The common saying ‘friends are the family you choose’ has never rung so true than for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Sussexes, who stepped down as senior members of the British royal family in 2020, have strained relationships on both sides of the family, between Harry’s estrangement from his brother and father and Meghan not on speaking terms with her father Thomas.
Instead, the couple have surrounded their young children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, with a ‘chosen’ Californian family to dote on them in their Montecito mansion. Thousands of miles away from their aunt and uncle, the Prince and Princess of Wales – and grandfather King Charles – Archie and Lili are now growing up with a series of ‘surrogate‘ relatives after their parents rejected the royals.
Archie and Lilibet also have no relationship with any of the women on Meghan’s side who could be called their aunts. Meghan has one half-sister, Samantha Markle, through her father Thomas Markle Snr’s side – but has cut off ties with both of them.
The Duchess’s half-brother Thomas Markle Jnr has been married twice, but Meghan has also had no relationship with him since well before she wed Prince Harry in 2018.
Their famous ‘aunties’ now include hairdresser Kadi Lee, who recently appeared on Meghan’s podcast, and tennis legend Serena Williams, while their ‘uncle’ is now the Duchess’s best friend and make-up artist, Daniel Martin.
But it’s not only the couple’s young children who have forged a second family abroad – Prince Harry himself is said to have grown close both to a ‘second father’ in the form of David Foster and ‘second mother’ after his move to the US.
Harry has also formed a close relationship with Doria Ragland – with a royal source revealing that the Duke of Sussex has grown incredibly close to Doria, who has been a ‘tower of strength’ for the couple over the past few years.
Meghan’s hairstylist Kadi Lee is the most recently mentioned member of the Sussexes’s ‘surrogate family’ – with the Duchess revealing that Archie and Lilibet call her ‘auntie’ in the latest episode of her podcast.
Kadi runs the Highbrow Hippie salon in the bohemian LA neighbourhood of Venice, with her clients including Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Sigourney Weaver.
She styled Meghan’s hair for the LA children’s hospital gala in October, the ESPN Espy Awards in July and the Invictus Games in February – but the two are now more than just hairdresser and customer.
They are known to be good friends, having reportedly marked the Duchess’ 42nd birthday together with belated celebrations.
In the third episode of her podcast Confessions Of A Female Founder, Meghan interviewed her friend and described the hair stylist as an ‘auntie’ to her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Meanwhile Lee called herself ‘Super Aunt’, adding that she had no children.
In the podcast, Meghan asked Lee: ‘Let’s imagine and assume when you sell, because you will, and it’ll be a great day of celebration, what would you do in your next chapter?’
Lee replied: ‘Oh gosh, I want to kind of go back to my English major roots. I want to get some writing done, I’d like to live in another country – perhaps my native land of Jamaica, maybe I’ll try a stint in Europe.
‘I’m just a really naturally curious person. I was not blessed with kids, I’m still holding out hope I might be a step-mama one day, but for right now I’m just Super Aunt!’
Meghan said: ‘I mean our kids love Auntie Kadi, it’s just our favourite when they run out, your car, it’s like “Kadi!”.’
Lee added: ‘I know, I feel like I look for them first!’
Also in the new podcast episode, Meghan branded American Riviera Orchard, the former name of her lifestyle business, a ‘word salad’, adding: ‘I didn’t love that so much.’
Meghan with poet Cleo Wade (left) and Kadi Lee (right) to celebrate her 42nd birthday in 2023
Meghan with Kadi Lee and her hair stylist Serge Normant at the Highbrow Hippie event in Venice, California, in November 2024
The duchess said the pair met in 2020 – the year of Megxit when Meghan and the Duke of Sussex quit the working monarchy for a new life in the US – and told of her attempts to dye her own hair at home during the pandemic.
Meghan said: ‘It was 2020 – it was very much 2020.’
She added: ‘My family had just moved to California. We were staying in our friend’s home and, because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye, and I thought I’m gonna look just like she does on the box.
‘And instead it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.’
Lee, who was called in at the time to help Meghan with her hair, said: ‘I remember meeting you guys, and you were so warm and both you and H wrapped us up in these big bear hugs and I was like ‘I don’t even know these people and I’m not a hugger but let’s do it’.’
