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Meghan warns ‘a lie can’t live forever’ in cryptic message over public narrative

She also addressed her recent twerking video, which showed her dancing to the Baby Mama song

Laura Elston
Tuesday 17 June 2025 12:45 BST
Meghan Markle breaks silence on viral clip of her twerking while in labour

The Duchess of Sussex has said that, were she able to rewrite her public narrative, she would simply "ask people to tell the truth".

In a recent podcast interview, Meghan Markle alluded to a "lie" that has persisted for eight years. "A lie can't live forever," she stated. "Eight years is a long time, but not forever."

Eight years ago, in 2017, Meghan was an actress who had just begun dating her now-husband, Prince Harry. As their relationship progressed, she prepared to transition into life as a member of the royal family.

The year also included Meghan’s first meeting with the now-Princess of Wales and the beginnings of the Prince of Wales’s fall out with Harry after William urged his brother not to rush into the relationship.

Enterpreneur Emma Grede asked Meghan on her Aspire podcast: “I want to say this to you in the best way, because I wonder if you could rewrite your public narrative from scratch, is there anything that you would do differently?”

Meghan replied calmly: “Yes, I would ask people to tell the truth.”

The duchess gave no specifics about to whom who she was referring, but later referred to a “lie” told eight years ago.

Grede, a founding partner of Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims, said: “You’re very measured about it. I would just get so angry if I felt like everyone was lying about me all the time …”

Meghan said: “Peaks and valleys… Of course, I’ve gone through those chapters and you do a lot of work, you do a lot of self work and go, what’s the why? It’s happening for a reason.”

She added that her “dear friend” tennis champion Serena Williams told her “a lie can’t live forever”.

The duchess said: “She told me years ago, a lie can’t live forever. Eight years is a long time, but not forever.”

In her 2021 Oprah interview, Meghan said she could not be expected to stay silent if “the Firm” “is playing a part in perpetuating falsehoods” about her and Harry.

She also publicly singled out Kate as having made her cry in the run-up to her wedding and said it was important for people to “understand the truth”.

Meghan and Harry with the royal family on Christmas Day at Sandringham in 2017 (Joe Giddens/PA)
Meghan and Harry with the royal family on Christmas Day at Sandringham in 2017 (Joe Giddens/PA)

It was a disagreement over flower girl dresses, but according to Harry’s memoir this happened in 2018 in four days before the wedding, with Meghan saying the Palace failed to correct reports which said she left Kate in tears.

In the YouTube footage of the podcast, which was peppered with numerous ad breaks fronted by Grede, Meghan acknowleded her life now was “very different” from when she was an actress.

The Duchess of Sussex has given a podcast interview about her brand (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
The Duchess of Sussex has given a podcast interview about her brand (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Archive)

She also addressed her recent twerking video, which showed her dancing to the Baby Mama song in a bid to bring on labour with Princess Lilibet, describing it as a reminder of a “real authentic fun life.”

The duchess said it felt liberating to back on social media where she can share things on her own terms.

“That wasn’t yesterday. That was four years ago so it’s also a really great reminder that with all the noise or whatever people do, there’s still whole life, a real, authentic, fun life that’s happening behind the scenes,” Meghan said.

“I’m just grateful that now, being back on social as well, I have a place where I can share it on my own terms.”

She added: “It feels liberating.”

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