Meghan Markle Makes A Rare Comment About Motherhood

While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have successfully kept their two young children out of the spotlight, for the most part, the Duchess of Sussex is keenly aware of the pressure that kids and parents face with social media.

On Oct. 10, the couple attended the first in-person event for their Archewell Foundation, the Mental Wellness in a Digital Age summit. Hosted in New York City, the event focused on the need for safer online spaces, bringing together a panel of parents who’ve experienced loss connected to their children’s social media use.

Per People, the discussion, which was moderated by Carson Daly, eventually turned to the Duke and Duchess’ children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. When asked how she prioritizes the safety of children on social media, Markle made a rare comment about her experience as a mother.

“Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life,” she said, before admitting to feeling fortunate that Archie and Lilibet’s use of social media “isn’t in our immediate future” since they’re still so young.

“They say being a parent, the days are long but the years are short, so it worries me,” Markle continued. “Everyone is affected by the online world and social media. We all want to feel safe. I’m confident that with more ears, awareness, and visibility of what is happening, we can make some significant change together.”

Prince Harry reiterated that committment. “I think for us, for myself and my wife, with kids growing up in a digital age, the priority here is to again turn pain into purpose,” he told attendees.

Harry has previously spoken about the negative effects of social media on children. In 2022, he expressed concerns about how the digital world might one day impact Archie and Lilibet.

“My two little ones are still at their age of innocence,” Harry said at the Global Child Online Safety Toolkit launch. “Sometimes I feel like I can keep them away from the online harm that they could face in the future forever, but I’m learning to know better.”

The couple’s new comments come shortly after Markle shared details about their children’s daily routines at the 2023 Invictus Games. Giving a speech at the event on Sept. 12, the Duchess spoke of “getting our little ones settled at home,” which involved preparing milkshakes and “doing school drop offs.”