This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have launched a new initiative to help families struggling with the impact of social media on their children.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke to Jane Pauley in a new interview. “CBS Sunday Morning” The segment aired on Markle’s birthday, August 4, and discussed new programming through the Archewell Foundation’s Parents Network.
According to a press release from the program, the Parents Network aims to “provide critical support to parents whose children have suffered the harmful effects of social media, faced deadly harm, dealt with ongoing mental health issues, or experienced the tragic loss of a child.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interview: Suicide concerns top of mind for couple in new telly TV show
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared on “CBS Sunday Morning” to talk about their new initiative, “The Parents Network,” which aims to address the impact of social media on families. (Chris Jackson)
During the interview, Markle spoke about her decision to open up about her suicidal thoughts during the couple’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“I think there’s a consistent thread, that no matter what level of pain or trauma we’ve experienced, I believe part of our healing journey, and for me in particular, is being able to really be open about it,” Markle told Pauley.
During her interview with Winfrey, Markle said, “I was really embarrassed to say it at the time and embarrassed to have to admit it to Harry, especially knowing how much loss he’d suffered. But I knew that if I didn’t say it, I would. And I just didn’t say it. I didn’t want to be alive anymore.”
Reflecting on her choice to speak honestly about her thoughts, Markle told Pauley, “I don’t really talk about my experiences on the surface, but I don’t want other people to feel that way, and I don’t want other people to make plans like that, and I definitely don’t want people to not believe what other people have to say.”
“I haven’t really spoken on the surface about my experience, but I don’t want other people to feel that way, I don’t want other people to make those plans, and I definitely don’t want people to not believe what other people have to say,” Markle said on “CBS Sunday Morning.” (Anwar Hussain/WireImage)
Prince Harry reflects on initial reaction to Meghan Markle’s suicidal thoughts: ‘It’s a bit embarrassing’
Markle continued, “So if speaking up about what I’ve been through can help someone or inspire the people in someone’s life to truly care about them from the bottom of their heart and not just assume that if they look good on the outside then everything is OK, then it’s worth it. I’m willing to take a hit for that.”
The Parents Network began as a small two-year pilot program before officially opening to parents in the US, UK and Canada. The network offers free resources and a support network to help parents whose children have been victimized by social media, including those who have lost children to suicide.
“… I think one of the scariest things we’ve learned in the last 15, 17 years, especially recently with social media, is that it could happen to anybody,” Prince Harry said on CBS Sunday Morning.
He continued: “People always say that in the old days, if your kids lived at home, you knew what they were doing and at least they were safe. But now they’re in the next room on their tablet or their phone, going down the rabbit hole and within 24 hours they could be killing themselves.”
Prince Harry pointed out that the negative effects of social media “can happen to absolutely anyone”. (Chris Jackson)
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“We’ve reached the stage at this point where almost every parent needs to be a paramedic and even the best paramedics in the world wouldn’t be able to spot the signs of suicide – that’s the scary thing about this,” the 39-year-old added.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who married in 2018 and have two children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibeth, 3, are constantly concerned about the impact social media can have on their children.
“Our children are three and five and they’re so adorable, but as parents all we want to do is protect our kids and when we look at what’s happening in the online space we know there’s a lot of work to be done and we’re happy to be part of that positive change,” Markle said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibeth. (Getty Images)
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James Holt, executive director of the Archewell Foundation, said in a statement about the Parents Network’s involvement with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, “Over the past two years, our team has been talking in depth with co-founders Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, about the impact of social media on the mental, physical and emotional health of parents and young people. It became very clear that connection and community among people who understand the pain, fear and isolation caused by the impact social media has on children is crucial. We believe in the transformative power of community, which is why we created this network – to connect people facing these challenges and offer mutual support.”
As the program slowly expands, Markle encourages people to think about their own families and children.
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“The simplest thing anyone who sees this and can make a difference can do is [is] “I try to look at it through the lens of, what if it was my daughter? What if it was my son? Our son or daughter comes home and we’re so happy and we love each other, and then one day, under our noses, our whole life changes because of something that’s totally out of our control. If you look at it through the lens of being a parent, there’s no other way to look at it than to try to find a solution.”
