In a recent interview, Meghan Markle opened up about how she felt silenced during her time as a working royal, revealing that she didn’t feel “empowered to speak.”

Speaking with British entrepreneur Emma Grede on the Aspire podcast, the Duchess of Sussex shared candid insights into reclaiming her voice and the meaning behind her fashion choices.

Finding Her Voice Again Through Social Media

Grede began the conversation by asking Meghan about her new Instagram account, launched on New Year’s Day. Meghan, 43, described it as a powerful personal step.

“It was a great way to get my voice back,” she said, suggesting that social media gave her a renewed sense of agency following her exit from royal duties.

The conversation then turned to Meghan’s global fashion influence. She admitted her feelings about it have “ebbed and flowed.”

“They say imitation is the best form of flattery,” she explained, “but at the same time, you start to watch how it’s being monetised at such a huge level globally — oftentimes not giving credit to the brands and the designers who actually made those pieces.”

She reflected on the dilemma she faced — whether to name designers and risk coming off as promotional, despite having no financial stake, or stay silent and risk having her clothing misidentified.

“When I didn’t feel as though I had as much of an opportunity to speak,” she added, “what can you say with what you’re wearing? You can say a lot.”