Meghan Markle Opens Up About the "Position" She Doesn't Want to Be in as a Mother

The Duchess of Sussex got candid about motherhood while attending the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala.

Meghan Markle re-wears her red Carolina Herrera gown and smiles at Los Angeles event
(Image credit: Alberto Rodriguez/Variety via Getty Images)

Meghan Markle opened up about being a mother during her solo appearance at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024 on October 5.

Held at JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles, Meghan re-wore a red Carolina Herrera gown, which she originally donned for the Salute to Freedom Gala in 2021. The Duchess of Sussex cut a svelte silhouette while re-wearing the gown, opting to remove its voluminous overskirt, highlighting the dress' thigh-high leg slit instead.

During a red carpet interview at the event, Meghan praised Children's Hospital Los Angeles, saying (via the Daily Mail), "The work that they do is otherworldly."

The Duchess of Sussex also got candid about her own role as a mother to Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex wears a bright red gown with a leg slit while she attends the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024 at JW Marriott LA Live on October 05, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

Meghan Markle attending the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"And I think from my standpoint as a mother, no-one wants to be in a position where you need to go to a place like this—but if you have to, the best place in the world you could go would be Children's Hospital L.A.," she explained.

Meghan continued, "And I have close friends who still have their children there, going through treatments either from high school, close mom friends now that are having their children."

The royal also made sure to highlight the crucial work the medical facility carries out on a regular basis. "The amount of work that they do for families that could really not afford this level of care is something that I think should never be overlooked," she said.

Ella Nelson and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024 at JW Marriott LA Live on October 05, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

Meghan Markle meets Ella Nelson at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Gala 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

At the event, Meghan met with families who have utilized services provided by Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

While speaking to one young boy, the Duchess of Sussex said (via the Daily Mail), "It's past your bedtime, for sure." Meghan also mentioned her children, Archie and Lilibet, while speaking to the boy's parents.

'"How old are they?" Meghan reportedly asked. After hearing the answer, she remarked, "Oh, so really close to our kids—3 and 5."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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