Entertainment

Meghan still called ‘Flower’ by mother Doria Ragland

The Duchess of Sussex made the revelation in the penultimate episode of her Archetypes podcast.
The Duchess of Sussex made the revelation in the penultimate episode of her Archetypes podcast. The Duchess of Sussex made the revelation in the penultimate episode of her Archetypes podcast.

The Duchess of Sussex has revealed that her mother still calls her “Flower”.

Meghan was in conversation with actress Michaela Jae Rodriguez on her Spotify podcast when the pair discussed nicknames.

Tuesday’s episode, which also features Sex And The City creator Candace Bushnell, is the penultimate in the Archetypes series.

Duchess of Sussex supports cookbook
Duchess of Sussex supports cookbook The Duchess of Sussex, accompanied by the Duke of Sussex, and her mother Doria Ragland (Ben Stansall/PA)

Introducing the podcast, the duchess said: “And today we’re talking about living outside of the box – the box that we’ve talked about all season on this podcast, the different boxes that we try to get pushed inside of.

“What is it like when you live beyond those lines? When you colour outside of them, freely expressing our identities, and embracing the nuances that make us quite simply a human being.”

The episode, entitled “Beyond the Archetype: Human, Being”, begins with Meghan making a surprise visit to the Immaculate Heart all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles, where she was a pupil from the age of 12 until 17.

She said those are “really formative years”, adding: “They certainly were for me. And let me just say, being back there, the energy, it was… it was palpable.

“I was happy to be back there and it was also really fun, especially when I made a surprise visit and I popped in to some of the young ladies in volleyball practice.”

Royal wedding
Royal wedding Doria Ragland, the then Prince of Wales, and the then Duchess of Cornwall on the wedding day of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Jane Barlow/PA)

Later, in her chat with Pose star Rodriguez, Meghan revealed that her mother, Doria Ragland, still refers to her by a nickname.

“My mom still calls me Flower,” she said, adding: “I’ll be a 41-year-old Flower. That’s fine.”

During the episode, Meghan described the characters in Sex And The City – Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte – as “iconic”.

She said Bushnell’s writing “still holds up today”, adding: “It still feels boundless today. And in her recent novel and one woman show Is There Still Sex In The City? she continues to peel back the layers of what women can be in all stages of life.”

Bushnell told Meghan she did not make “a tonne of money” from Sex And The City, and, when the duchess asked her how that makes her feel, she replied: “Angry.”

Bushnell added: “That’s one of the realities. The fact of the matter is, you know, I’m fine, I’m OK, I’m doing OK, so I just keep working.”

Radio Times Festival 2015
Radio Times Festival 2015 Candace Bushnell said she did not make ‘a tonne of money’ out of Sex And The City (Ian West/PA)

During the podcast Meghan referred to a piece of art she has in her sitting room.

“It’s not fancy. It’s kind of this rectangle shape, almost plaque-like. And it just says a few words very simply across it – ‘Human kind be both’,” she said.

The duchess said her “dear friend” Genevieve gave her the artwork a couple of years ago, adding: “When I walk past it, it just always makes me smile, of course because I love her and our friendship and it reminds me of her.

“We’ve been super close since we were about 17. But also because it’s true. Human kind be both.”