A WHOLE NEW WORLD
The triumphant ex-royal is living her very best life
Insiders tell Us reluctant royal Meghan Markle is thriving with Prince Harry and Archie in Canada, and that she’s thrilled to be 5,000 miles away from Buckingham Palace!
On a typical morning, Meghan Markle wakes up to her adoring husband pampering her with pancakes or eggs and a hot cup of tea in bed. She practices yoga or meditation, then spends her day doting on baby Archie and working on the charity platform she’s developing with Harry. In the afternoons, the trio take a twoor three-mile hike near their rented Vancouver Island, B.C., mansion or spend time in the lush gardens on the sprawling waterfront property. Come evening, she whips up a healthy meal for the family and later, when Archie goes down for the night, she and Harry play a few rounds of Scrabble or chess, or watch on Netflix.
Planet Earth
It’s a peaceful, normal existence — and it’s the perfect way for the rebellious royal to celebrate breaking free from monarchical life. Shortly after marrying Harry, 35, in May 2018, the 38-year-old actress quickly realized royalty wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. She felt attacked by the British press, rejected by Harry’s family and suffocated by rules and regulations. Now, insiders tell Us, she’s found her happily-ever-after nearly 5,000 miles away from Buckingham Palace. “Meghan’s thrilled to have escaped the chaos of London,” an insider says. “Moving to
Canada has given her the chance to reset.
She feels like a new person.”
CAGED IN
Meghan had reached her breaking point in the U.K., where swarms of paparazzi followed her every move and prying eyes watched and waited for her to make a wrong move. “She felt trapped and claustrophobic,” reveals the insider, who says that while she was living at Frogmore Cottage with Harry, she started experiencing panic attacks: “She was nervous to step outside her own front door because of all the negative attention she attracted,” says the insider.
A self-described feminist, Meghan felt royal protocol was stuffy and outdated. “She didn’t like having to curtsy in front of the queen,” reveals the insider, who adds that she
resented not being able to drive herself anywhere.
At home in Canada, she feels free — and loves being able to wear whatever she wants. “Meghan can go out in yoga pants and not be criticized for not following the dress code,” says the insider. “She feels more relaxed and loves walking around fresh-faced with barely any makeup on.
COLLATERAL DAMAGE
For his part, Harry’s relieved to see his wife so content. “It’s immensely rewarding for him, especially when Meghan makes such a big point of telling him how grateful she is for everything he’s sacrificed,” says another source.
Of course, it hasn’t been the easiest transition for Harry. He’s dealing with “anxiety and stress” over uprooting and leaving his 93-year-old grandmother behind — especially given the current global health crisis. “He feels so helpless,” says the insider.
Meghan’s battling some guilt of her own. The insider says
she feels somewhat responsible for Harry’s ongoing rift with his brother, Prince William, which was caused in part by William and wife Kate Middleton’s cold reception of Meghan. “But at the end of the day, Meghan’s conscience is clear,” says the source,
“and she’s not beating herself up for things she can’t control. She believes Harry and Prince William will patch things up eventually.”
BIG PLANS
They don’t have much time to worry about the past. Meghan’s ecstatic that she can now make her own decisions about what US
she wants to do professionally. The
insider says she’s writing another cookbook and wants to develop her own kitchenware brand. And the source reveals she’s looking to relaunch her defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. Plus, she and Harry are still super dedicated to their philanthropic endeavors. “Meghan has heaps of projects in the works.” And that includes baby No. 2! “They’ll start trying in earnest pretty soon,” says the source. They just want to get firmly settled into their new surroundings first, and give Archie as much attention as they can. “They’re still enjoying these precious early days with him,” the source adds, explaining that ultimately, they’re not in a major rush. “They’re committed to having another baby, but don’t want to put too much pressure on the situation.”
MEGHAN HAS A REAL SPRING IN HER STEP AGAIN. IT’S WONDERFUL TO SEE HER IN TOP FORM.”
A SOURCE TELLS