Meghan Markle Sets the Record Straight on Being ‘Demanding’ vs. ‘Difficult’: ‘Say What It Is You Need’

This week, the Duchess of Sussex released a brand-new episode of her podcast, Archetypes, with special guest Issa Rae. During the installment, Rae recalled a time when someone called her “particular” and explained why she took it as a compliment. The Insecure star said, “To me, that means I have a sense of what I want.”

Markle agreed with this sentiment and explained that there’s a difference between knowing what you want and being difficult. “You’re allowed to set a boundary, you’re allowed to be clear,” she added. “It does not make you demanding. It does not make you difficult. It makes you clear.”

Markle revealed that she used to avoid voicing her needs. But over time, she’s learned to get straight to the point. “I’m particular,” Markle echoed. “A. I think a high tide raises all ships—we’re all going to succeed, so let’s make sure it’s really great because it’s a shared success for everybody. But I also know that I will find myself cowering and tiptoeing into a room.”

Markle continued, “I don’t know if you ever do that, the thing that I find the most embarrassing—when you’re saying a sentence and the intonation goes up like it’s a question. And you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, stop!’ Stop whispering and tiptoeing around and say what it is you need.”