“I want the life-work balance, if such a thing exists,” the Duchess of Sussex said

In a rare moment of unfiltered candor, Meghan Markle opened up about the chaos, charm, and contradictions of juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship — all while wearing a crown, running a brand, and jetting between continents.

Appearing solo at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C. on October 14, the Duchess of Sussex didn’t hold back about what it’s really like behind the scenes of her curated, camera-ready life — and it’s not all vineyard tours and Instagram-perfect mornings.

“I still chaperone the field trips,” Meghan said with a laugh. “I want the life-work balance… if such a thing even exists.”

Now 44, the former actress, Netflix producer, royal rebel, and now CEO of her lifestyle brand As ever, spoke frankly about steering her small but mighty business team — just 10 people — while raising Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, with husband Prince Harry.

But it’s not just boardroom decisions and brand deals. As she tells it, her reality includes sprinting from first-grade outings to virtual meetings, racing time zones to squeeze in hugs, and occasionally — just occasionally — taking a breath.

“I think you have to work as a team. You’re only as solid as the people around you,” Meghan said, flashing the signature smile that once graced Suits but now appears in Fortune summit livestreams and entrepreneurial keynotes.

“I love the creative part, and the brand is an extension of my aesthetic, but it’s also more than that. The operational side is key.”

The Duchess, who’s been carving a post-palace path through media, wellness, and now wine, revealed that managing her As ever line of curated goods is equal parts hands-on and high-stakes.

And yet, amid Paris meetings and New York galas, she made a point of flying all the way back to California — for one single day — just to see her children.

“I had to!” she said. “Everyone kept saying, ‘You must’ve gone straight from Paris to New York,’ and I said, ‘No — I needed to see my babies.’”

It’s a candid, humanizing detail that some critics may see as PR-savvy, but to Meghan, it’s simple: motherhood comes first. Even when the headlines don’t.

The moment came during her talk titled Next Level Influence: A Conversation With Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, where she addressed everything from leadership to lifestyle, often with a wink of irony and the polish of someone who knows every word will be dissected by the global media machine.

Asked by moderator Alyson Shontell how she decides “where to show up” as a CEO, Meghan didn’t hesitate.

“I want to be involved. I love the details. But I also want to be at the first-grade field trip, and then rush back and finish my meetings. That’s just what it is right now.”

Since stepping back from official royal duties in 2020, Meghan has walked the delicate tightrope of public life and private motherhood, balancing philanthropic goals with high-profile ventures. And while her critics call it calculated, she paints it as committed.

In 2025, As ever debuted with an ambitious line of artisanal food and wine — think carefully sourced ingredients, lush branding, and a narrative steeped in “home, ritual, and belonging.”

The Duchess has been involved in every step, she says, even as she navigates motherhood, marriage, and media scrutiny.

“There’s this idea that it’s either-or,” she said. “But for me, it’s both — and. I can be there at drop-off, and also at the office. It’s not always perfect, but I show up.”

It’s the kind of comment that earns cheers in conference rooms — and eye rolls in online comment sections. Still, Meghan seems unbothered by the noise.

“I don’t really read any of it,” she said earlier this year, referring to public reaction to her every move. “I focus on what matters: my family and my work.”

That work has increasingly included behind-the-scenes producing, high-level branding, and strategic partnerships — including the ongoing Netflix deal that brought the couple’s Harry & Meghan docuseries to global screens.

During her Summit appearance, Meghan hinted at more to come but declined to confirm if With Love, Meghan, her upcoming series rumored to blend lifestyle with personal storytelling, will return for a third season.

For fans, her evolving brand is part of a larger arc — the reinvention of a duchess into a cultural force who’s equally comfortable at state banquets and startup pitch meetings. For detractors, it’s over-calculated, overly curated. But Meghan, as usual, isn’t apologizing.

At home in Montecito, she says, her life is far more ordinary than people imagine. There are preschool drop-offs. Messy mornings. Sibling squabbles. And yes — the occasional Disneyland trip, as seen in rare photos shared to her Instagram earlier this year.

“I hope when they’re older, they’ll feel proud they were part of this from the beginning,” Meghan said, referring to Archie and Lilibet visiting her on the Netflix set.

If that beginning continues to evolve, it’s likely we’ll see more of Meghan not just in boardrooms and summits, but also in the headlines — where she’s become a lightning rod for both adoration and criticism.

But in Washington this week, the focus was less on the drama and more on the juggle — the never-ending, modern mother’s balancing act between ambition and affection.

“I still want to be there for the small moments,” she said. “Even if that means flying across the country for one bedtime story.”

Whether you believe it’s sincere or strategic, one thing is certain: Meghan Markle isn’t just rewriting the royal rulebook — she’s chaperoning the field trip, too.