At Oprah Winfrey’s book launch event, Meghan said she ‘felt uncomfortable every time she went out’ and ‘longed for safety’ as a royal.
The Duchess of Sussex made the remarks at a book club hosted by Oprah at Godmothers Bookshop in Summerland – a few miles from the couple’s mansion – on September 7. At the event, Meghan wore a £315 jumpsuit, with her hair parted in the middle and tied in a low ponytail.
According to Town & Country , the 43-year-old Duchess told the story of visiting a bookstore in New York in 2019 – when she was still a working member of the royal family. It was not until early 2020 that Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, left the UK and moved to the US.
Meghan then secretly traveled to New York to watch her close friend, Serena Williams, play at the US Open. Meghan then walked to a bookstore to “find safety”.
“For me, sneaking into New York five years ago was a big deal. I felt very uncomfortable going out on the street. The safety I craved could only be found in a bookstore.”
Meghan then thanked Godmothers bookstore founders Rudolph Walsh and Victoria Jackson for “creating a space for so many people to see joy and sadness through the pages of books and to feel less alone.”
Previously, Meghan also said she was “grateful” for being in a happy period of her life. The 43-year-old Duchess confided: “I consider this time to be my happy chapter. The deeper you look into life, the more you understand it. You have to be grateful for life, grateful for every aspect. I want to enjoy this chapter and love every little thing in the best way possible.”
At the end of the event, Meghan reportedly “ran out the door” and told guests: “I have to go home and cook dinner for the kids.”
In addition to Meghan , other celebrity guests at the book launch included Glee actress Jane Lynch, actor Marco Leone, astrologer and psychologist Dr. Jennifer Freed, and writer, teacher, and psychic Laura Lynne Jackson.
The day before, Meghan and Harry also attended the bookstore opening with Oprah Winfrey. When asked if he had any book recommendations for readers, Harry quietly pointed to his memoir, Spare , on display in the store.
According to Town & Country , Harry himself came up with the name for the bookstore. At the launch of his memoir in Beverly Hills earlier last year, Harry thanked Oprah Winfrey , Victoria Jackson, and Rudolph Walsh for their support, calling them his ‘Godmothers.’ So when planning the bookstore, Oprah Winfrey told the two founders, “There’s really only one name you can call it, and that’s Godmothers.”