incredible display of candour: "And, also thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if I’m OK. But it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."
Bradby then goes on to asks Meghan if it is fair to say that it has been a struggle.
Meghan replies: "Yes."
Meghan isn't the only one who is candid about her feelings, either. In another clip from the documentary, Prince Harry reveals he feels the 'festering wounds' left by his mother's death.
Discussing the experience of walking in his mother's footsteps with landmine charity HALO, he says: "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 so in that respect it’s the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best.
"It’s been quite emotional retracing my mother’s steps, 22 years on. Let’s finish what was started."
You can watch the full documentary on Sunday at 9pm on ITV.
Gallery: 6 times Kate and Charlotte perfected mother-daughter twinning
Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte Twinning
1) Trooping The Colour, June 2016
When the royals emerged onto the balcony at Buckingham Palace for last year's queenly birthday celebrations, we couldn't help but notice that Charlotte's smocked dress and tiny sandals were almost the exact shade of pale pink as her mother's fascinator. The Princess's regal wave, however, is pure Elizabeth II.
2) Trip To Canada, October 2016
For touchdown in British Columbia ahead of the tour of Canada, the royal blue of Kate's bespoke Jenny Packham shift dress found its echo in Charlotte's trademark buckled sandals. The Princess's pale blue patterned dress, meanwhile, is another cute mini-me nod to her mum's look.
3) Christmas 2016
A Christmas Day outing to St Mark's Church in Berkshire (later the venue for Pippa Middleton's wedding) saw Kate re-wear an old favourite coat from Hobbs, with Princess Charlotte's wine-coloured tights, jumper and bow chiming perfectly with her mum's suede clutch.
4) Pippa's Wedding, May 2017
Given that bridal party dressing is all about matchy-matchy nods, we're fully aware that including this look verges on cheating. It's so sweet, however, that we simply had to - and the sash of Charlotte's Pepa & Co bridesmaid dress comes in an almost identical hue to that of Kate's McQueen outfit...
5) Trooping The Colour, June 2017
When it comes to Trooping the Colour, a bold pop of colour is clearly the key to standing out on a balcony filled with the Queen's nearest and dearest. Kate's bubblegum pink dress and fascinator ensemble (the former courtesy of the Duchess's favoured designer, Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton) provides just that. Charlotte, too, wore pink, her patterned summer frock in a slightly softer - but still complementary - shade.
6) Arrival In Berlin, July 2017
For the second stage of their European charm offensive, the Cambridges headed to Berlin, where Kate and Charlotte both opted for diplomatic dressing: Kate's Catherine Walker coat dress is in Prussian blue, a shade which holds historical significance in Germany, while the colour of Charlotte's smock is surely a nod to the cornflower, traditionally a symbol of the country...
This article was originally written by Rebecca Reid for Grazia.
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