Meghan Markle was suffering from a secret health condition when she made several public appearances in the UK following the birth of her first child Archie in 2019

Meghan Markle opened up about a secret health struggle in her new podcast(Image: Netflix)

Meghan Markle has opened up about a terrifying health scare she endured in secret, revealing that she battled a serious postpartum condition while fans had no idea.

The Duchess of Sussex candidly shared details of her ordeal in the first episode of her brand-new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, which launched today. Speaking with close friend and fellow entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of dating app Bumble, Meghan spoke movingly about suffering from postpartum preeclampsia, a rare and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs after childbirth.

“The world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly,” Meghan said. “And in the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people – mostly for your children – but those things are huge medical scares.” Her guest Whitney responded: “I mean, life or death, truly.”

The public had no idea Meghan was suffering from the health condition(Image: Getty)

The condition, which can cause dangerously high blood pressure after birth, affects only a small number of women and can lead to strokes, organ failure, or worse if untreated. Symptoms can include severe headaches, vision issues, chest pain, and swelling – but Meghan was dealing with it all behind closed doors.

“We both had preeclampsia,” Meghan said of her and Whitney. “And we didn’t know each other at the time, but we had such similar experiences.”

As the Duchess bravely spoke about her health battle, Whitney praised her strength, recalling Meghan’s iconic first public appearance after giving birth to Archie.

“I’ll never forget seeing you, Meghan, standing in front of the world after Archie was born. You were wearing heels, smiling, glowing – and I remember thinking, ‘How is she doing that?’ I couldn’t even answer the door in my dressing gown when I had a newborn.”

Despite her health struggles, Meghan said she was determined not to let motherhood stop her from building a meaningful career – nor miss out on precious time with her children.

Meghan shared some heartwarming moments with her children on the podcast

Now a mum of two, Meghan shared how three-year-old Lilibet still naps and only attends preschool part-time.

“If she wakes up and wants to find me, she knows where to find me – even if my door’s closed,” she said. “She’ll come sit on my lap during meetings with executives… and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I don’t want to miss those moments. I don’t want to miss pickup or drop-off if I can help it.”

Meghan described the juggle of parenting and business as “beautiful chaos” – admitting that both roles are “just as important” and “hugely valuable to the world.”

The podcast launch follows the huge success of her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, which saw its debut products sell out within minutes.

Meghan celebrated the moment on Instagram with a nostalgic snap of her childhood cookie-selling days, writing: “All these years later and I’m still selling cookies!”

Meanwhile, her husband Prince Harry is back in the UK this week after a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice, as he continues his legal battle over police protection while in Britain.

The Duke reportedly flew in just hours before King Charles left for a state visit to Italy – and despite being in the same country, the father and son are not believed to have met.