Meghan Markle Claims She's 43% Nigerian During Podcast Discussion On ‘Angry Black Woman' Stereotype

Duchess Meghan Markle recently shared on her podcast that a genealogy test revealed she’s 43% Nigerian. The Duchess of Sussex spoke to actress Issa Rae, writer Ziwe Fumudoh, and professor Emily Bernards about her genealogy and said she’s going to dig deeper into her roots. The discussion was the first time Markle had spoken about her ancestry publicly.

Markle and her guests also discussed the “angry black woman” stereotype that affects black women, especially in the film industry. The former actress admitted that she’s sometimes afraid of speaking her mind because of the fear of being labeled with the “angry black woman” stereotype.

In a previous episode featuring Paris Hilton, Markle explored the “bimbo” stereotype and revealed that her time as a briefcase girl on “Deal or No Deal” made her feel objectified. Markle shared that she eventually quit because the focus was on the women’s physical attributes.

Read on to find out more.

The latest episode of Markle’s “Archetypes” podcast featured professor Emily Bernards, American actress Issa Rae, and Nigerian American talk show host, Ziwe Fumudoh. The episode was titled “Upending the ‘Angry Black Woman’ Myth,” and during the discussion, Markle revealed that she took a genealogy test to investigate her ancestry.

The Duchess of Sussex said per Mirror, “I just had my genealogy done a couple of years ago,” and her guests eagerly asked her to share the results. Markle proudly responded, “I’m 43% Nigerian,” and Ziwe excitedly shouted, “No way!” Markle giggled happily at their shock as they discussed her genealogy further.

Ziwe, in particular, was very excited about Markle discovering her Nigerian heritage. She said, “Are you serious? This is huge. Igbo, Yoruba, do we know?” Markle then said that she’s “going to start to dig deeper” into her Nigerian heritage and genealogy, especially because everyone she tells, especially Nigerian women, is always shocked at the news.

The talk show host, Ziwe, then joked that Markle closely resembles “her aunt Ouzo,” and the four women laughed heartily. Markle’s reveal is a very big moment because it’s the first time the “Suits” star has spoken about her ancestry on the public stage.

Markle and her guests also discussed the various stereotypes that affect black women in the film industry, and she reflected on some of her experiences as a retired actress. Markle asked Rae if she ever feels “allowed to be angry,” and the “Insecure” actress responded, “Absolutely not.”

Markle then shared that she’s been afraid of speaking her mind because she fears being labeled with the “angry black woman” stereotype. She said, “I will find myself cowering and tiptoeing into a room,” and added that she sometimes says sentences where “the intonation goes up like a question” at the end.

Markle also said per Page Six, “You’re like, ‘Oh my God, stop. Stop whispering and tiptoeing around it. Just say what it is you need. You’re allowed to set a boundary. You’re allowed to be clear. It does not make you demanding. It does not make you difficult. It makes you clear.’”

In last week’s episode of the “Archetype” podcast, Markle spoke with Paris Hilton about the “bimbo” stereotype. The Duchess revealed she felt very “objectified” during a previous gig as a briefcase girl on the reality competition show “Deal or No Deal.” Markle said, “I ended up quitting the show. I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage.”

She continued, “I didn’t like feeling forced to be all looks and little substance, and that’s how it felt for me at the time, being reduced to this specific archetype: the word ‘bimbo.’” Markle explained that at the time, she was very grateful for the job but hated how it made her feel like she wasn’t smart.

Markle said the show failed to focus on the brains of the women they worked with, instead focusing on their physical attributes. She said the show’s production had a “cookie-cutter idea” for the women’s appearances and used to provide lashes, spray tan vouchers, hair extensions, and bra paddings.