Meghan Markle has opened up about how motherhood hasn’t turned out the way she once imagined.

In a recent episode of her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, where she spoke with Kitsch founder Cassandra Thurswell, the Duchess of Sussex reflected on the challenges she faced while raising her two children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 3, alongside Prince Harry.

Meghan explained that she had always dreamed of being a mother, picturing herself confidently giving speeches with a baby on her hip.

But when the time came, reality looked very different. “There were a lot of external factors during both pregnancies,” she shared. “It just wasn’t how I envisioned it.”

During the conversation, Meghan expressed how important it is for her children to see her as a working mom. However, she admitted that parenting, especially in the early years, was overwhelming.

She also revealed that she and Harry relied on the support of a nanny for the first five years to help navigate parenthood.

Meghan first became a mother in 2019 when Archie was born in the UK, back when she and Harry were still working members of the royal family. A year later, they stepped back from their royal roles and moved to California, where they welcomed daughter Lilibet in 2021.

While the couple keeps their children mostly out of the spotlight, Meghan has shared a few family photos recently, including never-before-seen pictures to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary and her return to social media earlier this year.