Meghan Markle reveals ‘brutal mental battle’ in unearthed letter to herself

Meghan Markle has opened up on her 'brutal mental battle' she suffered growing up in unearthed letter to herself.

• Meghan Markle has revealed a 'brutal mental battle' she faced growing up.
• The Duchess of Sussex shared details of an unearthed letter to herself.
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as Prince William's promise to Kate Middleton after Louis was born that he finally fulfilled (opens in new tab).

Meghan Markle has given fans an insight into the 'brutal mental battle' she faced growing up as she shares unearthed letter to herself.

The Duchess of Sussex, who celebrated her 41st birthday earlier this week with a message from Prince William and Kate Middleton (opens in new tab), but while Meghan remained silent on the day after going public to mark her 40th birthday last year, she was quite outspoken about her childhood on her 33rd birthday.

In an unearthed letter, posted to her former lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan told her followers about the 'brutal' battle she faced growing up.

Back in 2014, she wrote, "I am 33 years old today. And I am happy. And I say that so plainly because, well…it takes time. 

“To be happy. To figure out how to be kind to yourself. To not just choose that happiness, but to feel it."

She spoke about her struggle to fit in, "My 20s were brutal – a constant battle with myself, judging my weight, my style, my desire to be as cool/as hip/as smart/as ‘whatever’ as everyone else. 

“My teens were even worse – grappling with how to fit in, and what that even meant. My high school had cliques: the black girls and white girls, the Filipino and the Latina girls. Being biracial, I fell somewhere in between," she added.

She recalled the moment her mental outlook changed, and told her followers, “I must have been about 24 when a casting director looked at me during an audition and said: ‘You need to know that you’re enough. Less makeup, more Meghan.’”

The former Suits actress, who is now mum to Archie, three, and Lilibet (opens in new tab), aged one, advised, “You need to know that you’re enough. A mantra that has now engrained itself so deeply within me that not a day goes by without hearing it chime in my head. 

“That five pounds lost won’t make you happier, that more makeup won’t make you prettier, that the now iconic saying from Jerry Maguire – ‘You complete me’ – frankly, isn’t true.

“You are complete with or without a partner. You are enough just as you are.”

She concluded, "I want you to be kind to yourself. I want you to challenge yourself. 

“I want you to stop gossiping, to try a food that scares you, to buy a coffee for someone just because, to tell someone you love them…and then to tell yourself right back. I want you to find your happiness.”

Meghan has continued to advocate for causes she believes in with the charitable work she does today.