Meghan Markle opens up about her "love of being a mum" in a candid interview about parenthood

Meghan Markle hosts a panel during her tour of Nigeria
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been front and centre this weekend, with Sunday marking the end of their four-day tour of Nigeria. 

The visit - a celebration to honour the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, has been a huge success, with Meghan Markle's elegant tour wardrobe, from Altuzarra suits to Carolina Herrera dresses, praised the world-over.

It is the Duchess of Sussex's words that have made the most headlines however, with the 42-year-old speaking candidly during their tour about her life - and particularly her approach to motherhood. 

The four-day visit coincided with US Mother's Day, and while hosting a panel on 'Women Leaders' as part of the historic tour, Markle opened up about her "love" of being a mum. 

"I love being a mom," the Duchess of Sussex told the audience, before exploring the difficulties of balancing motherhood and a career, referencing her own previous exchange with her mentor Bonnie Hammer.

"I remember having the good fortune at the time that [Hammer] invited me to have breakfast, and I thought this was just the biggest deal in the world. And I asked her that exact question," Markle recalled. "I said, 'How do you find the balance?' And she said, 'You don't, you'll never find the balance.'

"And this was before I was married, this was before I had children, this is before all the things in my life have certainly had a plot twist." 

She continued: "And it struck me and it stayed with me for a long time because you say, 'well how can you be so successful? And she's a mother as well and she's married and say that you'll never find the balance? What does life feel like if it's imbalanced?'

"What I think that means now is that balance will always change for you. That balance, what seems balanced 10 years ago is going to shift. And so being a mom has always been a dream of mine. And I'm so fortunate that we have two beautiful, healthy, very chatty, sweet children."

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.