Meghan Markle recounting how she chose "truth" over "peace" as her word of the year went viral on TikTok as fans prepared for her latest Netflix project.
A clip of the moment received over 838,000 views and more than 26,000 likes after it was posted with the message: "Happy New Year."
Why It Matters
Meghan's journey from being a royal princess through to a California TV producer took her through a period in which, together with Prince Harry, she launched several highly critical interviews about the royals.
Their royal bombshells in turn sparked a major backlash against the couple, not only among the British tabloids but also in America. In other words, their "truth" appeared to jeopardize their "peace."
The duchess appears to be describing a key stage in their decision to go public, which would place the New Year in question at December 31, 2020.
It was the couple's first New Year together since moving to America and came months before their Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021.
What To Know
The Duchess of Sussex told her first show with the streaming giant, Harry & Meghan, how she at one stage knew she wanted peace but felt truth had to come first.
The royal said a friend had asked guests to pick a single word rather than a New Year's resolution "a few years" before the December 2022 documentary.
Towards the end of the sixth and final episode, Meghan said: "We have a good friend and every year at New Year she goes round the table and asks [everyone] who's sitting there at dinner 'what is your word for this year?'
"A few years ago, I heard that for the first time, I thought 'what is your word? not a resolution, what is your word? My word is peace. Peace, peace it's gotta be peace, all I want is peace.' And then I thought, 'nope. I can't have peace without truth.' My word for that year was truth."
Meghan also hinted moments later that speaking her truth may not have achieved what she set out for after all.
The duchess went on to say: "And then by the next year, here we are again. Truth, we got some truth out. Finally, people are going to know some truths. But it hasn't given us peace.
"My word has to be peace. And it was right around that time I was like, 'I just want peace.'
"And part of that for me is reclaiming, when you've lost a huge piece of yourself, getting that back includes getting back those relationships and friendships and things that anchor you to who you are."
What People Are Saying
One fan replied to the video: "Dear Meghan it truly is your time of peace and joy."
Another wrote: "That's all that's important Meghan. We have seen how the left behinds are crumbling. Things will never be right for them until they admit the truth & how they treated you. Keep doing you."
What Happens Next
The Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary was followed a month later by Prince Harry's book Spare, and both projects sparked controversy over searing criticisms of the monarchy.
Since then, the couple have sought to draw a line under the story of their royal exit and have pivoted to less controversial projects.
Meghan's latest show for the streaming platform, With Love, Meghan, is a cooking show and drops on January 15.
It is highly unlikely that the show will contain the kind of truth she gave to Winfrey and only time will tell if it brings her peace.
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
.png)
English (US) ·