A few days ago, the promos began… the Duchess of Sussex would make an appearance on another podcast. Meghan’s first podcast interview (as the subject) was on her friend Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast. Now Meghan took part in her second-ever pod interview, this time with Emma Grede’s Aspire pod. Emma Grede is a huge name behind the scenes – she’s the founding partner of Skims (Kim Kardashian’s multi-billion-dollar company) and CEO of Good American (Khloe Kardashian’s denim brand). Grede is exceptionally well-connected and she’s also British! It’s great to see a British person enthusiastically interview Meghan – Grede does not have an axe to grind, she’s not spouting tabloid talking points, she’s just really into hearing Meghan’s story as a founder and entrepreneur.
There were two notable moments already being endlessly previewed on Monday. Grede asked Meghan: “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: “Yes, I would ask people to tell the truth.” Meghan also brought up the “baby mama dance” video she posted on her IG:
“You have to be authentic,” Meghan, who launched her lifestyle brand As ever, earlier this year, says, before asking with a laugh, “Did you see my ‘Baby Momma’ dance?”
Grede, who was born and raised in London and lives in L.A. with her husband, Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede, and their four children, said she had: “We maybe watched it like 20 times yesterday, and I was like, is that, is that her? Is that Prince Harry there with the fingers…I was like, okay…good on Harry, let’s go. But that’s you, right? Like that’s you in a way that we kind of haven’t been able to see you before….And I did like a little secret cheer, cause I was like, well, that’s what I kind of want to see from you. Like I wanna see that happiness and that honesty and that ‘I don’t give a f—’ kind of thing.”
Meghan points out that the video was several years old and that the clip serves as a reminder that people aren’t getting the entire picture when it comes to her life.
“That was four years ago,” she says. “So it’s also a really great reminder that with all the noise or whatever people do, there’s still a whole life — a real, authentic, fun life — that’s happening behind the scenes…. 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.”
“There’s still a whole life — a real, authentic, fun life — that’s happening behind the scenes” – that’s part of the reason why the British media was so mad, and why they’ve been absolutely furious with Meghan’s Instagram this whole time. Meghan keeps reminding everyone that she has an actual life – a full, beautiful, joyful life – away from their bullsh-t tabloid narratives.
Screengrabs courtesy of the Aspire podcast on YouTube.
I’m watching the episode as I’m typing this and I have to say I just love seeing this side of Meghan. There’s a strength, focus and bone deep confidence you can see and sense in her words and how passionately she speaks about As Ever. Just when I thought I could not love and admire this woman any more, she got me!
This.
I just watched the opening here in the youtube window and saw i could watch the whole thing.
I just got to work- looks like my lunch hour is going to be the Duchess talking about her business- i LOVE so much she is taking back her narrative.
I know that time passing is part of it, but big hell yeah! to the Sussex’s new communications team leader.
Loving this.
It was a nice interview. I’ve never heard of Emma and she was really interesting. I didn’t feel there was anything much new but it was still nice. I like she’s looking forward to what comes down the track and going international.
Addressing the dance was pretty funny given how nuts everyone went.
I have heard of Emma before in connection with the Kardashian Jenner brands as the behind-the-scenes genius and I had, and still have, the impression that she is a well-connected, hard-working and very successful person. The fact that the likes of her, Ted Sarandos and many other well-connected people would want to associate with or befriend Meghan tells all that you need to know about her. These people would not waste their time on her solely for her association with the Windsors.
Yes, of course. And, I bet they’re all mad that the Windsor’s didn’t even get a tiny mention 🤣. So sad.
I think she was recently appointed to the Board of The Obama Foundation.
I’ve well and truly burned out on Shark Tank. I’ve always said the show was symptomatic of a larger issue—that this many small-business owners were going on TV for a financial Hail Mary—but at least it used to be enjoyable. But watching “rich people know best” isn’t as entertaining as it used to be. With all that said, Emma Grede is the best guest shark. I’m very impressed with her mellowness, self-certainty, and business savvy. Skims and Good American are really high-quality, skin- and size-inclusive brands, too.
This right here is why I don’t really care what the RR say and even the RF. She’s happy and thriving. Everyone constantly criticizing everything (even her so called fans) stay exhausting. She’s not remotely concerned with our thoughts, nor should she be after that mess she dealt with for a couple of years.
