Illustrated by award-winning artist Christian Robinson, The Bench is about “the special relationship between father and son, as seen through a mother’s eyes.” The author’s name appears as Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. In a statement, she said the inspiration for the picture book came from her husband Prince Harry’s relationship with the couple’s son Archie, who turns 2 later this week, and began as a poem she wrote for Harry on Father’s Day only a month after Archie was born. “That poem became this story,” she said, going on to describe how Christian’s “beautiful and ethereal” watercolor illustrations capture the “warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life.” Diversity of representation was “particularly important” to Meghan, who is currently pregnant with her second child, and said that she and Christian “worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens.” She concluded, “My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine.” Christian Robinson is based in Sacramento and has worked with The Sesame Street Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios. He won a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for his art in the 2016 children’s book Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña. Mallory Loehr of Random House Books for Young Readers Group said, “Christian’s art beautifully matches the tender emotion of Meghan’s words, and every spread is infused with a vibrant sense of joy and love.” The Bench hits bookstores on June 8, and the audiobook will be narrated by Meghan herself. Next up, Princess Charlotte turns 6! See the new snap of William and Kate’s daughter released to mark her birthday.
