© 2026 ABC News

“The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born,” Meghan said in a statement. “That poem became this story.\"

Speaking of the book's illustrations, done by Christian Robinson, Meghan added, \"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.\"

\"My hope is that 'The Bench' resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine,\" she said.

\"PHOTO:
Random House Childrens Books
PHOTO: Duchess Meghan's new children's book, "The Bench," is based on a Father's Day poem she wrote for Prince Harry.
>
\"PHOTO:
Random House Childrens Books
PHOTO: Duchess Meghan's new children's book, "The Bench," is based on a Father's Day poem she wrote for Prince Harry.
>

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are raising Archie in Montecito, California, where they moved after stepping down last year from their roles as senior working members of Britain's royal family. The Sussexes will welcome their second child, a girl, this summer.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)

Since moving to California, the Sussexes have taken on a broad portfolio of new ventures, most recently Harry's new job at a tech start-up.

Harry and Meghan also have a multiyear partnership with Spotify that will see them both hosting and producing podcasts.

The couple signed a deal with Netflix last year to produce films and series, including docu-series, documentaries, features and children's programming, according to a source close to the couple.

The Archewell Foundation is the Sussexes' organization that oversees their nonprofit work as well as their audio and production ventures.

\"PHOTO:
Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions
PHOTO: This image provided by Harpo Productions shows Prince Harry, from left, and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
>

Meghan's new children's book marks the first project she has announced since she and Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a tell-all interview that aired in March.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/duchess-meghan-announces-childrens-book-based-fathers-day/story?id=77486147","legacySlug":"/culture/story/duchess-meghan-announces-childrens-book-based-fathers-day-77486147","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"15:54","publishDate":"05-04-2021","updatedTime":"16:59","updatedDate":"05-04-2021","socialImage":{"alt":"Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, give an interview to Oprah Winfrey that aired on March 7, 2021.","credit":"Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions via Reuters","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/harry-meghan-intv-ht-ps-210309_1615298228579_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"5/4/2021 15:54:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":77486147,"headline":"Duchess Meghan to release a children's book","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_Meghan children's book_210504","description":"\"My hope is that 'The Bench' resonates with every family.\"","duration":"3:27","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/04/210429_gma_longman_0818_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["76319727","76273944","73323973"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"March 8, 2021","headline":"Serena Williams reacts to friend Meghan Markle's Oprah interview","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/serena-williams-supports-noble-friend-meghan-oprah-winfrey-76319727","id":76319727,"image":{"alt":"Serena Williams reacts to friend Meghan Markle's Oprah interview","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/splt-meghan-serena-01-ht-gty-iwb-210308_1615217722097_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Cameron Spencer/Getty Images|Harpo Productions/CBS","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"March 8, 2021","headline":"Duchess Meghan says she considered suicide before stepping back from royal family","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/prince-harry-meghan-open-interview-oprah-winfrey-76273944","id":76273944,"image":{"alt":"Duchess Meghan says she considered suicide before stepping back from royal family","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/markle-harry-oprah-ap-ml-210301_1614605148577_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions via AP","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"September 29, 2020","headline":"Duchess Meghan gets real about handling criticism","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/duchess-meghan-explains-handles-constant-scrutiny-criticism-73323973","id":73323973,"image":{"alt":"Duchess Meghan gets real about handling criticism","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/meghan-markle-powerful-women-02-gty-llr-200929_1601412791150_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via Getty Images","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Duchess Meghan to release a children's book","description":"\"My hope is that 'The Bench' resonates with every family.\"","duration":"3:27","uploadDate":"05-04-2021","publication":"05-04-2021","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/04/210429_gma_longman_0818_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/04/210429_gma_longman_0818_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/duchess-meghan-announces-childrens-book-based-fathers-day-77486147"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133179167","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144373","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144059","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133143081","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133075455","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063114","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063086","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133015093","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998564","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998072","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"Duchess Meghan to release a children's book","pubTime":"11:54","pubDate":"05-04-2021","modTime":"12:59","modDate":"05-04-2021","taxonomyTags":"none","id":77486147,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Duchess Meghan to release a children's book","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_Meghan children's book_210504","videoId":77486147,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/duchess-meghan-announces-childrens-book-based-fathers-day-77486147"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/77486147","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/77486147","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};