Meghan Markle was nervous to interview Paris Hilton because of her 'envy and judgment' of the socialite

• Meghan Markle said she was most nervous to interview Paris Hilton for her podcast "Archetypes."
• Speaking to Variety, the Duchess of Sussex said her nerves stemmed from preconceived judgments.

Meghan Markle said she was most nervous about interviewing Paris Hilton for her podcast, "Archetypes," because of her preconceived notions about the reality star.

Speaking to Variety for the publication's digital cover released on Wednesday, the Duchess of Sussex, 41, discussed her new podcast that aims to dismantle stereotypes often associated with women. Previous guests include Serena Williams, Mindy Kaling, and Mariah Carey, whose episodes centered on the complexities surrounding the word "diva."

When asked who the most challenging interview was, Meghan said it was Hilton, who guest-starred in the series' latest episode that aired Tuesday, titled "Breaking down 'The Bimbo,'" with comedian Iliza Shlesinger. Meghan told Variety's Matt Donnelly the nerves stemmed from judgments she held about Hilton.

"I was the most nervous about her interview. I was embarrassed to admit it, but I've had a judgment about her that's based on everything I've seen," Meghan said. She also said that some of her judgment came from thinking she "didn't grow up pretty."

"I grew up as the smart one. So much of what I ended up thinking about, when I thought about Paris, was envy and judgment — two of the most dangerous things," she told Variety.

In her concluding remarks from the podcast episode, Meghan also said she would question what could "possibly be wrong" with Hilton's life because she was "beautiful, rich, and famous."

"My entire sense of self-confidence was wrapped up in being the smart one, and not the pretty one, I found the way to project all of my judgment and envy onto her," Meghan added. "Envy can be a very dangerous thing."

However, after learning of the trauma Hilton said she experienced as a teen during her time at Provo Canyon School — a correctional school in Utah where the star told The Times of London in 2020 that she was abused — Meghan said her views changed.

Speaking on the podcast, Hilton said she was 16 when her parents sent her to the boarding school that she described as "extremely abusive," both physically and emotionally.

"On a daily basis, it was all about really breaking you down," Hilton said. "It was the most painful, and horrific experience of my life."

"Every day I was praying to god, like, 'please just wake me up from this nightmare,'" she added.

Provo Canyon School changed ownership in 2000 after Hilton had left. Representatives for the school did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, however, a spokesperson previously told People they "cannot comment on the operations or patient experience prior to that time."

"You hear about her trauma and her life and her buying into this persona. Ultimately, I told her, 'I'm really sorry that I judged you.' I wanted her to be safe and comfortable," Meghan told Variety. "That episode is not framed as a defense of Paris; it's the humanization of her."

Throughout the episode, Meghan also touched on how she was treated like a "bimbo" during her short stint as a "briefcase girl" on "Deal or no Deal" in 2006 and she left the experience feeling objectified. She appeared on the show's second season which aired from 2006 to 2007.

"It was solely about beauty and not necessarily about brains," Meghan said. "I was surrounded by smart women on the stage with me, but that wasn't the focus of why we were there, and I would end up leaving with this pit in my stomach."

Representatives for Paris Hilton and Meghan Markle did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.