After going through hell in the royal family, Meghan Markle has found her new path in life!

In a lengthy Us Weekly cover story on Wednesday, sources opened up about how the Duchess of Sussex has found her new purpose after taking her Prince Charming and going home. Noting that she’s gone through many career changes in her past, a family friend told the outlet:

“You’re established in one world and then you enter another and your narrative is dictated by external forces.”

After leaving the royal family, Meghan and Prince Harry made a splash by doing several media projects and interviews, but it quickly became apparent none of it was panning out the way they had hoped. Their podcast, their Netflix deal, nothing was hitting.

In recent months, however, the Suits alum has clearly been preparing for her next shot. Not only is she teasing the launch of her lifestyle company American Rivera Orchards, but she’s also taking pointers from Hollywood powerhouses like Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow. She joined them and others at the house of broker Amy Griffin for a one-day business summit in July, an insider dished:

“Meghan was there to network. She was very kind and humble and eager to learn.”

Over the summer, she’s also gotten more involved with various charity organizations, like The Parents’ Network, a campaign to protect kids from online harm. She and her hubby also made a trip to Colombia. A second insider reflected:

“Meghan has transitioned from actress to royal to entrepreneur. She’s worn many hats, but she believes age and experience have [prepared her] for a bigger purpose in life. She’s very happy with the role she’s carved out.”

It was important for her to take the time to process everything and come up with a new plan of action after her initial media blitz post-royals, the family friend acknowledged:

“After Spare, [Harry and Meghan] realized, ‘OK, we’re ready to move on. We want to focus on our future. We can have meaning and importance separate from the lives we had previously.’”

They added:

“Meghan doesn’t harbor any negative feelings. She just wants peace, and knows you can’t find peace if you harbor resentments.”

She seemed to address this herself earlier this month in Colombia, saying:

“So much of how I approach things is less about the fight and more about how do we show up in the space and wash things over with love and kindness and generosity.”

Take her feud with Princess Catherine, for example. While she was happy to wish her well amid her cancer diagnosis, Meghan and Harry have not spoken out about other royal matters — and that’s on purpose. The family friend dished:

“Meghan’s team gets asked daily to comment on stuff that has nothing to do with their lives now. They have left it behind.”

She’s also left some of her own family members behind, like controversial father Thomas Markle, the first source said:

“Meghan still has no contact with her dad. She does not plan on having a relationship with him, and he has not met his grandkids. That ship has sailed.”

Instead, she leans on her pals and “has a great group of friends who are all successful in their own ways who she really trusts.” This includes Serena Williams and Ellen DeGeneres plus other local moms she meets up with regularly. The first insider added that she’s “very close” with neighbor and Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd while a second insider said she’s befriended entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima, cofounder of IT Cosmetics.

Things are a bit more difficult for Harry. He “has a small [group] of close friends,” the second source shared, claiming he prefers to keep his inner circle small for “understandable reasons.” While that may be true, we have been hearing his UK friends don’t like his wife and that’s a big reason he’s become more lonely. Not to mention, most live in the UK, and he had to move to California — so that can’t be easy! Regardless, it sounds like he’ll always put his family first, the source went on:

“He’ll always be fond of his home country, but the way he views it, his wife and kids are his priority. If that means making sure they’re safe and happy in Montecito, then he supports that.”

The husband and wife are both very hands-on parents who want their kids Archie and Lilibet to have normal childhoods despite their fame, the family friend continued:

“They take the kids to school, they pick them up, and they are very active and present with them throughout the day.”

Referencing the Duke’s battle for security in the UK, the family friend insisted the children are going to stay out of the spotlight for their safety, noting:

“I think every parent wants to share their kid with the world, but they just can’t. … [Prince] William’s kids, for example, have way more safety, even though they’re recognizable. And the same doesn’t apply to Meghan and Harry’s children. They know the world wants to see [them but] I would expect them to live smaller lives until that gets sorted, if it ever does.”

It sounds like the kids may not even understand their royal heritage yet, as the friend pointed out, “they’ll have those conversations in due time.” Right now, Meg and Harry want the little ones to feel loved for who they are:

“They’re so well-mannered. Archie is sweet and curious and playful, and Lili is vibrant and happy.”

The second source added that the parents are happy just being parents right now. Thankfully they apparently have plenty of time despite working on their Archewell Foundation campaigns and launching their business ventures. But as the kids get older, anything is possible:

“Afterwards who’s to say? But I think the focus is very much on raising their two children.”

And staying on the same page really helps. Meghan and Harry have been leaning on each other for support this whole time, the friend shared:

“They’re so in sync. Throughout their relationship, they’ve stood together no matter what.”

The second insider revealed that they enjoy downtime together and try to keep a positive mindset and are motivated to do their best work always, saying:

“It’s rooted in the bonds they share together.”

As for their new life in California, they do a lot of low-key activities like gardening, hiking, and cooking. The second insider described it as “a California lifestyle.” What, they don’t garden in Merry Old England??

While it was no doubt difficult to walk away from the royal family, they do have a big bonus now. They can work on “projects they are passionate about as opposed to being given projects to do,” making the work “more personal,” the second insider dished. Good point!

Along with The Parents’ Network, Meghan is working on her new initiative, the Welcome Project, which helps empower female refugees from Afghanistan. A third source who has worked with the former actress told the outlet:

“Female advocacy remains a centerpiece of her philanthropic intent.”

She’s also looking forward to launching her lifestyle brand sometime early next year, around the time her new Netflix series is supposed to premiere. The second source expressed:

“[ARO] will likely be very much in line with who Meghan is as a person. She loves hosting events, and she’s very thoughtful about how she treats her guests whenever they come over.”

The third insider said her series “is going to be a take on her and the joy of living,” including “little things she’s learned in terms of being a modern-day hostess.” It’s been rumored Harry may make an appearance. For now, the sources just promised there would be many familiar faces joining in.

So, Meghan has a lot on her plate coming up — but she’s NOT planning to run for office, return to acting, or write a memoir despite rampant rumors, the third confidant maintained. She’s just being Meghan:

“Meghan’s in the middle of her story right now.”

Maybe one day! Right now, a big passion of the 43-year-old’s is simply to give back, the family friend added:

“She knows her life would be extraordinarily different if she did not marry who she married. There is privilege and so much room to do good. She wants to meet the moment and make good on her good fortune.”

The friend noted that it was hard for her to “be herself” in the royal household which is why this change of pace is so refreshing, they shared:

“Most people are not really allowed to be themselves — if you’ve watched The Crown, I think that’s pretty understood.”

That’s why she’s so excited about this moment:

“There’s air and space and room. She can just be who she is.”

It’s certainly an exciting time with so much still to come from Meg! We just hope her business ventures and media projects are more successful this time around! Otherwise, she’s gonna have to come up with a whole new plan!