Last September, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the opening of a bookstore in the Santa Barbara/Montecito area. The bookstore is called Godmothers, which was apparently Prince Harry’s suggestion? The Sussexes are friends with all of the people involved with the bookstore, and Harry and Meghan’s books are even included in the “local authors” section, which I find charming. Anyway, to promote the bookstore, Meghan agreed to an interview in Godmothers’ Substack – you can read the full piece here. Some highlights:

She loves organizing her fridge: You might not expect to see her organizing her refrigerator—but it turns out the task is one she finds a lot of pleasure in. “I love it when it looks pretty and organized and when there’s a beautiful veggie board at just the right eye-level, so the kids feel enticed to grab that first—and they do!”

The books which shaped her: “Our kids’ ages—Archie is 5 and Lili is 3—mean we’re deep in the world of children’s books. And may I just say, I absolutely love it! So many picture books offer insights and perspective that I wish I had had exposure to as a child. Two current favorites: Brendan Wenzel’s They All Saw a Cat shows a cat from the perspective of a bee, a dog, and everything in between. To some, the cat looks scary; to others, it looks playful. It’s the best reminder that even as adults, we can all be looking at (or talking about) the exact same thing, but we’ll all see it differently. I’ve gifted this book to kids and adults. It’s amazing! The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is an incredible book that reminds us that people need you to show up for them in different ways. Above all, it beautifully articulates the power of listening. Sometimes that’s all people need.

A book Meghan loves for herself: “I recently finished Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, which I truly believe is one of the most impactful books on hospitality—and how we host, entertain, and care for each other. Will sees the world through the same lens that I do: Small acts of thoughtfulness create larger ripples of goodness. It’s one of my favorite reads.

She could spend hours arranging flowers: “I love flower arranging. It’s not something I grew up doing, but arranging flowers (whether they’re from my own garden, the farmer’s market, a flower mart, or Trader Joe’s!) is one of those simple pleasures that I can get lost in. Standing there, arranging each stem, moving a small sweet pea from one spot to another, turning the vase to see it at every angle, and running back out to the garden to clip another small flower, or to pluck fresh mint or rosemary blossoms to add extra dimension and interest—every moment of that for me is magic. Flower arranging sparks my creativity, allows me tangibly to get my hands in something that adds beauty, and connects me to nature. My kids have jumped in to help me make arrangements, too, which makes it all the sweeter.

What are small things which give her a huge amount of joy: “Cashmere socks are an indulgence I love—but I also love the cashmere-like socks you find online that are easy to wash and super affordable. I don’t know what it is, but cozy, cuddled-up feet make me feel comforted. I also love finding a good deal. That may be in my DNA from clipping coupons from the Sunday paper with my mom when I was little, but I always feel triumphant when I’ve bought something on sale or found a coupon code online. And Saturday morning cartoons in bed is also high on my list. In the U.K., they call it a “duvet day,” and I’ve always found that sweet. Our little family, snuggled up for an easy family morning followed by pancakes and bacon. The dream.

The singers who remind Meghan of her childhood: “There was a lot of Joni Mitchell, Boz Scaggs, and James Taylor in my house growing up. There was also a lot of Anita Baker playing in the car on the drive to school. I was exposed to what my mom listened to versus “kids’ music,” and I’m sure that informed my eclectic taste in music, lyrics, and rhythm and soul. My favorite radio station when I was a little girl was K-Earth 101, which was all oldies. That’s still reflected in what I play at home: The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Otis Redding, even Annette Funicello for fun pool-party music when the kids have a playdate. I love happy sing-along music that you can dance to in the kitchen, and I made sure that was represented in With Love, Meghan on Netflix.

Her favorite topic of conversation: “Oh, I love to talk about food! The new recipes or restaurants someone has tried. I want to know why a dish was so good, if the hot sauce is as spicy as I’d like it, and whether a restaurant’s vibe is more “date night” or more “girls’ night out.” I’m so inspired by cooking and the foods that people find crave-able. I could talk about food for hours.

[From Godmothers Substack]

I relate to her musically – I also grew up in a household where my mom listened to the “oldies station” and NPR. No so much Joni Mitchell, but James Taylor, The Supremes, The Beach Boys, and The Eagles as well. Carly Simon, Nancy Sinatra. I still love all of that music too. I also relate to her re: talking about food. Talking about food is almost as fun as actually eating. I guarantee that Meghan asks all of those questions because she also enjoys reverse-engineering recipes. What else? I could not spend hours arranging flowers, but if Meghan could, that’s fine and it’s her business. Anyway, this was a sweet and very positive interview. More of this! The more she reminds people that she’s just kind of a dorky mom, the crazier her haters sound.

Photos courtesy of Netflix, Archewell.