Prince Harry received support from brother William and father Charles after Meghan Markle's tragic miscarriage
On November 25, Meghan Markle revealed to the world a tragic loss she suffered earlier this year. The Duchess of Sussex wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times sharing her miscarriage heartache. The incident happened in July, which she called “an almost unbearable grief”. Meghan wrote, “I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.” She was soon taken to a hospital, where she saw “his [Harry] heart break” as the pair were told their unborn baby was no more.
“There is understandable sadness in the family,” an insider close to the Queen said. The Queen including other members of the royal family were also informed about it and it has been said that Prince William and Prince Charles both supported Harry.
The 1,000-word article by the former actress began, “It was a July morning that began as ordinarily as any other day: Make breakfast. Feed the dogs. Take vitamins. Find that missing sock. Pick up the rogue crayon that rolled under the table. Throw my hair in a ponytail before getting my son from his crib. After changing his diaper, I felt a sharp cramp. I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right. I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.”
She continued, “Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband’s hand. I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal,” before adding: “Sitting in a hospital bed, watching my husband’s heartbreak as he tried to hold the shattered pieces of mine, I realized that the only way to begin to heal is to first ask, ‘Are you OK?’.”
The 39-year-old also spoke about the stigma that is still attached to miscarriage. Meghan noted, “Losing a child means carrying almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few. In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from a miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.”
After the brace revelation, Meghan has received lots of love from all over the world. Sophie King, a midwife at Tommy’s, a UK charity for research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, said, “It’s a real taboo in society. So mothers like Meghan sharing their stories is a vital step in breaking down that stigma and shame.” Zoe Clark-Coates, founder of baby loss charity the Mariposa Trust, stated: “We’re just not great as a culture talking about things that make us sad or really open us up emotionally.”
Charles Spencer, the maternal uncle of William and Harry, also expressed their solidarity with the couple as he said, “I can‘t imagine the agony for any couple for losing a child in this way. I totally agree with you – all thoughts with them today.” Model and presenter Jessica Davies tweeted: “Nearly 1 in 4 women have experienced miscarriage. Miscarriage is not a private subject. It should be talked about more widely and openly because women should not feel like they are alone. Thank you to Meghan for sharing her pain.”