Does anyone know if Michelle or Barack Obama have even met the Duchess of Sussex? I don’t think they’ve ever met. But the Obamas are very big fans of Prince Harry, to the point where I always thought Michelle and Harry had little crushes on each other. If you ever want to see Michelle giggle like a schoolgirl, watch any of the joint interviews she did with Harry for the Invictus Games. So I believe that Michelle probably has some (positive) feelings about Harry marrying an American woman, and even more, an African-American woman. When Michelle was being interviewed by British Good Housekeeping magazine, of course she was asked about Meghan. And Michelle offered her some advice:

Speaking in the January issue of Good Housekeeping, Michelle revealed what she’d tell the Duchess.

“Like me, Meghan probably never dreamt that she’d have a life like this, and the pressure you feel – from yourself and from others – can sometimes feel like a lot. So my biggest piece of advice would be to take some time and don’t be in a hurry to do anything. I spent the first few months in the White House mainly worrying about my daughters, making sure they were off to a good start at school and making new friends before I launched into any more ambitious work. I think it’s okay – it’s good, even – to do that.”

Michelle also believes in the importance of doing what you feel truly passionate about.

“What I’d say is that there’s so much opportunity to do good with a platform like that – and I think Meghan can maximise her impact for others, as well her own happiness, if she’s doing something that resonates with her personally,” she said.

[From Good Housekeeping UK]

I understand what Michelle is saying and it’s good advice… for a first lady. You know what I mean? Michelle was already a mom, she already spent two years on the campaign trail and trying to balance everything in her life, so of course her advice would be “take a few months to decompress and understand where you are now.” The idea of giving yourself time to just make the mental adjustment is important, whether you’re a FLOTUS or a duchess or you’ve just moved to a new town or you’re starting a new job. But I also understand COMPLETELY why Meghan, in her particular position, felt the need to “hit the ground running” and start working so soon after she married.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.