Meghan Markle has admitted that she is “not ok” in a rare emotional interview in a clip from a behind-the-scenes documentary called “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey”, released early on Sunday.
She reveals in the interview with Tom Bradby for the ITV programme about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which airs at 9pm on Sunday, that this past year has been “really challenging” for her.
"Look, any woman especially when they are pregnant you’re really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, and then when you have a newborn – you know", she said in response to being asked if she is ok.
"And especially as a woman, it’s a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed it’s, well…" she added.
Meghan then thanked the interviewer for asking and continued: "And, also thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if I’m ok. But it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."
When asked again if she it's fair to say she is not ok, Meghan simply responds with "Yes".
Markle's comments come as part of a trailer for the ITV documentary, revealing their successful Africa tour, which took the Sussex family around Angola, Botswana, South Africa, and Malawi.
The programme follows Meghan, Prince Harry and their baby Archie over their 10-day royal tour across the continent last month and promises to “explain a lot” as Meghan reveals on all about the pressures they've been under.
In a one-to-one interview, Meghan was asked about the "true pressures of life in the spotlight and the toll it has taken on them both".
In one part she speaks candidly on the trip saying "Oh my goodness, it’s the most inspiring, we just got here and to see everything that they are doing but also that it’s not just the girls that are feeling empowered, it’s all the roles of the men and the young boys who are also helping them".
The visit served as Archie's first royal tour and his first official engagement - meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his family.
Meghan and Archie stayed in South Africa while Harry took a solo trip to the remaining countries, before the family reconvened for the end of the trip.
The couple have come under immense pressure in recent weeks, with Harry claiming that he was driven to take legal action in response to the “painful” impact of “relentless propaganda” against his wife from newspapers, after the Duke of Sussex launched 2 separate legal proceedings against the Daily Mirror and The Sun over allegations of phone-hacking.