Meghan wrote a children's book inspired by Harry and Archie's father-son bond

Christi Carras
·2 min read
A woman wearing a green hat and dress
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has penned her first children's book. (Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press)

Introducing Meghan, duchess of Sussex and writer of children's books.

The former actress' literary debut, titled "The Bench" and illustrated by Christian Robinson, is set to hit shelves June 8. The book, inspired by the father-son bond between her husband and son, Archie, is based on a Father's Day poem Meghan wrote for Prince Harry a month after welcoming their baby in 2019.

In a statement released Tuesday, Meghan elaborated on her inspirations for the project, as well as her admiration for Robinson, a Los Angeles-bred artist based in Sacramento who received Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Illustrator honors for his work on 2015's "Last Stop on Market Street."

"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," read the duchess' statement.

"[T]his 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.”

A book cover has a watercolor illustration of a tree and a bench and small birds.
The cover of Meghan's debut children's book, "The Bench," illustrated by Christian Robinson. (Random House Children's Books)

The high-profile title will be released by Penguin Random House imprints Random House Children's Books in the United States and Tundra in Canada, as well as by Puffin in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. An audio version of the story, narrated by Meghan, will also be available.

“Meghan’s touching text explores the relationship between fathers and sons and undeniably tugs at the heartstrings that parents and caregivers feel,” said Mallory Loehr, publisher of the Random House Books for Young Readers Group, in a statement.

“Christian’s art beautifully matches the tender emotion of Meghan’s words, and every spread is infused with a vibrant sense of joy and love. The Bench is timeless — it feels destined to become one of those books that people will be reading for generations to come.”

Early excerpts from the picture book, featuring the first watercolor illustrations painted by Robinson, see two young families caring for their children. On one of the pages, a woman resembling Meghan wipes away tears while watching a man in a military uniform resembling Harry spend quality time with their son.

"And here in the window / I'll have tears of great joy," the excerpt reads. "Looking out at My Love / And our beautiful boy."

Read more lines from Meghan's forthcoming book below.

A watercolor shows a woman at a window and a man in camouflage gear tossing a boy in the air.
An excerpt from Meghan's children's book, "The Bench," illustrated by Christian Robinson. (Random House Children's Books)
A watercolor illustration of a man and his child resting by a tree, overlaid with text
An excerpt from Meghan's children's book, "The Bench," illustrated by Christian Robinson. (Random House Children's Books)

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.