The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and her husband, Prince Harry, welcomed their second child, a girl, on June 4th. Lilibet Diana, named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, and grandmother, Diana, The Princess of Wales, joins big brother Archie Harrison, who recently turned two years old.

“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,” read a statement from the couple released on Sunday.

Baby Lili’s arrival is no doubt a joyous time for the couple, who have experienced a roller coaster of emotions over the last few years, which Meghan and Harry recently detailed in a bombshell interview with Oprah. But as Markle shared about Archie and discussed her pregnancy, it’s clear she relishes her role as a mother. A powerful voice for women and girls, Markle has spoken out about the role of mothers around the world, as well as the joy and pain, including a miscarriage, of her own experience thus far.

Her words are both relatable and inspirational, and only serve to reinforce the powerful role that mothers play in society (and at home!)

Here are 11 times the brand new mother-of-two described her own experience with motherhood and the role of mothers in society:


  • “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 … especially as a woman, it’s a lot. So you add [media attention] on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed.”—on pregnancy
  • “It’s funny, I’ve actually been joking the last few weeks. I had seen this documentary on Netflix about feminism, and one of the things they said during pregnancy was ‘I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism.’ I loved that, so boy or girl, whatever it is, we hope that that’s the case with our little bump.”—on raising a future feminist
  • “It’s magic, it’s pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world, so I’m really happy.”—on new motherhood
  • “Any woman, especially when they’re pregnant, you’re really vulnerable, and so that was made really challenging,” Markle said in an interview. “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 and trying to be a newlywed.”—on balancing the early days of motherhood under such close scrutiny
  • “Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few.”—on her experience with miscarriage, featured in an op-ed in the New York Times
  • “We have learned that when people ask how any of us are doing, and when they really listen to the answer, with an open heart and mind, the load of grief often becomes lighter — for all of us. In being invited to share our pain, together we take the first steps toward healing.”—on her experience with miscarriage
  • “When we consider how vulnerable any mother feels during the fragile time of pregnancy, we gain perspective about how especially difficult it can be for pregnant women of color and those who come from under-resourced and vulnerable communities.”—on the Archewell Foundation’s Mother’s Day gift to Harvest Home, a charity that offers housing and resources to homeless mothers across Los Angeles
  • “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”—on their move to the United States
  • “We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?”—on taking time for self-care
  • “I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a Duchess… and the most important title I’ll ever have is mom.”— on her newest role, during her interview with Oprah
  • “On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. 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.”—a special note of thanks from Meghan and Harry on their Archewell website