Camilla Jessen
Duchess reflects on boundaries built under public pressure.
In a recent interview, Meghan Markle offered a rare look back at how life in the public eye has shaped her sense of boundaries.
The Duchess of Sussex spoke candidly about the scrutiny she faced and the ways she learned to protect her well-being.
Her comments come seven years after her royal wedding and nearly five years after stepping away from official duties in the U.K.
Finding boundaries
In an interview for Harper’s BAZAAR’s December 2025/January 2026 Art Issue, Meghan Markle spoke out on how public attention transformed her understanding of self-preservation.
“I think my boundaries became stronger once I came into the public eye in this very…” she said, before laughing.
“I could think of any adjective to fill the blank. And it would probably work. You find different ways to protect yourself, whether that’s self-preservation or it’s just growing up.”
In 2026, Markle entered an intense global spotlight when she began dating Prince Harry, followed by their 2018 wedding.
New life in the U.S.
Markle and Prince Harry stepped back from their working royal roles in January 2020 and relocated to the United States.
They now focus on philanthropic projects and commercial ventures while raising Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, in Montecito, California.
Despite living thousands of miles from the U.K., elements of royal formality continue to surface.
Harper’s BAZAAR journalist Kaitlyn Greenidge noted that Markle was introduced as “The Duchess of Sussex” during their meetings in Los Angeles and New York, even in private settings with only a few people present.
Titles and what they mean
When the couple stepped back in 2020, an agreement with Queen Elizabeth II allowed them to retain their titles but not actively use the “HRH” styling.
A spokesperson said at the time that they “remain members of the Royal Family and remain named and titled as such.”
Speaking to PEOPLE earlier this year, Meghan described “Sussex” as central to her family identity.
“It’s our shared name as a family,” she said. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together.”
In her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, she told Mindy Kaling that she now identifies primarily as “Sussex,” explaining, “I share my name with my children… this is our family name, our little family name.”
Sources: Harper’s BAZAAR, PEOPLE
