Meghan hopes that The Bench, which will be published on June 8, resonates with every family as much as it does with hers.
Meghan Markle has assumed many remarkable roles in her life. She's been a loving daughter, a talented actor, a devoted wife, the Duchess of Sussex, a dedicated mother, and now is on her way to becoming a published author as well. For the 39-year-old, her husband Prince Harry and son Archie mean the world. Hence, it's only natural that the two favorite people in her life are the inspiration behind her first children's book, The Bench. The book, which is set to be published on June 8, reportedly explores the beautiful bond between fathers and sons as observed by a mother.
On Tuesday, Meghan made the announcement in a press release where she also opened up about the book being inspired by a Father's Day poem she had written for Prince Harry. "The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born," said Meghan in the press release from the publisher Random House Children's Books, as per PEOPLE. "That poem became this story," continued the loving mother, who is pregnant with their second child. While Archie turns 2 on Thursday, May 6, the couple is expecting their baby girl in the summer.
The press release describes Meghan as "a mother, wife, feminist, and activist" who "currently resides in her home state of California with her family, two dogs, and a growing flock of rescue chickens." During the pair's infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, they spoke about having a chicken coop named Archie's Chick Inn, where several hens reside following their rescue from a factory farm. It is apparently a favorite place for Archie to hang out, revealed Meghan who loves rescuing, according to People.
As for the book, it perfectly encapsulates the warm and joyful feelings that the Duchess of Sussex wants to convey, through soft and colorful illustrations created by Caldecott-winning artist Christian Robinson.
"Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens," shared Meghan. "My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine." The cover of the children's book features an image of a bench underneath a tree, with a few chickens roaming nearby.
In one of the illustrations inside the book, a father wearing a military uniform is seen warmly greeting his beloved son. Prince Harry, who is a military veteran, has served as a captain in the British Army. In yet another interior illustration, a father can be seen sitting with his son under a tree with featured words, "From here you will rest. See the growth of our boy."
While the book is Meghan's take on the insurmountable love fathers like Harry have for their sons, we are no strangers to the fact that Archie is the apple of his father's eye. While launching a streaming platform last year, the father of one gushed about having his life completely transformed after the birth of his son.
Harry revealed how welcoming Archie encouraged him to work towards resolving existing environmental issues and climate change in a bid to make this planet safer for his little one. "The moment you become a father everything really does change because then you start to realize, well, what is the point in bringing a new person into this world when they get to your age and it's on fire?" he said while stressing that people are robbing their own children of a better future. "We can't steal their future. We really can't. That's not the job we're here for. I've always believed that hopefully, we can leave the world in a better place than when we found it," reported PEOPLE.
References:
https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-childrens-book-fathers-day-poem-prince-harry/
Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by Tabatha Fireman / Stringer
