Meghan Markle has shared a health update after revealing a heartbreaking diagnosis.
The Duchess of Sussex discussed her ‘life-or-death’ health complications in the first episode of her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
This is not Markle’s first time in the world of podcasting, with her previous show Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes on Spotify before being canceled.
Markle has recently announced her ‘professional separation‘ from her husband, Prince Harry.
The couple still work together within The Archwell Foundation but are now on individual ventures.
Most recently, the 43-year-old rebranded and relaunched her lifestyle brand, formerly known as ‘American Riviera Orchard,’ to ‘As Ever’.
The line launched with nine products, such as teas, fruit preserves, honey, crepe mix, and flower sprinkles that sold out in an hour.
Markle has also found success with her Netflix show: With Love, Meghan.
Despite the series facing some backlash online, the streaming platform has announced plans for a second season.
With the first episode of Confessions of a Female Founder dropping, viewers can listen to a conversation with the Duchess and Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of the dating app Bumble.
The two talk candidly about their experiences as female business founders, including how they balance life as mothers with work.
Markle, mom to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, revealed that her three-year-old daughter still takes naps and only goes to pre-school for half days.
The mother of two shared: “She’ll [Lilibet] be sitting there on my lap during one of these meetings with a grid of all the executives… I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t want to miss those moments. I don’t want to miss pickup if I don’t have to. I don’t want to miss drop-off.”
Markle also shared her love for motherhood and being a business owner, stating that ‘both are just as important’ and ‘really high value for the world.’
During one part of the episode, Markle and Herd shared their similar health experiences, with the Duchess saying: “We both had very similar experiences — though we didn’t know each other at the time.”
Markle spoke about the pressures of being in the limelight whilst experiencing her health diagnosis: “The world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly. And in the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people – mostly for your children — but those things are huge medical scares.”
The 43-year-old and Herd both shared that they struggled with postpartum preeclampsia.
It’s a rare condition that occurs when you have high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine soon after childbirth, which Herd described as ‘life or death.’
Postpartum preeclampsia requires prompt treatment. Left untreated, postpartum preeclampsia can cause seizures and other serious complications, as per the Mayo Clinic.
Herd commented on seeing Markle first apperance with her newborn son just two days after giving birth: “I’ll never forget the image of you after you delivered Archie, and the whole world was waiting for his debut.
“I was either just becoming or about to become a new mom, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, how is this woman doing this?
“How is this woman putting on heels and going and debuting a child in this, you know, beautiful outfit in front of the entire world?’ I could barely face a doorbell delivery for takeout food in a robe.”