Meghan Markle Tears Up As She Recalls Being In 'The Trenches' With Prince Harry Before Royal Exit

Meghan Markle got emotional during a recent podcast appearance where she opened up about life with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The former actress, who went makeup-free for the chat, got teary-eyed at one point while reading a heartfelt message from her kids.

Meghan Markle also reflected on early struggles in her relationship with Prince Harry and shared memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

During her first-ever podcast interview with her friend Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of IT Cosmetics, Meghan got candid about life with Prince Harry and their two children, five-year-old Archie and three-year-old Lilibet, at their home in Montecito.

The proud mom revealed she had been sending daily emails to her children as a way of building a digital "time capsule" for them to look back on when they're older.

Becoming visibly emotional, she read out a sweet message from Archie and Lilibet, passed along by their father: "From Archie and Lili via Papa. We love your cooking. We love your pancakes and we love, love, love your hugs. You're the best mummy and we love you."

Touched by the letter, Meghan remarked on their use of "mummy" with the British spelling, smiling through tears.

"So sweet. I also love that it's mummy, instead of mommy, which is very British," she said, adding, "I wasn't expecting this, they're just so great. This is why it's so nice to have no makeup on, thank you."

During the episode, Meghan also reflected on the early days of her relationship with Harry, hinting at their struggles behind the scenes.

The Duchess of Sussex described how they quickly found themselves "in the trenches," a comment some have seen as a subtle dig at the Royal Family.

Speaking candidly, Meghan revealed, "You have to imagine, at the beginning it's all butterflies - but then we immediately went into the trenches together."

She continued, "Right out of the gate, like six months into dating. So now, seven years later, when you have a little bit of breathing space, you can just enjoy each other in a new way. And that's why I feel like it's more of a honeymoon period for us now."

She also recalled her first encounter with Queen Elizabeth II as being a "shock to the system," admitting she thought Harry was joking when he told her she would need to curtsy.

During the podcast, Meghan spoke about the deep love she hopes her children, Archie and Lilibet, will always feel.

She shared her wish that they would one day look back and recognize, "no one has ever loved someone more than the way our mom loved us."

Opening up about her approach to motherhood, Meghan revealed she was inspired by a friend who created private email accounts for her children, filled with photos and letters for them to read when they grow older.

"I thought it was such a great time capsule to create for them," she said. "So I created for the kids these email addresses...that I will give them at some point."

Each night before bed, Meghan explained, she sends them a message, including everyday snapshots like report cards and candid moments that might not otherwise be saved or displayed.

When Archie and Lilibet finally access these messages as they age, Meghan hopes they will feel "she has loved us so much."

As part of her effort to capture special memories for her children, Meghan shared a heartwarming moment this weekend, giving fans a glimpse into life at their Montecito home.

She recently surprised royal fans with cute photos of the young prince and princess with her in a garden picking roses.

Meghan shared another sweet moment with her kids in a video posted to Instagram, in which the duchess can be heard preparing a fresh batch of strawberry jam while asking three-year-old Lilibet what she thinks of the homemade treat.

"It's beautiful," Lilibet gushed with her cheerful Californian accent coming through.

Meghan also posted a clip of Archie feeding koi fish in the pond at their $14 million estate. Excitedly calling out to his mother, Archie said, "Mama, watch it! I just fed it!" Meghan laughed and replied, "Good job, that's enough."

Since reactivating her Instagram account on New Year's Day, Meghan has offered fans regular glimpses into her life in California, posting candid moments with Archie and Lilibet.

When Meghan announced that she had plans to create a Netflix cookery show, many thought that the "Suits" star would film the project at her Montecito residence in California, where she currently lives with her husband, Prince Harry, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

However, the show was ultimately filmed in the kitchen of philanthropists Thomas and Sherrie Cipolla, whose residence lies two miles away from the former actress's home.

Explaining why she chose not to film at her Montecito home, Meghan revealed that she didn't want her children to feel overwhelmed by the constant presence of a large production crew.

"When people say, 'Why didn't you [film in] your house?' It's like, well, my kids are coming home for their nap, and 80 people in the kitchen isn't really the childhood memory I would love for them to have," Meghan confessed during her recent appearance at the Time100 Summit in New York, per E! News.

Meghan also said she and the team were "really fortunate" to find a closer alternative, referencing the Cipollas' $5 million property.