Meghan Markle talks hopes, fears and insecurities during secret bakery visit

 Meghan Markle  doesn’t want people to love her. Instead, the Duchess of Sussex wants to be heard, according to journalist Bryony Gordon. The American-born royal, who has previously  admitted that she is not “okay” amid backlash and criticism , made the honest admission in a new interview with the  Telegraph  during a private visit earlier this week to Luminary Bakery—a sustainable grassroots organization that helps empower disadvantaged women in the UK.

“I find that when you strip all the layers away, as people, and especially as women, we can find deep connection with each other, and a shared understanding,” the Suits alum told the women, who have experienced drug abuse, homelessness, and domestic violence.

Meghan was on hand to decorate cakes and listen to the different women’s stories. She said, “Our lives may be different, our backgrounds, our experiences, all varied, but I find that in these moments of connection it becomes abundantly clear that our hopes, our fears, our insecurities, the things that make us tick…. well, those are very much the same. And there’s comfort in that.”

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Per Bryony, Meghan does not view vulnerability as a weakness, but rather “one of humanity’s greatest strengths.” “We get into this habit of wanting things done immediately nowadays. There’s a culture of instant gratification, of the instant fix. But we aren’t mechanical objects that need to be fixed,” Meghan said. “You’re a wounded creature that needs to be healed, and that takes time. And that’s what I love about this place. It gives you the support to heal.”

While  Archie Harrison ’s mom is a member of the British royal family, she reminded the women at the bakery that at the end of the day she is a woman like the rest of them. “One of the things I have realized since being here [in the UK] is that people have an expectation when I’m coming somewhere, so I’m like, let’s just be really relaxed, keep everyone nice and chilled, because at the end of the day we’re all just women,” Meghan said. “We all have a story to tell, and I feel honored that I am getting to hear yours.”