Meghan Markle shock: ‘Suits’ star claims her ambition was seen as ‘a terrible thing’ while dating Prince Harry

Meghan Markle’s podcast series on Spotify has officially arrived. In the premiere episode of “Archetypes,” the Duchess of Sussex talks to tennis legend and close friend Serena Williams about ambition, a characteristic they share in plenty. Markle begins by discussing how, while having viewed the future as “unlimited” for the majority of her life, she learned in her 30s that some people judge ambition negatively.

This understanding coincided with her initial romantic involvement with Prince Harry, her current spouse, in 2016.

Meghan Markle stated:

“I don’t ever remember personally feeling the negative connotation behind the word ambitious until I started dating my now husband,” she says. “Apparently ambition is a terrible, terrible thing — for a woman, that is — according to some. Since I’ve felt the negativity behind it, it’s really hard to unfeel it. I can’t unsee it either, in the millions of girls and women who make themselves smaller — so much smaller — on a regular basis.”

Williams agrees with the sentiment, adding:

“Often women are definitely put in these different boxes when we are ambitious or when we do have goals or when we reach our goals, it’s a negative connotation on how we reach the goals.”

Markle then discusses how ambitious men are viewed more positively than ambitious women, an unjust disparity that is exacerbated when children are around. Markle claims to have personally experienced this after she and Harry welcomed their two children, Archie and Lilibet.

Meghan Markle explained:

“The double standard between how men and women are treated after having kids is so, so real. I’ve felt it.”

Markle finishes the episode by underlining the “many criticisms” women endure for being inspired to dream big and achieve their objectives. She said:

“[There’s] the misconception that if you’re an ambitious woman, you have an agenda, you must be calculating or selfish or aggressive, or a climber, and that if you’re that fierce or strong or brave, then you somehow deserve whatever gets thrown at you.”

The “Archetypes” podcast will feature interviews with celebrities and historians to examine the various stereotypes women face in popular culture, from “diva” and “crazy” to “b*tch” and “slut.”

In an audio teaser released by Spotify, Meghan Markle explains:

“This is ‘Archetypes,’ the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back.”