Meghan Markle breaks silence on media scrutiny: It's been 'really challenging'

Meghan Markle has found the past year "really challenging."

The Duchess of Sussex and her husband, Prince Harry, were interviewed by ITV News at Ten anchor Tom Bradby for the upcoming new documentary, "Harry & Meghan: An African Journey," where she opened up for the first time about what it's been like navigating marriage, pregnancy and motherhood amid incessant media coverage about her life.

"Look, any woman, especially when they're pregnant, you're really vulnerable," Meghan said carefully in a clip that aired exclusively on "GMA" on Friday morning. "And so that was made really challenging, and then, when you have a new born, you know?"

"Especially as a woman, it's really -- it's a lot," the duchess added. "So, you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom and trying to be a newlywed."

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She also made sure to thank Bradby for even asking how she's holding up, as it's evidently a question that she hasn't gotten very often.

"And also thank you for asking, because not many people will have asked if I'm okay," she said. "But it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

Bradby then asked if "it would be fair to say [you're] not really okay? It's really been a struggle?" to which Meghan replied, "yes."

While it shouldn't be a surprise that Meghan has been struggling with the constant barrage of international headlines, as we seemingly knew that from the fact that both she and Harry are "taking legal action" against certain British tabloids for crossing the line on their reporting, this is the first time that she's truly spoken out about what's been labeled "bullying" by those closest to her.

"Harry & Meghan: An African Journey" was filmed during the couple's recent 10-day royal tour of Africa and will air on Wednesday, October 23, at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.