Meghan’s podcast, Archetypes, debuted today with her first special guest, longtime friend and tennis great, Serena Williams!
The episode opens with words from Meghan —
I’m Meghan, and this is ‘Archetypes’: the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back.”
“I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives,” the Duchess adds. “And, I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place.”
Serena then joins and the two speak about ambition, how they both juggle motherhood, and her evolution. Also joining the conversation is UCLA Berkley professor Laura Kray, who expands on ambition as it relates to gender. There is even a surprise appearance from Harry and Serena says hello in her best British accent.
Reflecting on ambition, Serena compared how men and women are viewed differently.
You know, if a man is ambitious, am I saying? Am I bringing down society by saying a woman is something different than ambitious? Or what do I think of women that are ambitious?”
“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.”
Below, Meghan with Serena participate in the DirecTV Beach Bowl at Pier 40 on February 1, 2014 in New York City — where the two first met and quickly became good friends.
The tennis legend also elaborated about balancing her tennis career with the pressures of being a mother to daughter Olympia, 4. She recalled when Olympia broke her wrist the night before she competed at the French Open.
I somehow managed to win, but I was so emotionally spent and just like so emotionally drained that it was, it was crazy,” she said. “And, you know, and then like every night after that, I just was with her the whole time and was like you’re going to be with me. I just took a lot on. But moms do a lot. Like I look at my mom, I don’t know how she had five kids. I don’t know.”
Serena with Meghan and Olympia at the 2019 US Open.
credit: @serenawilliams Instagram
Below, Serena and Meghan at NYFW 2014 and at the US Open 2016. (Side note – I was at that US Open match in 2016 and watched Serena beat Simona Halep that night – sitting right across from Serena’s box!)
A video promo clip from Spotify below.
During her conversation with the legendary tennis player and friend, Serena Williams, Meghan mentions how she and Harry were in South Africa in 2019 with Archie, there was a fire in the nursery of the house they were staying in. Archie was not in the room at the time.
More from Huffington Post —
The Duchess of Sussex revealed there was a fire in her then-infant son’s room, where he was supposed to be sleeping, during the family’s tour of Southern Africa in 2019. Luckily, Archie was not in the room at the time, Meghan told her guest, close friend and tennis icon Serena Williams.”
Archie’s nanny went to put him down for a nap and a heater in the nursery had caught fire, as Meghan learned after her speech in Cape Town.
Someone happened to just smell smoke down the hallway ― went in, fire extinguished. He was supposed to be sleeping in there,” she said.
She mentions how she and Harry returned immediately to find their nanny, Lauren, in complete tears. upset everyone was and then how they were expect to go right out and do another engagement.
More from Huffington Post —
There was this moment where I’m standing on a tree stump and I’m giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say, ‘There’s been a fire at the residence,’” Meghan said, acting out the conversation. “‘What?’ ‘There’s been a fire in the baby’s room.’”
“Of course, as a mother, you go, ‘Oh, my God, what?’ Everyone’s in tears, everyone’s shaken,” she said. “And what do we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement.”
“I said, ‘This doesn’t make any sense. Can you just tell people what happened?’ And so much, I think, optically, the focus ends up being on how it looks instead of how it feels,” she said.
“Archetypes” podcast, a partnership between Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Audio production company and the streaming giant, will have 12 episodes in total.
The Duchess will ”sit down with some of the smartest, funniest, strongest, most passionate women and people I know,” and also plans to interview people she’s never met before.
Next week’s guest will feature the singer Mariah Carey. A teaser at the top of the episode on Spotify also reveals the voice of producer and actor Mindy Kaling as well as comedian and talk show host Ziwe.
Listen to the first episode of Archetypes below —
Now our quick look at what Meghan wore in the promo clip —
Meghan wore a brown striped blouse with a pussy bow tie, beige trousers and beige suede pumps — all of which have not yet been identified.
Some followers suggested this top from Anthropologie – the Maeve Tie-Neck Blouse, $120, as a good #RepliMeg piece. The buttons on the cuffs don’t match that of the one Meghan is wearing.
UPDATE: It’s a good possibility that the trousers Meghan is wearing are the Anine Bing ‘Elyse’ trouser, $249, in cotton-linen oat beige (no longer available).
UPDATE: Upon closer look at the video clip we don’t think Meghan is wearing her Manolo Blahnik suede pumps, $725.
The toe box on the pair Meghan has on appears to be more elongated.
Her earrings are from Ecksand, Diamond Trio Butterfly Ear Climber Earrings, $1751.
Be sure and join us back here the first week in September for all the coverage when Harry and Meghan will be in the UK and Germany to attend the One Young World 2022 Manchester Summit on 5 September, Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 One Year to Go on 6 September in Germany as well as the WellChild Awards 2022 on 8 September in the UK.
We’ll leave you with this additional promo clip from Spotify.
Nathalie says
Hi! Do you know what song is being played on the podcast? I like it, it’s upbeat and fun! Thanks!
WhatMeghanWore says
Hi Nathalie – the Archetypes Podcast theme song is I Am Woman by Emmy Meli. Thanks, Susan
Nathalie says
Thank you so much!
Rachael says
I actually really love this outfit! She looks super professional and to be honest it’s much more her style-trousers etc than the dresses she used to wear when she was a royal. Also I love the fact that the bow is undone. While the shirt does remind me of Kate, i think it just shows the difference between the two of them. Kate would have that bow done up with longer trousers and Meghan has it loose with trousers that are tailored a bit more. A nice way of the two looking the same but being totally different and putting their own spin on things. Also love her hair, sometimes Meghan can pull her hair back in ways that look painful but with this one she’s nailed it. She looks really happy as well which is just the icing on the cake!
Not so sure about the cover but that’s just me. Also she has such toned arms she could get away with any tank top ever.
Thank you guys so much for your amazing coverage.
Larissa says
This sounds like a great topic for a podcast given that Meghan has been fighting for more women’s rights since childhood. Sadly I really struggle to focus on podcasts so I think I won’t be able to keep up with this one, but the stories that you highlighted in this post are very interesting and make me keen to hear more.
I like the promo outfit, always good to see Meghan in a professional outfit that has some pattern and stays away from the all-monochrome that she often wears for public engagements. It’s interesting to me that both she and the model for the Anthropologie shirt wear the pussy bow undone – I’ve never seen it styled like that before. I think it suits Meghan more than if it were done up.
Louise says
What type of tank top is she wearing?
(Second try.. sorry if this question is offensive)
WhatMeghanWore says
Hi Louise – we aren’t sure. It’s hard to say without seeing more of the details in the top. There are so many similar ones out there. Thanks Susan C
Laura D. says
Am happy that they finally got this thing going WooHoo!! As for her outfit, it’s so blah! Even if say she was going for a smart-casual-professional kind of outfit, she’s got a ton of nice button-ups that would have been a much better choice. Also I can’t help but think of Kate when I see Meghan wearing this pussybow top; yes I know Kate hasn’t cornered the specific market on this style or anything but it just really makes me think of Kate.
Nathalie says
YAY!!! thank you for bringing this news!! I am so excited about this and I am going to listen to the podcast RIGHT NOW!!! Thank you!!!
Louise says
Do you know what brand tank top she is wearing in the podcast photo?
WhatMeghanWore says
Hi Nathalie – we aren’t sure which brand of tank top Meghan is wearing. There are so many similar ones but don’t match some of the details. It’s really a tough one without seeing more of the top with all the details. Thanks Susan