Inside Meghan Markle’s California-chic study as she shares a birthday message on her 40th

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Meghan Markle offered fans a rare glimpse inside the Californian mansion she shares with Prince Harry today during a ‘special message’ shared on her 40th birthday.

The Duchess of Sussex shared a video featuring Bridesmaids actress Melissa McCarthy on the website of her charitable foundation Archewell to introduce her new 40×40 initiative which encourages people to donate 40 minutes of their time to helping someone else or to mentoring someone in need. 

Chatting via Zoom from her dark grey Apple Macbook computer, the glossy clip was filmed in the same room in which she appeared briefly during her husband and Oprah Winfrey‘s recent Apple TV mental health series.

This time viewers were given a more substantial view of the study, which boasted a grand oak desk with a pile of strategically placed copies of Meghan’s children’s book The Bench, along with elegant white file in-trays and decorative glass bottles.

The Duchess was also joined by her beloved beagle Guy, who looked perfectly at home on a luxurious grey striped dog cushion, while a chic £1,240 Hermes throw blanket (perhaps a nod to Harry given it features the letter H) was strewn over one of the two cream cushioned chairs.

1. Decorative glass bottles 

Given one of two-year-old Archie’s first words was ‘hydrate’, it makes sense that the Duchess should have a bottle of water to hand in her study. Perched on the edge of her expansive desk is a tall glass swing top bottle and two his and hers glasses.

During a lighthearted moment in Meghan and Harry’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, the Duchess said their talkative toddler’s new favourite thing to say is ‘hydrate’, a week after his doting dad told James Cordon’s Late Late Show that Archie’s first word had surprisingly been ‘crocodile.’

2. White flowers

Almost taking centre-stage on the desk, between two stylish white in-trays, is an elegant gold vase housing a bunch of large white roses. 

The Duchess is known to be a fan of the blooms, having previously sent a large bouquet of pink roses to her friend Jessica Mulroney, and the colour is an appropriate choice for her neutral colour-scheme. 

White roses are often used at weddings (though Meghan opted for different blooms in the same shade) because they symbolise purity, however they’re also said to represent youthfulness, innocence, young love and loyalty.

Meanwhile the paper organisers resemble white wood ones by Threshold – sold at Target, a large American department store, and priced at an affordable £7.83.

Just in front of the flowers a silver picture frame can be seen, which another camera angle reveals is most likely a photo of Archie. 

Three further grainy black and white photos can be seen in a connected frame in front of this, with the central one seeming to show Harry kissing a baby and one on the right potentially showing Meghan holding a young child – perhaps the first snap of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Sussexes have not yet released any photographs of their daughter, who was born exactly two months ago on June 4 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and is eighth in line to the throne.

Archie has also rarely been seen since the couple stepped back as senior royals in March last year, with the most recent picture of him released to mark his second birthday this May showing him with his back to the camera.

3. Stacks of The Bench

Perhaps strategically placed towards the front of the camera frame was a rather large stack of 11 copies of Meghan’s new children’s book The Bench. 

They appear to be special edition hardbacks, as they look significantly larger than your average book. The Duchess claimed the book showed ‘another side of masculinity’ in a message to thank readers after it became a New York Times bestseller.

In a statement on the Archewell website, she said: ‘While this poem began as a love letter to my husband and son, I’m encouraged to see that its universal themes of love, representation and inclusivity are resonating with communities everywhere. In many ways, pursuing a more compassionate and equitable world begins with these core values.’

However, the book failed to hit the UK Official Top 50 chart after selling just 3,212 copies in its first week – being beaten by footballer Marcus Rashford’s self-help guide. 

4: Hermes £1,240 throw blanket

On first glance, the cream cushioned chair beside Meghan looked to feature the letter ‘H’ – a nod to Harry’s initial – as part of its design.

However, on closer inspection it appears the Duchess had intricately placed a decorative Hermes throw blanket, priced at £1,240.

Made in Scotland, the Avalon III jacquard woven wool and cashmere throw is finished with blanket stitch and comes in Coco/Camomille – the shade chosen by Meghan – or Écru/Gris Clair.

The blanket blended perfectly well with her minimalist decor and colour scheme of neutral earth tones, creams and white. 

5. Healing quartz crystal

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already revealed they own a collection of crystals that are scattered around their Montecito mansion; during a conference call they held earlier this year, eagle-eyed fans spotted a celestine crystal in the background. 

Placed beside her stack of copies of the bench is a large white crystal, traditionally considered to be a ‘master healer’ – appropriate for a woman who has just given birth.

It’s said to amplify energy by absorbing, storing, releasing and regulating it, as well as aid concentration and memory.

The Duchess is a long-standing proponent of spiritual practices including meditation and yoga – a hobby also taken up by her husband – and has previously touted crystals for their healing properties.

6. English tea and biscuits

They may have left the UK for America, but there’s one British tradition Meghan appears to have embraced wholeheartedly – that of tea and biscuits.

Perched on an elegant silver tray with gold handles is an intricately patterned monochrome teacup and saucer, beside a matching plate with a chocolately treat. 

The crockery set is from English brand Twinings, which is based in Andover, Hampshire, appropriately from its Burleigh Black Regal peacock collection. 

It features an oriental bird motif, hand-decorated at Middleport Pottery with a black and white palette. One teacup and saucer is priced at £30 each, however it’s currently out of stock.

7. Stone fireplace 

The Sussexes’ Italian villa style home features several large open stone fireplaces, with this one possibly being the grandest of the lot.

The elaborate opening is concealed by two carved iron doors, suggesting it’s perhaps not in regular use – especially with the warm summer Montecito temperatures – though there are soot marks above it, perhaps from cosy winter evenings.

On top of the mantelpiece, though out of shot in this latest video, is a black and white print of a bear holding the state of California in its paws, printed with the words ‘I love you California’. The phrase refers to the state’s official anthem, published in 1913 and later adopted by California 1951 and confirmed in 1987 as its official song.

8. Luxury dog cushion

The couple’s dog makes a sleepy cameo in the royal’s 40th birthday address – but doesn’t look entirely happy about being woken from his slumber. 

The adorable beagle, Guy, is seen snoozing on a sizeable grey-and-white striped pillow behind Meghan, and as his owner’s conversation becomes more animated, the pet is disturbed from its slumber and glares at the camera filming the action. 

Guy, who moved to Kensington Palace with the Duchess of Sussex in 2017, was adopted by Meghan when she lived in Toronto while starring in Suits, and had been just days away from being put down. A Dog’s Dream Rescue, the dog shelter in Toronto that saved Guy, described how he was placed in a ‘kill shelter’ after being found wandering in the woods in Kentucky in 2015.

Guy is not the only family member making an appearance – Prince Harry is also seen juggling in the background.