Meghan's Reading List: The Books She Loved on The Tig
The Duchess of Sussex is a devoted reader. Here are the books Meghan Markle recommended on The Tig: her 'Badass Reading List' and the titles that shaped her.
Long before she was a duchess, Meghan Markle was a reader, the sort who presses favourite books on friends and keeps a running list of the ones that changed her. On her lifestyle blog The Tig, she shared those recommendations generously, and the resulting Meghan Markle book recommendations offer a genuine glimpse of the mind behind the public figure: curious, self-improving, and drawn to writing about purpose, kindness and living well.
In 2016 she went so far as to publish a “Badass Reading List” on The Tig: the books, as she put it, that had shaped who she became. It is a warm, aspirational little canon, heavy on motivation and meaning, and it holds up beautifully as an autumn reading list for anyone who wants a taste of the Duchess’s own shelf.
Here are the standout titles Meghan has recommended, what each one is about, and why it clearly spoke to her.
The Tig and the “Badass Reading List”
Reading ran right through The Tig (2014 to 2017), the lifestyle blog we explore in full in our piece on The Tig, Meghan’s lifestyle blog. Alongside the food and travel, Meghan regularly shared the books she was loving, and in 2016 gathered a set of them into a now much-quoted “Badass Reading List.”
The through-line is unmistakable: these are books about motivation, self-belief, gentle philosophy and living with intention. There is very little fiction-for-escape here and a great deal of wisdom-for-living, a reading list assembled by someone actively trying to grow. That, more than any single title, is the tell.
The Motivation Manifesto, by Brendon Burchard
Top of the list, and the one Meghan spoke about most warmly, is The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard. A 2014 call-to-arms about reclaiming personal freedom, it is aimed squarely at anyone worn down by self-doubt and distraction.
Meghan recommended it for exactly that reader: the one, in her words, annoyed by their own hesitation and “the noise that keeps you from reaching your potential.” It is the most on-brand choice imaginable for a young woman building a blog, a career and a public voice all at once, and it remains a bracing read for anyone at a turning point.
The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz
Another Tig favourite is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, a slim, much-loved book of Toltec wisdom that has sold millions worldwide. Its premise is simple: adopt four life principles (be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best) and life gets clearer.
Its appeal to Meghan is easy to see. It is a book about how to move through the world with integrity and a thick skin, useful counsel for anyone, and especially for someone stepping into a life of relentless public scrutiny. Gentle, quotable and quietly tough, it is a natural fit for her reading list.
The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff
For something lighter but no less wise, Meghan recommended The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, the charming little classic that explains the principles of Taoism through the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh. It is philosophy with a smile: the idea that simplicity, ease and being true to your nature are their own kind of wisdom.
That a busy, ambitious woman would treasure a book about doing less and worrying less is rather lovely. It rounds out the list’s harder-edged motivation titles with a note of calm, and it is the sort of book you can return to for a lifetime and find something new each time.
The Opposite of Loneliness, by Marina Keegan
A more poignant choice is The Opposite of Loneliness, the posthumous collection of essays and stories by Marina Keegan, the gifted young writer who died at 22, days after graduating from Yale. The title essay, on the promise and possibility of being young, went viral after her death and gives the book its aching power.
It is a book about potential and urgency, about making something of the time you have, and its presence on the list adds real depth. Among the pep talks and philosophy sits a genuinely moving meditation on ambition and mortality, a reminder that Meghan’s reading tastes ran to the tender as well as the triumphant.
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Finally, a timeless one: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the most translated book in the French language and one of the best-loved fables ever written. On the surface a children’s story, it is really a gentle adult meditation on love, loss and seeing clearly: “what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Its inclusion is the most heart-on-sleeve pick of all. This is a book people return to at every stage of life, finding new meaning each time, and it speaks to a sentimental, big-hearted streak in the Duchess that the tougher motivation titles almost disguise. It is also, happily, a beautiful gift.
What her reading list reveals
Taken together, Meghan’s Tig reading list paints a coherent portrait: a woman drawn to books about purpose, resilience, kindness and living deliberately. There is ambition here, but also tenderness; self-improvement, but also philosophy and heart. It is the shelf of someone building herself on purpose.
It is also, usefully, a genuinely good reading list: five titles that reward the time, whatever you make of the public figure who recommended them. For more in this vein, Queen Camilla’s literary mission through The Queen’s Reading Room offers another royal reading list worth following. Browse more of our British Living stories for the good-life side of royal-adjacent style.
Frequently asked questions
What books did Meghan Markle recommend?
On her blog The Tig, Meghan Markle recommended titles including The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
What is Meghan Markle’s “Badass Reading List”?
In 2016, Meghan published a “Badass Reading List” on The Tig, a collection of books she said had shaped who she became. It leaned heavily towards motivation, self-belief and living with intention rather than escapist fiction.
What is Meghan Markle’s favourite book?
Meghan has spoken particularly warmly about The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard, recommending it for anyone held back by self-doubt and distraction. She has also cited gentler favourites such as The Tao of Pooh and The Little Prince.
Does Meghan Markle like to read?
Yes. The Duchess of Sussex is a well-documented and enthusiastic reader who shared frequent book recommendations on her blog The Tig and has spoken about the influence of books on her outlook and ambitions.
Are Meghan Markle’s book recommendations worth reading?
Meghan’s list is a well-regarded mix of motivation, philosophy and modern classics, from Brendon Burchard’s self-development writing to Marina Keegan’s moving essays and the timeless The Little Prince. Each stands on its own merits as a rewarding read.
Where can I buy the books on Meghan’s reading list?
All the titles on Meghan’s Tig reading list (The Motivation Manifesto, The Four Agreements, The Tao of Pooh, The Opposite of Loneliness and The Little Prince) are widely available in print and eBook, including on Amazon.
Book recommendations are drawn from Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’s blog The Tig and widely published accounts of her reading; titles and authors are as recorded.