I think Meghan makes an awesome point. That video was 4 years old, that is who she is. This isn’t a new personality that she’s trying out after a meeting with PR execs or courtiers after looking over poll results. She’s just being herself. The issue is that for so long she has been a media creation and now she has that control back. She can show you who she is for the people who didn’t follow along with the Tig.
This mindset though goes back to what she said in the Oprah interview about not reading the news stories about Harry but going to his instagram when they first were introduced.That is what told her who he was, not 15 stories by Angela Levin. What are you okay putting out there, that you want people identifying with you as a representation of who you are and what you support. This is why the media likes to scoff that she didn’t Google him because they want you to believe the media creation.
They don’t want the control over how a person is viewed to be determined solely by that person. And this year she has firmly taken the control back. That’s why it’s been a 180 on the stuff that they’re complaining about. Last year it was where is she we haven’t seen her in 100 plus days, now it’s less is more you don’t have to always be speaking out. And why are her children invisible why do we never get to see them, to she shouldn’t be showing us the backs of her kids so much she’s only doing it for monetization. Meghan gets to control the who what when where and how, and she gets to show you who she is not who Richard Eden or Camilla Tominey or Ingrid Seward says she is.
Oh my god. What an excellent and absolutely mind blowing point. Knowing what we know now – that was almost surely her intent. Thank you for sharing that.
She had been in the public space for a long time and knew the positive and negative narratives that can be built around people while in no way reflecting their true character. I can see this being a really excellent approach that allows for much more genuine interactions and friendships etc. I hadn’t thought of it this way. I kind of wish Harry did have IG now. Even though I don’t 😂🤣
I bet Harry still has his IG account. Didn’t he close his FB account after it was leaked to the rats, probably by Willy?
🎯🎯
Yes, it has always been a control issue for the Palaces and the rats over the Sussexes. They were all controlled as part of the Windsor Zoo and to have them escape was an awful reflection on the monarchy and its propaganda arm. I remember some specific cartoons published at the time depicting them as breaking free from prison, or escaping via dugouts. That was honesty reflected by the cartoonists.
In the musical voice of Freddie Mercury, they have broken free!
Yes that’s all it is. They’re mad their lies are no longer the focus. She/they gets to say who, when, where, how much. It’s all about money.
Yes, I loved the point that this was four years old. Her and Harry being silly and fun is nothing new.
The video now has 50 MILLION VIEWS 😳😳 also Emma has a great voice for podcast.
I am excited to watch this interview later today, absolutely love Meghan’s outfit I believe it’s a RL suit. I just checked the numbers on that Baby Mama post it has over 50 million so far, looks like people are loving her authenticity while falling in love with the little royal gingers.
Meghan is obviously incredibly intelligent. I do not know how she managed to stay a part of that family for even the shortest period of time she was there. They have to be some of the most incompetent people running that institution. She would never fit into that nonsense. Therefore, they have been trying every since she arrived and left to create a narrative re her character because they were shown up so magnificently by her arrival and leaving. She is reflective, thoughtful, curious, well read, well educated and then you have an institution that runs by the seat of its pants.
She lasted a couple of years, but other women Harry dated lasted in mere weeks. Both of them have an inner strength that has defeated the institutional attempt to bend them.
Meghan just killed the British media narrative that she regrets posting the Baby mama video. I haven’t listened to the podcast yet, I will during my lunch break. I agree that all this moaning about Meghan’s Instagram is really the British press being upset that they have no control over Meghan and the narrative around her. I’ve noticed that since Meghan has returned to Instagram there’s hasn’t been any paparazzi pictures of her either. I think showing her life behind the scenes has reduced the profitability and the demand for those type of photos.
Meghan’s return to instagram has given back control of her narrative. I think she is showing pictures of the Archie and Lili so that she lessens the chance of paps chasing them down for pictures as they grow older and are out and about more. The comment by one of the photographers involved in the New York chase about getting “last picture” still sends a chill down my spine.
If baby dance is authentically Meghan and if Lazy‘s nature videos are her true self, all I can post is 😂😅🤣 to the rats.
Meghan has won, rats. Done and dusted.
