Brooke Shields’ Podcast Interview Criticizing Meghan Markle Quietly Deleted

Shields said on the now-deleted episode that Markle’s story from a SXSW panel was too “precious” and “serious”

Just one week after it was first posted, a podcast video in which Brooke Shields called Meghan Markle too “precious” has been deleted.

Shields sat down for a conversation with King Charles’ goddaughter India Hicks on an episode of her podcast released earlier this month, which is now no longer available on her website, according to multiple reports.

A link to the podcast currently leads to a “page not found” message on Hicks’ Substack.

In the episode, Shields reflected on a SXSW panel she and Meghan spoke on in March 2024. The panel was led by Katie Couric and titled “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.”

Shields recalled that Meghan told the panel a story about writing a letter in support of gender equality at age 11. On Hicks’ podcast, Shields described Meghan’s story as too “serious,” per The Independent.

“Katie asks the first question to Meghan and she talks about how at a young age, she was already advocating for women,” Shields said.

Brooke Shields (L) and Meghan Markle (R).

“She starts telling a story about how when she was 11 – and she keeps saying, ‘Well, when I was 11, I saw this commercial and they were talking about how washing dishes was for women,” Shields continued. “And she said, ‘I didn’t think only women wash dishes. It wasn’t fair. So I wrote to the company.’ “

Shields told Hicks, “She kept saying she was 11! She wrote to the company, they changed the text, they changed the commercial. It was just too precious, and I was like, they’re not going to want to sit here for 45 minutes and listen to anybody be precious or serious.”

Brooke Shields (L) and Meghan Markle (R).Mike Coppola/Getty; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Shields said she interrupted Meghan to try and lighten the tone of the panel.

“I go, ‘Excuse me, I’m so sorry, I’ve got to interrupt you there for one minute.’ I was trying not to be rude, but I wanted to be funny because it was so serious,” Shields said. She then joked to the audience, “I just want to give everybody here a context as to how we’re different. When I was 11, I was playing a prostitute,” referring to her role in 1978’s Pretty Baby.

The actress said “the place went insane” after the remark, and the panel was “more relaxed” as a result.

Brooke Shields (L) and Meghan Markle (R) at SXSW in March 2024.

Meghan has previously shared how her passion for social justice was sparked early on, when she challenged a Procter & Gamble Ivory dish soap commercial with the slogan, “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.” The company eventually changed the slogan to “People all over America.”

In recent years, Meghan has continued to focus on social justice and gender equity through initiatives such as co-founding the nonprofit organization Archewell, which supports underserved communities. She has also partnered with groups like Smart Works, which assists women returning to the workforce, and has spoken publicly on issues including maternal health and racial justice.