Meghan Markle urges young girls to trust their instincts

Meghan Markle has praised the subject of the documentary Cookie Queens and sent a touching message to young girls, encouraging them to “follow your gut.”

The 45-year-old Duchess of Sussex talked candidly about her production company’s documentary during a Q&A session with kids for InStyle, which was published on Saturday. During her talk, Meghan commended the documentary’s participants as “multidimensional and honest” and advised young girls to “follow their instinct.” She added that the girls were able to develop real bonds as a result of the filming experience, remarking, “I think we’re our own little troop!”

Cookie Queens, directed by Alysa Nahmias, made its Sundance Film Festival debut in 2026 prior to its August 7 theatrical release. To bring the story to the big screen, Beautiful Stories and AJNA Films worked with Archewell Productions, the media firm founded by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The documentary centers on four girls vying for top-seller status in the Girl Scouts’ profitable cookie-selling program, which is described as a place where “childhood and ambition collide.”

The Duchess previously supported the project on stage at Sundance back in January. Addressing the crowd, she said, “This film is probably the cutest at the festival, but I’m also going to go out on a limb and say it is one of the most powerful and meaningful depictions of something that is an American tradition and rooted in nostalgia.”

Meghan Markle lauded filmmaker Nahmias for capturing “something modernized about the girlhood experience and all the layers of complexity that come with that,” giving her credit for recognizing the nuances of girlhood while presenting it in a fresh, contemporary light.

Archewell Productions, which Harry and Meghan founded in 2020, remains a Netflix partner. Its projects include Harry & Meghan, With Love, Meghan, Heart of Invictus, Polo, and Live to Lead, which highlights interviews with notable leaders.