Reflecting on having to close her hair salon during the pandemic, Lee added: ‘It felt like such whiplash and it felt like, gosh we cannot get a break, you know?’
Meghan laughed and added: ‘Oh, I understand.’
The Duchess promoted the Highbrow Hippie brand during the podcast, saying: ‘Look at you now – I mean, the name Highbrow Hippie is no longer just a blog and a hair salon, it’s a product line too.
‘You have a hair supplement and hair serum that you just launched late last year, and it’s already been named best hair serum by Oprah Daily.’
Meghan was pictured at the launch party for the firm’s new hair wellness range in California in November 2024 amid reports she was financially backing Lee’s venture.
In November last year, Meghan attended the glitzy launch party for Kadi’s new wellness range at the celeb-loved restaurant Gjelina in Venice, California.
Speaking about her investment, Meghan, who is also an investor in trendy oat latte brand Clevr Blends and handbag label Cesta Collective, said: ‘I am so proud to invest in [Kadi] as a friend and as a female founder.’
She told InStyle: ‘Kadi has a mastery of hair health, and her Highbrow Hippie collection is a perfect reflection of that.’
Meghan and the celeb colourist are believed to have met through celeb hairstylist Serge Normant, who famously styled the former actress’ hair for her wedding ceremony in 2018.
Kadi and her friend Myka Harris founded their salon in 2019 following the success of their shared blog.
In May 2023, the salon revealed that Meghan had booked in for a hair colouring session with Kadi ahead of the Women of Vision awards in New York.
Delving into the Duchess’ treatment, Kadi – who charges $550 for full Balayage – hinted that Meghan goes to the salon for regular gloss treatments to maintain her hair’s health.
‘Auntie’ Serena Williams
Serena Williams has also become an ‘auntie’ for Harry and Meghan’s children. Pictured together in July
It’s not the first time Meghan has applied the ‘auntie’ label to one of her friends.
Serena Williams is so close with the Sussexes that she has also become known as ‘Auntie Serena’ by their children.
In March, Meghan Markle started the countdown to her Netflix show premiere by playing a personalised board game with Lilibet.
The Duchess of Sussex was joined by ‘Auntie’ Serena Williams for a game of Candy Land with the three-year-old princess.
Meghan, 43, posted a clip on her Instagram of the trio to the backdrop of Bill Withers’ Lovely Day as she wrote: ‘When the aunties come to celebrate… and to play! Love you @serenawilliams.’
Lilibet can be seen wearing a baby pink matching pair of leggings and top in the short clip on the social media platform.
Tennis star Serena sits next to her in a raspberry pink outfit smiling and clapping at the princess in a sweet moment captured on video.
Meghan, Lilibet and Serena played a personalised boardgame together, and Meghan referred to her as ‘auntie’
The tennis legend, 43, took to her Instagram Story to share the ‘best surprise of the day’ as she unveiled a hamper from the Duchess of Sussex ‘s lifestyle brand, As Ever
In another photo Meghan, dressed in a navy blue pyjama set with white pin stripes, leans over Lilibet with a Candy Land pink box – emblazoned with her and her sibling Archie’s names on the front – carefully positioned on a table in front.
Serena was one of the lucky few to receive a treat-filled package from Meghan’s brand, As Ever.
The tennis legend, 43, took to her Instagram Story earlier this month to share the ‘best surprise of the day’ as she unveiled a hamper from the Duchess of Sussex‘s lifestyle brand, As Ever.
The ornately curated box – which has also been sent to A-listers including Mindy Kaling, Zoe Saldaña and Kris Jenner – featured a selection of products, including her signature Montecito ‘jam’.
‘I’m so excited for this,’ the athlete, who has 23 Grand Slam titles, could be heard saying. ‘Jam… oh my gosh, crepes!’
Serena was also delighted to see the mix of herbal teas included in the package.
‘You know I love my tea,’ she added cheekily. ‘The one you drink and the one I serve.’
She concluded with thanking Meghan, 43 – who she has been friends with since the Suits days – on her social media.
Meghan even enjoyed a rare lunch out with Williams in March – days ahead of the launch of her Netflix series.
The pair were spotted at the restaurant Tre Luna in Montecito, with the Duchess and 23-time Grand Slam winner both appearing in good spirits.