Meghan Markle Gets Real About Running Her Lifestyle Brand While Raising Archie And Lilibet

Meghan Markle^[1] has opened up about balancing motherhood with leading her lifestyle brand, As Ever, at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit.

The Duchess of Sussex emphasized the importance of teamwork, creativity, and achieving a work-life balance at the summit, which followed her and Prince ^[2]Harry^[3]‘s visit to New York, where they received the Humanitarians of the Year award at Project Healthy Minds’ gala.

At the event, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry discussed parenting in the digital age and introduced The Parents Network, their Archewell initiative aimed at promoting online safety for families.

Meghan recently got candid about how she balances her dual roles as the founder of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, with being a hands-on mom to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., on October 14, the Duchess of Sussex joined a session titled “Next Level Influence: A Conversation With Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.”

During the discussion, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell asked how Meghan decides what to prioritize as the head of a small team of about ten people, given her well-known attention to detail.

In response, Meghan explained that collaboration is key.

“I think you have to work as a team. You’re only as solid as the rest of the people around you,” she said. “And also, I want the life-work balance, if such a thing exists. I’m still going to go and chaperone the first-grade field trip and run back and try to finish the meetings.”

Meghan went on to share how much she enjoys the creative process behind As Ever. “I love the creative part, which I think I’ve touched on quite a bit, and the brand is an extension of my aesthetic, but it’s more than that. The operational side is so key,” she noted, per People Magazine^[4].

During the summit, the duchess also shared that she squeezed in a quick trip home between her recent visits to Paris and New York to spend time with Archie and Lilibet.

“You’ve been all over the place, and we were talking backstage about how yes, you’ve been to Europe, you were just in New York… and you made it home for one day to see your kids?” Shontell asked.

Laughing, Meghan replied, “Yes, I had to! We were talking about that because everyone said, ‘Oh, you must have gone from Paris straight to New York,’ and I said, ‘No, I need to see my babies.’ So went back to California for a day and then continued on.”

At the summit, the former actress also discussed what’s next for her Netflix partnership, and the possibility of a third season of “With Love, Meghan.”

The Most Powerful Women Summit followed closely on the heels of Meghan and Prince Harry’s recent trip to New York City, where the couple participated in World Mental Health Day activities and spent time with friends, including Serena Williams, Ed Sheeran, and Gloria Steinem.

During their visit, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored as Humanitarians of the Year at Project Healthy Minds’ annual gala on October 9.

As they took the stage to accept the award, Meghan spoke about how their children, Archie and Lilibet, continue to inspire their advocacy work, particularly in addressing cyberbullying and the impact of social media on children today.

During her remarks at the Project Healthy Minds gala, Meghan reflected on the challenges of parenting in the digital era.

The Duchess of Sussex noted that while Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are “luckily” still too young to be a part of social media, she and Harry “know that day is coming.”

“Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits while safeguarding against its dangers,” Meghan said, adding that “that hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible” for them.

During their acceptance speech, Harry and Meghan also opened up about their Archewell Foundation’s initiative, The Parents Network, marking the first time they’ve spoken publicly about the program.

The initiative recently partnered with ParentsTogether, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting families and promoting online safety.

“We knew this movement needed to grow,” Harry said. “These families are not only up against corporations and lobbyists, many of whom spend tens of millions of dollars every year in suppressing the truth, but also algorithms designed to maximize data collection at any cost.”

Meghan followed by emphasizing the power of collective action, noting that when parents come together to collaborate and when “communities unite, waves are made.”