Interior Design

Experts reveal the meaning of the crystal on Meghan Markle's desk – and how to use one in your home

When the Duchess of Sussex announced the 40x40 initiative, we couldn't help but notice she was using crystals for home decor

crystals on a desk with chanel coffee table book
(Image credit: Reflections and Glory Ltd)

It won't have escaped your notice that Meghan Markle recently announced her 40x40 initiative, which aims to help women mobilizing back into the workforce. Naturally, all the way through the humorous clip featuring the Duchess and actress Melissa McCarthy, we were pouring over the interiors, from her fiddle leaf fig and her stone fireplace to that enormous crystal sitting on the corner of her desk. 

Once the realm of hippies and students, crystals for home decor are having a luxury makeover thanks to celebrity fans such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Jenna Dewan, and now Meghan Markle. 

Here, we speak to some experts about the significance of the crystal Meghan Markle has in her workspace, and how one could benefit your interior scheme.

Meghan Markle

(Image credit: Alamy)

The specific crystal on the Duchess of Sussex's desk is white quartz, which is said to aid concentration. It's all beginning to make sense – the crystal is simply one of the many home office ideas that encourages productivity for her.

'Meghan Markle’s milky quartz elevates the energy around it,' comments Ashley Cantley, feng shui and home design expert and author. 'Not only that, but it also amplifies existing energy.' 

Ashley says that if you want more of something, then you should place a quartz crystal near it. 'Placing that crystal in her office amplifies her energy, channels more creativity, and enhances business deals,' says Ashley. Perhaps white quartz crystals could help us with our Friday afternoon brain fog...

large crystals on a desk, mounted on gold stands

Raw Crystal Quartz Sculpture Reflections and Glory

(Image credit: Reflections and Glory Ltd)

As well as amplifying existing energy, white quartz is also used for purifying negative energy. In the video on the Archewell Instagram you can see it positioned at the front of her desk, it can be viewed as a spiritual shield to protect Meghan from bad vibes from beyond her work space, which is an area of calm and concentration.

Ashley says the best places to enhance energy in a home with quartz crystals are near windows, so that good energy doesn’t leave the home; in bathrooms, to keep energy from going down the drains; in laundry rooms – particularly if there are no windows; and near fireplaces. 

New York-based interior designer Diana Weinstein often incorporates crystals into her designs. She says clear quartz placed on a desk is intended to help you stay focused.

crystal on side table next to a bed with white sheets

(Image credit: @annanewyork)

'But it doesn’t have to just live in your office space because the crystal is an amplifier and enhances other stones,' Diana says. 'The only recommendation about this stone is that I wouldn’t have it out in my bedroom when I’m having trouble sleeping because it is "chatty".'

Whether you're a crystal convert or a little skeptical, crystals for home decor are certainly aesthetically pleasing in their own right. Meghan's birthday video is likely to lend crystals a renewed status of an interior design trend you need to know about. 

We think Meghan's milky quartz ties in perfectly with the neutral room ideas, from the white roses to the cream Hermès throw, and even Meghan's all-neutral outfit.

Millie Hurst
Section Editor

Millie Hurst is a freelance lifestyle writer with over six years of experience in digital journalism. Having previously worked as Solved Section Editor at Homes & Gardens and Senior SEO Editor at News UK in London and New York, Millie has written for an array of homes brands including Livingetc and Real Homes and was formerly Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home. She has written and edited countless features on home organization, decluttering and interior design and always hopes to inspire readers with new ways to enjoy their homes. She lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and loves to weave nature-inspired decor and nods to time spent in Italy into her own home.