A sweet surprise! Meghan Markle has written her first children’s book, The Bench, which will hit shelves next month.
Illustrated by Christian Robinson, the picture book will “gives readers a window into shared and enduring moments between a diverse group of fathers and sons — moments of peace and reflection, trust and belief, discovery and learning and lasting comfort,” Penguin Random House wrote in a Tuesday, May 4, statement.
Meghan, 39, who will narrate the audiobook, opened up about her inspiration in the press release. “The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband, [Prince Harry], on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born,” the Suits alum explained. “That poem became this story. Christian layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life. This representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens.”
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The Bench will be released on June 8, and the former actress hopes it “resonates with every matter, no matter the makeup, as much as it does” her own.
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The book’s cover depicts an empty bench beneath a tree, as well as five birds. A glimpse of one of the pages shows a father-son pair sleeping on the bench. “From here you will rest, see the growth of our boy,” reads the text above.
Another page features a mother crying in a window while her husband, back from military service, hugs their toddler. “And her in the window, I’ll have great tears of joy,” the accompanying line read. “Looking at my love and our beautiful boy.”
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The Los Angeles native, who is currently pregnant with her second child, a baby girl, became a mom in May 2019 when her son, Archie, now 23 months, arrived. The following month, Harry, 36, posted an Instagram photo of the baby boy to celebrate his “special” first Father’s Day.
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In January 2020, he and Meghan stepped back from their duties as senior royal family members. The pair have since bought a home in Montecito, California, making their exit permanent in February.
The couple have “no regrets” about their new life, a source exclusively told Us Weekly in March. “Things are just getting started for them. [They] feel liberated and excited about starting this new chapter.”