Meghan Markle reflects on 'adolescent embarrassment' in first Archetypes episode since Queen's death

Meghan Markle kicked off her latest episode of Archetypes by sharing an embarrassing memory, which she now recalls as being a 'humbling experience.'

• Meghan Markle has officially resumed her Spotify podcast, releasing her first episode of Archetypes since the Queen's death on Tuesday.
• The Duchess of Sussex shared an embarrassing memory of her childhood on the fourth installment of the feminist series, which saw her interview Margaret Cho and Lisa Ling about stereotypes about Asian women in Western media.
• In other royal news, Princess Diana's portrayal on The Crown, what happened in real life, and what is made up for the show?
  

Meghan Markle's podcast is back after a short hiatus, much to the delight of the royal icon's devout following. 

The Duchess of Sussex paused her Spotify series, Archetypes, in light of Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, just before its fourth episode was due for release. Her first three podcasts saw her joined by Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, and Mindy Kaling, respectively. 

With the royal period of mourning officially over, the 41-year-old has resumed regular programming and dropped the highly-anticipated fourth installment of the feminist series. 

Meghan's latest episode sees the former Suits star joined by US comedian Margaret Cho and US journalist Lisa Ling to discuss 'The Demystification of the Dragon Lady'. The episode covers a wide range of issues, including the 'toxic' stereotyping of East Asian descent in mainstream entertainment. 

"It’s kind of like evil queen adjacent but it’s also pinned to this idea that Asian-ness is an inherent threat," said Cho, referring to the 'Dragon Lady' trope. "That our foreignness is somehow going to get you."

At the beginning of the episode, Meghan shares a vivid memory of her own experiences with East Asian culture as a child growing up in the United States. 

After reminiscing on her "weekends spent in Little Tokyo" and joining her friend, Kristina Wong, for dinner at a "local Chinese restaurant", the duchess recalls her frequent trips to the Korean spa with her mother, Doria. It was here that Meghan experienced an "adolescent embarrassment", which she now calls "humbling." 

"It's a very humbling experience for a girl going through puberty because you enter a room with women from ages 9 to maybe, 90, all walking around naked and waiting for a body scrub on one of these tables that are all lined up in a row," she recalls. 

"All I wanted was a bathing suit, which you're not allowed." 

After enduring the "adolescent embarrassment," Meghan and her mother would go upstairs and enjoy "a steaming bowl of the most delicious noodles." 

"We look around at all these other women, these beautiful Korean women who had embraced the generational tradition of the jjimjilbang," she remembers. 

The duchess goes on to admit she was unaware, at the time, of the stigmas and archetypes that so many women of Asian descent have been enduring in American culture throughout history.