Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stunned the world in early 2020 when they announced they would step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. Since then, the couple has settled in the United States, where they now live with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.

While they still hold their HRH titles, they no longer receive funding from the royal household or serve in any official royal capacity. Their candid interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 drew global attention—criticizing aspects of royal life—which was met with both backlash and support.

Now residing in Montecito, California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been busy developing their own enterprise, Archewell, and working on various creative projects including a podcast, documentary, and memoir. However, everything changed on September 8, 2022.

That day, the monarchy faced a monumental shift: Queen Elizabeth II passed away after a historic 70-year reign. Her eldest son immediately became King Charles III. In the days following her death, senior royals gathered in London for the official ceremonies and funeral services—including Meghan and Harry.

Since the queen’s funeral, conversations have circulated about how King Charles will move forward with Harry and Meghan. Some believe efforts are being made to rebuild the relationship, while others speculate the new monarch may distance himself further from the couple. Regardless of the rumors, Meghan appears to be embracing life beyond the palace. In an interview with Variety, she opened up about processing the queen’s passing, her experiences with public scrutiny, and life as a working mother.

In the October 2022 Variety feature, journalist Matt Donnelly spoke with Meghan about her current life in sunny California. Reflecting on the queen’s death, Meghan shared that she felt “proud” to have had a “nice warmth with the matriarch of the family.” She continued:

“I’m really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time. What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like. I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her.”

The conversation also turned to a previous New York Magazine profile where Meghan was perceived as sounding “snarky.” Addressing the criticism, Meghan said she had time to reflect:

“I’ve had some time to reflect on it. Part of me is just really trusting, really open — that’s how I move in the world. I have to remember that I don’t ever want to become so jaded that that piece of me goes away. So despite any of those things? Onward. I can survive it.”

She also discussed the upcoming docuseries by director Liz Garbus, centered on her and Harry. Meghan explained:

“It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it. But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens.”

Meghan also spoke about her podcast Archetypes, which debuted on August 23, 2022, and features different guests each episode. She revealed that the most difficult interview for her was with Paris Hilton.

“I was embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve had a judgment about her that’s based on everything I’ve seen, and I don’t like to come from a place of judgment. But I also didn’t grow up pretty. … I grew up as the smart one. So much of what I ended up thinking about, when I thought about Paris, was envy and judgment — two of the most dangerous things,” Meghan admitted.

When asked about acting, Meghan was clear that she had moved on from that chapter of her life.

“I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not (to return to acting),” she said. However, if her children were ever interested in pursuing that path, she said she wouldn’t stand in their way.

Looking ahead, Meghan said she and Harry are feeling hopeful and inspired about the projects they want to develop.

“So much of how my husband and I see things is through our love story. I think that’s what people around the world connected to, especially with our wedding. People love love. I’m not excluded in that sentiment. And our definition of love is really expansive: Partner love, self-love, the love of community and family. We use that as the baseline of the kind of shows and documentaries we want out there,” she explained.

Even with their busy lives, Meghan said they enjoy the simple routines, including occasional fast-food runs.

“My husband’s favorite is In-N-Out. There’s one at the halfway point between L.A. and our neck of the woods. It’s really fun to go through the drive-thru and surprise them. They know our order.”