When Meghan Sussex shared her experience with postpartum preeclampsia on her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, she wasn’t seeking pity. She was offering something far more powerful: the truth. Calmly and clearly, she described what it felt like to live through a condition that, in her own words, felt “so rare and so scary.” Even as she recovered, she had to remain present for her newborn child. It was a moment of quiet vulnerability—and the British media chose to hate it.
Preeclampsia Puts Women’s Lives At Risk
Preeclampsia and its postpartum form are not minor complications. They kill. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, more than 76,000 women die each year from related complications. The condition can surface with little warning, during pregnancy or after delivery, and often results in organ damage, seizures, strokes, or death. Meghan survived it—because she had access to medical care. Millions of women, especially women of color, don’t.
In the U.S., Black women are 2.6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. Wealth and status don’t erase this disparity. Meghan’s experience highlights a maternal health crisis that too often silences Black women’s suffering until it’s too late.
When Meghan shared her story, the Preeclampsia Foundation publicly thanked her. She used her platform to raise awareness. She opened a door for other women to feel seen. But rather than amplifying her message, the British press mocked her for “oversharing.” A life-threatening experience was reduced to tabloid fodder.
The British Press Chose Mockery Over Empathy
When ITV’s This Morning aired commentary on Meghan’s podcast, it didn’t inform—it derided. Hosts rolled their eyes, mocked her language, and questioned her sincerity. One suggested she sounded like she was speaking “another language.” Another sneered at her for saying she was “showing up” for her child. And then came the subtext: “less is more.” It wasn’t an aesthetic critique—it was a threat. Be quiet. Be less. Be invisible.
The British media has long attempted to erase Meghan. From mocking her baby bump to pushing the “Meghan made Kate cry” lie, the tabloids have engaged in a campaign of character assassination. Speaking about postpartum preeclampsia—something that kills women—was just another opportunity for them to trivialize her voice.
Two Women, One Systemic Double Standard
The most glaring hypocrisy is how Meghan is treated compared to Kate Middleton. When Princess Catherine opened up about hyperemesis gravidarum, the press called her “brave” and “dignified.” Feature after feature praised her honesty. When Meghan spoke about a postpartum condition that affects Black women at disproportionate rates, she was met with mockery.
The double standard didn’t begin or end with health disclosures. Consider:
- #AvocadoGate: Avocados were described as a sweet, healthy snack during Kate’s pregnancy—gifted by William no less. But when Meghan was spotted enjoying avocados, tabloids claimed they were linked to drought, human rights abuses, and even murder.
- #BumpGate: Kate was applauded for cradling her baby bump—“a picture of maternal warmth.” Meghan, doing the exact same, was accused of vanity and attention-seeking. One headline asked if she was “acting” or “showing off.”
- #WeddingBouquetGate: Both brides used Lily of the Valley in their wedding bouquets. Kate was hailed for following tradition. Meghan was accused of endangering Princess Charlotte due to the flower’s supposed toxicity.
- #ForeignNannyGate: Kate and William hired a Spanish nanny—praised as experienced and professional. Meghan and Harry chose an American nanny—immediately branded “untraditional,” as if Harry had no say in the decision.
- #DressGate: Kate wore a one-shoulder dress and was called “elegant.” Meghan wore a similar silhouette and was labeled “vulgar” and “inappropriate.”
- #SlaveGate: The Daily Mail emphasized Meghan’s African-American heritage, calling her a descendant of slaves—weaponizing her ancestry in a way no white royal ever has to endure.
- #PussyWhippedGate: Tabloids portrayed Prince Harry as emasculated and “whipped” for supporting his wife. The implication? That standing by a woman of color makes a man weak.
These aren’t isolated incidents. They’re symptoms of a media culture that punishes Meghan for existing outside the mold. Her behavior isn’t scandalous—it’s identical to Kate’s. The difference is in how it’s framed.
“Less Is More” Is Code for “Be Quiet”
Meghan’s refusal to play by royal media rules during her pregnancy made her a target. She didn’t appear in heels outside the hospital after giving birth. She didn’t perform vulnerability for tabloid approval. And when she finally spoke about her medical crisis, the media pounced again.
The cruelty wasn’t random—it was calculated. Meghan’s honesty threatens a carefully constructed narrative. It reminds the public that she was under siege while pregnant. That she experienced depression. That she was denied help. That she was gaslit, smeared, and nearly silenced. Her voice unsettles the status quo, and that’s what the British press can’t stand.
We Must Listen to Voices Like Meghan’s
Meghan Sussex didn’t “overshare.” She survived something deadly and told the truth about it. That truth was quiet, clear, and strong. It didn’t demand attention—it offered solidarity. Her voice matters not because she’s famous, but because her story is familiar to too many women who suffer alone and unheard.
Every woman who has faced medical terror and felt invisible deserves to see themselves in someone who survived and dared to speak. The media may try to erase Meghan’s humanity. But we still hear her. And we’re not going anywhere.
Postpartum preeclampsia awareness saves lives. Learn more at Preeclampsia.org
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