Meghan Markle Admits She & Prince Harry Were 'Overjoyed' And 'Overwhelmed' After Welcoming Daughter Lilibet In Open Letter About Paid Family Leave
It's not easy being a parent.
Meghan Markle penned an open letter addressed to Congress, which was published on Paid Leave For All, advocating for paid family leave.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana, in June. "Like any parents, we were overjoyed. Like many parents, we were overwhelmed," the Suits alum wrote.
"Like fewer parents, we weren’t confronted with the harsh reality of either spending those first few critical months with our baby or going back to work. We knew we could take her home, and in that vital (and sacred) stage, devote any and everything to our kids and to our family," Markle said. "We knew that by doing so we wouldn’t have to make impossible choices about childcare, work, and medical care that so many have to make every single day."
Markle wrote that no family should have to decide between earning a living or taking care of their child.
"In taking care of your child, you take care of your community, and you take care of your country—because when paid leave is a right, we’re creating a foundation that helps address mental health outcomes, health care costs, and economic strength at the starting line. Instead, as it stands now, we spend a fortune as a country paying into symptoms rather than causes," the 40-year-old continued.
- Meghan Markle Gifts Nonprofit Workers Advocating For Paid Family Leave Starbucks Gift Cards To Thank Them 'For All That You Do'
- Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Share First Glimpse Of Daughter Lilibet In Family Christmas Card — Photo
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's 'Unfair' Attacks on the Royal Family 'Ruined’ King Charles' First Year as King
According to Markle, paid family leave should be a national right.
"I know how politically charged things can—and have—become," Markle said. "But this isn’t about Right or Left, it’s about right or wrong. This is about putting families above politics. And for a refreshing change, it’s something we all seem to agree on. At a point when everything feels so divisive, let this be a shared goal that unites us."
"So, on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry, I thank you for considering this letter, and on behalf of all families, I ask you to ensure this consequential moment is not lost," the letter concluded.
After Lilibet was born, it was announced on Archewell that the royal couple was taking paternal leave.
