>
Meghan Markle has admitted she has apologized to Paris Hilton for “judging” her based on her looks and success after hearing about her “trauma” on her podcast.
Meghan, 41, had the heiress, 41, as her final guest for her Archetypes Spotify podcast in an episode titled ‘Breaking Down The Bimbo’.
Speaking of the episode, Meghan said she was “embarrassed” to admit she had “condemned” Paris in advance and needed to find a way to “forgive” her for “didn’t grow up beautiful herself.”
‘I didn’t grow up pretty’: Meghan Markle has admitted she apologized to Paris Hilton for ‘judging’ her based on her public image after hearing about her ‘trauma’ on her podcast
Speak with VarietyMeghan said it was the most challenging interview she’s done for her podcast yet and said she was very “nervous” beforehand.
“I spoke to Paris Hilton last week. I told her at the beginning that I was most nervous about her interview,” she explained.
“I was ashamed to admit it, but I’ve had a judgment about her based on everything I’ve seen, and I don’t like coming from a place of judgment. But I didn’t grow up pretty either.’
Meghan said she grew up as “the smart one” and was “jealous” of Paris and “judged” her by her public image, before hearing about the “trauma” in her life.
Getting to know each other: Meghan, 41, had the heiress, 41, as the final guest for her Archetypes Spotify podcast in an episode titled ‘Breaking Down The Bimbo’
Prince Harry’s wife admitted she apologized to the media personality for “condemning” and “buying in” her public “persona” before meeting her.
She said: ‘I grew up to be the smart one. So much of what I eventually thought of when I thought of Paris was envy and judgment—two of the most dangerous things.
“But then you hear about her trauma and her life and her belief in this persona. Finally I said to her, “I’m really sorry I judged you.”
“I wanted her to be safe and comfortable. I told her I wasn’t looking for a “have” moment. I want an ‘I got you’ moment, where we get you.’
Verdict: But when speaking about the interview, Meghan admitted that she had “judged” Paris in advance and needed to find a way to “forgive” her for “didn’t grow up beautiful”
On the podcast, Paris revealed that she “built” her “Barbie doll” character as a way to escape her traumatic teenage years at a Utah boarding school.
Meghan said she wanted listeners to think about whether they could “forgive” Paris after hearing how she was “misrepresented” and see a more “humanized” side of her.
“That episode is not framed as a defense of Paris; it is the humanization of hair. And that goes for everyone,’ she said.
“I don’t care what situation you find yourself in – if a 16-year-old boy or girl, or a woman in the workplace, feels objectified or dehumanized because their character is misrepresented, I hope anyone with an open mind listens could do that. get away and think, “Could I just think for a second that there’s a person there?”
Public image: Meghan said she grew up as ‘the smart one’ and was ‘jealous’ of Paris and ‘judged’ her by her looks and success before learning about the ‘trauma’ in her life
“I’ve done a lot of in-house work — I’m from California, it’s in the water — and whether you’re exercising or meditating, sometimes you’re asked to imagine a person who makes you angry.
“You think about them, you take it all out, and then you’re asked to think about them like a 6-year-old kid. Can you forgive them? That’s how I approach it contextually.’
Paris has claimed she was “verbally, mentally and physically abused” during her two years at Provo Canyon School after being sent to the institution by her parents when she was a rebellious teenager.
Speaking to Meghan about those years, Paris called it “the most painful and horrifying experience of my life,” explaining how “it really took away my youth.”
Opening: On the podcast, Paris revealed that she “built” her “Barbie doll” persona as a way to escape her traumatic teenage years at a Utah boarding school
She said the only thing that kept her going at that time was thinking about who she would be if she left.
“I just promise myself and say, ‘I’m going to work so hard and become so successful that no one can ever control me again’.”
“And in there I started building this kind of fantasy life and this kind of Barbie doll character,” she continued. “I think, just to not think about pain and just think about, oh, unicorns and butterflies and barbie dolls and pink and glitter.”
She went on to explain that it was at age 22 when she landed her iconic reality show The Simple Life along with her best friend Nicole Richie that the persona “went into full force.”
Troubled times: Paris claimed she was ‘verbally, mentally and physically abused’ at Provo Canyon School after being sent to the institution by her parents when she was a rebellious teenager
“The producers just said we want Nicole to be the troublemaker and Paris, we want you to be the rich dumb blonde and then I really started playing that character.”
“At that time, it was encouraged to be silly and bubbly. I look at it now and I think, I think it’s so much cooler to be smart and intelligent, but then it was almost the way they wanted it to be.”
She added that the character was also “a mask” to protect herself from the media attention the show brought her.
But she never expected the show and thus her persona to last, pointing out that she thought The Simple Life would only last one season, not the five that aired.
Iconic: She explained that it was at the age of 22 when she landed her reality show The Simple Life with her best friend Nicole Richie that the persona “went into full force”
“I almost got stuck and lost in the character and at some point it was like the lines were fading and it was like I forgot who I was,” she said.
“And it makes me sad because I used to be such a free spirit and I wasn’t so closed off, and I feel like with so many things that’s happened to me over the years, I’m just in ways in my mind and I wish it didn’t happen. Going through traumas and life really touches you.’
The Duchess replied: ‘I’m so sad you don’t even get the chance – it even makes me emotional just thinking about it – you don’t get the chance to think with a clean slate about the woman you want to be, so then you come out into the world and they throw you into this thing that eventually makes you feel trapped.’
Paris said that with the release of her recent documentary This Is Paris and her advocacy, ‘people are finally seeing the other side…I like being underestimated’.
The real Paris: she added that the character was also ‘a mask’ to protect herself from the media attention that the show bought her