Meghan Markle recently became the subject of conversation on a now-unavailable episode of The India Hicks Podcast. The guest in question, American actress Brooke Shields, made comments about the Duchess of Sussex that sparked attention online and reportedly led to the podcast episode’s removal.
During the episode, Shields spoke about participating in the same SXSW panel as Meghan Markle in March 2024. The event, titled “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen,” was moderated by journalist Katie Couric.
“Katie opened with a question for Meghan, and Meghan began talking about how she was already advocating for women from a young age,” Shields recalled during the podcast interview with India Hicks.
Shields Called Meghan’s Story “Too Precious”
The actress elaborated, noting that Markle recounted a well-known anecdote from her childhood—how, at age 11, she took issue with a commercial that implied dishwashing was a woman’s job.
“It just felt too precious,” Shields remarked, adding, “I remember thinking, ‘People aren’t going to sit through 45 minutes of someone being that precious and serious.’”
Shields contrasted the Duchess’ serious tone by injecting humor. To lighten the atmosphere, she told the audience that at the same age, instead of writing advocacy letters, she was acting as a child prostitute in her controversial breakout role in Pretty Baby (1978).
According to Shields, her humorous take sparked laughter and helped “relax” the entire room.
— Anne – Duchess Of Success (@TheDuchessZone) June 10, 2025
Podcast Episode Mysteriously Taken Down
The podcast episode has since disappeared from India Hicks’ Substack page. Attempts to access the link result in a “page not found” message, and multiple sources—including E! Online, The Independent, and People—report that the episode may have been removed. Neither Hicks nor Shields has publicly addressed the removal or offered clarification.
Shields Recalled Meghan’s Advocacy Story in Detail
Shields described Meghan’s retelling of her early activism, a story the Duchess has shared numerous times in the past—including at the United Nations in 2015. Meghan recalled challenging a Procter & Gamble dish soap commercial that stated, “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.” After her complaint, the brand updated the slogan to say, “People all over America.”
Shields told Hicks that while Meghan was sharing the story, she felt the tone was overly serious. “She just kept saying, ‘When I was 11…’ over and over,” Shields said, noting that she tried to interject humor without being disrespectful.
Brooke concluded that while she respected Meghan’s advocacy, she wanted to keep the panel engaging and relatable for the audience by highlighting her own different path as a child actor.
No Response from Meghan Markle or Brooke Shields
As of now, Meghan Markle has not issued any public reaction to Shields’ remarks. Similarly, Brooke Shields has not commented on the episode’s apparent removal or the online reaction surrounding it.
India Hicks, who hosts the podcast, is herself connected to British royalty—being the daughter of Lady Pamela Hicks and the goddaughter of King Charles III.
Despite the controversy, Meghan’s story remains an iconic part of her public persona, representing the start of her journey in women’s advocacy and social impact.
