Updated story 20/06/21: Meghan Markle Gives Interview About Children's Book, Reveals Easter Eggs
Meghan Markle has given a rare interview surrounding the release of her first children's book, The Bench.
Speaking on NPR radio, in an interview which was recorded before Meghan and Prince Harry welcomed their second child Lili, the Duchess of Sussex was joined by the book's illustrator Christian Robinson to discuss their collaboration for the book.
During the chat, Meghan revealed that she gifted her husband a bench on his first Father's Day three years ago which was inscribed with the poem (that then inspired the book).
In the story, there are several clear nods to Prince Harry and Archie, such as the watercolour illustrations of a father with ginger hair, and the colours of the dog sitting next to the bench, closely resembling Meghan's beagle, Guy. But the former actor also revealed more subtle 'easter eggs and nuggets' which can be found in the book too.
'There's a lot,' the mother-of-two confirmed. 'If people start digging, I think you can find sweet little moments that we've tucked in there. From my favourite flower, even to my husband's Mum's favourite flower - forget-me-nots - we wanted to make sure those were included in there. There's a lot of special detail and love that went into this book.'
This is not the first time Meghan has honoured the late Princess Of Wales via her favourite flower, choosing to incorporate forget-me-nots into her bridal bouquet too on her wedding day to Prince Harry in 2018.
Meghan also confirmed - much to Robinson's delight - that her son Archie 'loves' the book. 'He has a voracious appetite for books, constantly when we read him a book he goes, "again, again, again". Now the fact that he loves The Bench and we can say, "Mummy wrote this for you" is amazing.'
The interview was the first Meghan has taken part in since she sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a headline-dominating interview where she and Prince Harry discussed their decision to step back as senior working members of the royal family.
Original story 04/05/21: Meghan Markle Has Written A Children's Book Inspired By Prince Harry And Archie
Meghan Markle can now add published children's author to her CV.
As well as being a former actor, Duchess, activist, podcast host and documentary narrator, the Duchess of Sussex has now written a children's book.
Her new book, The Bench, has been written as a tribute to her husband Prince Harry and their son, Archie.
The book is inspired by the bond between a father and son, as seen by through the mother's eyes. Markle has revealed she was inspired to write The Bench after penning a poem for her husband on his first Father's Day last year.
According to publishers Penguin Random House, the book evokes 'a deep sense of warmth, connection, and compassion.. giving readers a window into shared and enduring moments between a diverse group of fathers and sons—moments of peace and reflection, trust and belief, discovery and learning, and lasting comfort'.
In first-look images from the book, which was illustrated by Caldecott-winning illustrator Christian Robinson, one photograph shows a mother looking out a window while a father in an armed forces uniform with red hair throws his son in the air evoking parallels with Prince Harry and Archie.
Another in-page photo shows a father and baby boy relaxing on a sun lounger.
In a statement, the Duchess of Sussex - who is currently expecting her second child, and first daughter with her husband - said of writing the book: 'The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born. That poem became this story.
'Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolour illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens.
'My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine.'
The book will be published on June 8, 2021 and is Markle's first children's book. According to the press release, the 39-year-old will also narrate the audiobook edition.
The Duchess of Sussex has previously written a foreword for the Together cookbook she worked on to benefit victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster when she was a senior working member of the royal family.
Before meeting Prince Harry, she also authored a blog, The Tig and wrote for various magazines and newspapers, including ELLE UK.
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