Haha twirl on the haters Duchess.
I love this side of her too.
Whew. The way she says she would ask people to tell the truth. I love that. Acknowledgment of the liars. Although of course while she may have asked for people to tell the truth, it doesn’t mean that they would have. But now she gets to show herself as herself in contrast to the BM and RF lies.
I can’t imagine that they sat through an hour and a half interview and only came away with “tell the truth” and “baby mama video.” It was a pleasure for me to listen to such a wide-ranging and intelligent conversation.
Meghan is so intelligent, so focused and sure, such a force, that it makes me think – 1) how in the world did anyone think she could thrive in the royal family, and 2) how intensely miserable must have been her life in the RF that someone so confident could consider harming herself.
The left-behinds could have had this and instead they have “can you test the smell by smelling it.”
IMHO Meghan thought she could thrive in BRFCo because of the focus on “cause driven” work. What she didn’t realize, and what we Meghan fans learned by watching her go through it, is that the only reason royals participate in “cause driven” (ie charitable) work is to justify their continued existence at public expense. Other European monarchies seem to have a better grasp on their ambassadorial roles than BRFCo — they require young members to learn other languages, take college courses on diplomacy, history, etc., get practice at public speaking, and perform multiple public service roles while in training. BRFCo young seem to be on their own for motivation. The whole issue of BRFCo’s media Associates is another convo.
Yes, I can see that from her point of view. And she had Harry as an example of a royal who is dedicated to cause-driven work – how could she know that Harry is the exception? But the RF must have been terrified – it’s not just that she’s a WoC and an American, she’s a real force and personality.
Exactly this, kirk, and I think Harry has alluded to the same thing. Meghan thought that when the royals blathered on about “life of service”, they meant serving others, the way she and her mother have done all their lives with genuine charity work and advocacy. Then she joined the family and got the shock of her life when she realised that “life of service” actually meant “service to THEMSELVES”, on top of “service to the CROWN”, instead of to the British people who finance their largesse. And then was even more shell-shocked that the palaces (mainly KP at first) were actively attempting to either block or actually SABOTAGE her charitable work and Harry’s (see how they reported about the Grenfell cookbook and ladies and linking the Hub to terrorism, and how they ginned up a “private jet” hate narrative to try to derail Travalyst before Harry launched it – including planting private-jet related questions at the actual launch and William’s plane stunt). She was initially willing to give it a go because she thought that they would welcome her charitable heart and hard work and drive. She was not accustomed to being subjected to constantly moving goalposts and especially the gaslighting that she would have been subjected to. Many British Black people are gaslit on a monumental scale on a daily basis from birth – and many keep trying to fit in and adjust as the “rules” change each time they feel they are making progress and being accepted, even at school – and grow up feeling utterly confused and full of self-doubt. And the teachers have a hand in that as well. But Meghan was never subjected to any of that growing up, and as her mother said in the series, she wished that she had had THAT talk with Meghan when she was growing up. Add the international smear campaign to all of that…
You make an interesting point @magdalena that I hadn’t ever considered. I started reading celebitchy around the time of the flybe stunt. That was an eye-opener for me. As in ohhh, the Wales, the then Cambridges, really don’t like the Sussexes bc whew they are throwing them under the bus.And throwing them under the bus very very intentionally and obviously. I always saw it as the usual taking harry and Meghan down a peg but I hadn’t ever thought about it in terms of trying to derail travalyst before it even launched.
I echo Kaiser that the British media are furious that Meghan’s IG shows her family and how happy they are in California. For some reason the British press were really invested in this narrative of Harry being miserable (despite him saying the opposite) and pretending like Harry didn’t have a wife and kids and his only family were his father and brother. Meghan’s IG blows all that up. The joy wafts out of every pic and reel and even just the back of the kids are adorable and shows that Harry’s immediate family’s safety and happiness are his priority.
Lol 5 years worth and lies and nonsense down the drain.
Emma Grede is the sh*t! She went to school for fashion/business. Has owned multiple agencies in London.
Her husband approached Khloe for Good American. He wanted her to be the face of it. Emma approached Kim for Skims. She is very astute and knew that putting the Ks front and center is/was good marketing while she/her husband ACTUALLY run those companies. Hats off to her.