In a deeply personal interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Meghan Markle shared her harrowing experience with suicidal thoughts triggered by relentless online bullying during her time as a senior royal. Meghan, alongside her husband Prince Harry, discussed their new initiative, The Parents Network, which aims to support parents dealing with the repercussions of social media on their children.
Meghan, 43, and Harry, 39, sat down with Jane Pauley to discuss the launch of their program under the Archewell Foundation. “All you want to do as parents is protect them,” Meghan said. “And so as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there. We’re just happy to be able to be a part of a change for good.”
Harry added, “At this point, we’ve got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder. Even the best first responders in the world wouldn’t be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of it.”
The discussion took a poignant turn as Meghan reflected on her struggles. She revealed that during her pregnancy with their son Archie, now five, she experienced intense online harassment that led to suicidal thoughts. “There is a through line, I think. When you’ve been through any level of pain or trauma, part of our healing journey is being able to be really open about it,” Meghan said. “I haven’t really scraped the surface on my experience, but I do think I would never want someone else to feel that way and I would never want someone else to be making those sorts of plans”, told Page Six.
Meghan emphasized the importance of sharing her story to help others. “If me voicing what I have overcome will save someone or encourage someone in their life to really, genuinely check in on them and not assume ‘the appearance is good, so everything is OK,’ then that’s worth it. I’ll take a hit for that.”
The Parents Network, which officially launched on Sunday, aims to provide a safe and supportive community for parents whose children have been harmed by social media. The initiative is now available in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada following a two-year pilot program. “Over the past two years, our team has engaged deeply with parents and young people about the repercussions of social media on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being,” said James Holt, executive director of Archewell. “We believe in the transformative power of community, and that is why we have created this network.”
The interview marks the first joint televised sit-down for Harry and Meghan since their explosive March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. During that conversation, they disclosed their struggles with the royal family and their reasons for stepping down as senior royals.
Meghan also addressed the impact of online bullying on her mental health during her pregnancies. “The bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili, and with a newborn with each of them,” she said at the SXSW Conference earlier this year. “It’s not catty, it’s cruel. And why you would do that, certainly, when you’re pregnant, with a newborn, we all know as moms, it’s such a tender and sacred time.”
Looking ahead, Harry and Meghan plan to continue their advocacy work. They are scheduled to travel to Colombia later this year for the World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children. The trip, confirmed by Colombia’s vice president Francia Márquez, will include visits to Bogota, Cartagena, and Cali.
The couple’s commitment to addressing social media’s impact on youth remains a focal point of their philanthropic efforts. “Our kids are young – they’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing,” Meghan shared. “But all you want to do as parents is protect them. So as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good.”