Michelle Obama [1] has been busy promoting her new memoir, Becoming, and is opening up about everything from how husband Barack proposed [2] to being a parent of two young women [3]. In a recent interview with Good Housekeeping, the former first lady was asked if she had any advice for another first lady of sorts who is also gearing up to become a parent: Meghan Markle [4]. Michelle was asked if she had any guidance for Meghan [5] by a Good Housekeeping reader: "We've all fallen in love with America's princess, Meghan Markle. What advice would you give her for her new role, which is a little like that of a First Lady?"
"Like me, Meghan probably never dreamed that she'd have a life like this, and the pressure — from yourself and from others — can sometimes feel like a lot," Michelle answered. "So my biggest advice would be to take some time and don't be in a hurry to do anything."
"I spent the first few months in the White House mainly worrying about my daughters [6], making sure they were off to a good start at school and making new friends, before I launched into more ambitious work," she continued. "Once I was ready, I chose to work on issues that I had a strong personal passion for. I chose children's health because I'd lived through the difficulty of raising healthy kids as a mom. I focussed on increasing access to education because I saw the power of education in my own life — that's why I spent years talking to minority and first-generation students about getting to and through college. I wanted to do whatever I could to help them rise above the doubters that would come their way. There's so much opportunity to do good with a platform like that — and I think she can maximise her impact for others, as well as her own happiness, if she's doing something that resonates with her personally."
Meghan officially became a member of the British royal family when she married Prince Harry [7] in May, and the couple are expecting their first child next Spring [8]. Harry has been longtime friends with the Obamas — he first worked with Michelle and Jill Biden on an event to honour military families in 2013, and they most recently came together for a visit to Chicago in 2017 [9], just before he announced his engagement [10]. While it hasn't been confirmed if they've met Meghan, it's safe to say that they have a lot in common. Not only do they share a passion for education, health, women's rights, and the empowerment of girls, but Michelle can also certainly relate to the level of scrutiny the duchess faces; both have had to adjust to new lives in the public eye, and both have managed to remain poised and graceful while being attacked for everything from their race [11] to their clothing choices [12].
In my opinion, if there's anyone who can give Meghan Markle advice on how to navigate her new world (besides, you know, her sister-in-law Kate Middleton [13]), it's probably Michelle. She's got the experience, she's got the wisdom, and she's got the arms [14]. Hopefully we'll get to see photos of these two extraordinary women spending time together soon, but for now, see Michelle's cute moments with Harry over the years ahead.