MEGHAN'S `UNBEARABLE GRIEF.'
LONDON • Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has revealed that she had a miscarriage in July, an extraordinarily personal disclosure coming from a high-profile British royal.
The 39-year-old wife of Prince Harry and former actress wrote about the experience in an opinion article published in the New York Times on Wednesday, saying that it took place one morning when she was caring for Archie, the couple’s son.
“I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second,” Meghan wrote, describing how she felt a sharp cramp after picking up Archie from his crib, and dropped to the floor with him in her arms, humming a lullaby to keep them both calm.
Meghan described how she and her husband were both in tears as she lay in a hospital bed hours later.
“Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” she wrote. “Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.”
Meghan and Harry have consistently used their profile to highlight mental health issues, and several British charities active in the fields of miscarriage research and support said her article would help people going through pain and grief.
“Mothers like Meghan sharing their stories is a vital step in breaking down that stigma and shame,” said Sophie King, a midwife at Tommy’s, which funds research and runs a helpline for expectant parents and those affected by loss.
“Her honesty and openness today send a powerful message to anyone who loses a baby: this may feel incredibly lonely, but you are not alone,” said King.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement the disclosure was “a deeply personal matter which we would not comment on.” Separately, a palace source said there was understandable sadness in the family.
A source close to Harry said the prince had discussed the article with the royal family beforehand.
The byline on the New York Times ar ticle was “Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex,” and she was described as “a mother, feminist and advocate.”
The Sussexes stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States, after a stop in Canada, earlier this year to try and forge a new role for themselves.