Meghan Markle Opens Up About Heartache Away From Children During Queen’s Funeral: ‘I Was Not Well’

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has offered a poignant reflection on the emotional toll of being separated from her children during one of the most trying periods of her life.

In Season 2 of her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan,” Markle, 44, reveals that being away from Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, for nearly three weeks left her “not well.”

The confession came during a heartfelt discussion with “Queer Eye” star Tan France in Episode 3, in which the two exchanged candid thoughts on parenting and separation, according to PEOPLE.

Markle Talks About the Difficult Separation

The Duchess and France bonded over the fierce pull of parenthood.

France quipped, “I might die without my kids. I need my boys. If I don’t see them for a couple of days, I feel like my heart is broken.”

To which Markle opened up when she was away from her kids for a lengthy period of time.

“Oh, I know. The longest I went without being around our kids was almost three weeks. I was…not well,” she bravely said.

Though she didn’t explicitly connect the separation to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, context suggests that the nearly 17-day absence occurred when Markle and Prince Harry extended an overseas trip for charity following the late monarch’s passing in September 2022.

In his memoir “Spare,” Harry described the days following the Queen’s death as “difficult,” noting the unexpected length of their separation from their children. 

Markle Loves Being a Mom

Markle has been known to sometimes open up about motherhood and what it means to her.

During a summit for her Archewell Foundation in October 2023, she briefly spoke about how it’s her most important job.

“Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life—outside, of course, being a wife to this one,” she said, per Town & Country.

The former actress later opened up in March 2025 with an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of the first season of her Netflix show. She has continued to learn about herself since becoming a mother and has rediscovered her passions.

“When your children get to a certain age — when you’re not just playing in the sandbox with them but almost playing in your own sandbox again — it’s super joyful,” she told the outlet. “As a woman, a mom and a wife, to be able to find yourself again — in a way that was always present but that you maybe couldn’t put as much attention on as you now can when your kids are a little bit older — is a wonderful feeling.”