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, 43-year-old Meghan Markle rebranded and relaunched her lifestyle brand—formerly known as American Riviera Orchard—under the new name As Ever.
The refreshed brand debuted with nine products, including teas, fruit preserves, honey, crepe mix, and flower sprinkles—all of which sold out within an hour.
Markle is also seeing success with her Netflix series With Love, Meghan. Despite some online backlash, the show has been renewed for a second season.
In addition, the premiere episode of Confessions of a Female Founder has just been released, featuring a candid conversation between the Duchess and Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of the dating app Bumble.
Together, they open up about their journeys as female entrepreneurs and how they juggle motherhood with building successful businesses.
Markle, mom to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, revealed that her three-year-old daughter still takes naps and currently attends preschool only for half days.
Reflecting on motherhood, she shared, “Lilibet will be sitting on my lap during one of these meetings, with a grid of all the executives on screen… and 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 spoke about the deep fulfillment she finds in both parenting and entrepreneurship, emphasizing that “both are just as important” and “bring real value to the world.”
In a heartfelt moment during the episode, Markle and Herd opened up about a deeply personal connection — both having faced similar health struggles, despite not knowing each other at the time.
“We both had very similar experiences,” Markle said. “The world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly. And in those quiet moments, you’re still trying to show up — especially for your kids — even when you’re facing major medical scares.”
Both women revealed they battled postpartum preeclampsia, a rare and potentially life-threatening condition marked by high blood pressure and elevated protein levels in the urine after childbirth.
Herd described the condition as “life or death.” According to the Mayo Clinic, postpartum preeclampsia requires urgent medical care, as it can lead to seizures and other serious complications if left untreated.
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.”
