To mark World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2023, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex led the first event of their charitable foundation Archewell. A summit about the dangers of social networking among young people, at which Meghan said she feared for her children Archie, four years old, and Lilibet, two years old.
It’s a real marathon that Meghan and Harry will complete on October 10th in the streets of New York. No time to breathe! After Brooklyn, where they interact with young fellows from the Marcy Lab School, they move on to Hudson Yards. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to chair a parenting summit called “Mental Well-Being in the Digital Age” in this newly constructed Manhattan neighborhood. Nothing was left to chance at the first-ever event organized by her Archewell Foundation. Starting with the topic covered in this sequence: the dangers of social networks for young people. The opportunity for the couple to express their feelings on the issue and give a voice to parents “who have suffered a tragic loss related to their child’s use of social media.”
The time is primarily for listening. In turn, the voices of parents who have suffered similar tragedies are raised. They share their personal stories and their actions to raise awareness about the dangers of the online world such as harassment. “Parents Archewell has worked with over the past year have highlighted the strength and community they have found … to create meaningful change to prevent more families from experiencing this tragedy,” the foundation says on its website. Words that touch the hearts of both Harry and Meghan.
Meghan and Prince Harry with Carson Daly at the Archewell Foundation Parent Summit. © Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds
During his speech, Charles III’s youngest son forgot. not to thank all participants for their poignant statements. “Before you know it, your very healthy, seemingly happy, confident, successful child, who has done nothing wrong, commits suicide.” While Meghan listens intently, Prince Harry doesn’t mince his words. During the discussion led by TV presenter Carson Daly, the father of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet calls for more transparency and awareness from the shareholders of technology companies. By making “a little less profit,” responsible companies could ensure greater security and stop the suffering that social networks can cause, Harry argues. To support their comments, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex contacted America’s Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Together they address “the pervasive reality of youth mental health crisis and the measures that can be taken to protect them.”
Meghan talks about the importance of social media safety for young people. © Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds
Meghan, looking very elegant in a cream ensemble from Altuzarra – a New York ready-to-wear brand – does not hesitate to voice her own fears surrounding the issue. “Being a mother is the most important thing in my entire life… apart from being his wife, of course,” she says, pointing at Harry. Before I continue: “I’m lucky that our children are still quite young. This is certainly not in the immediate future, but I am afraid of the way things continue to change and the fact that one day we will face this situation.” They say that days as parents are long, but the years are short. That worries me.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been preparing for this summit for several weeks. © Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds
A sincere concern that echoes Prince Harry’s comments during his virtual appearance at the 5Rights Foundation’s Global Child Online Safety Toolkit in May 2022. Her husband explained that he hoped his children would “never experience the online world in its current form,” per Today. However, Meghan wants to be optimistic and “full of hope” and highlight the progress made over the past year.
Kate and William also defend the mental health of young people
On the other side of the Atlantic, the mental health of children and young people has also been the subject of much debate for Prince William and his wife Kate. Harry’s older brother, like his sister-in-law Meghan, emphasizes the progress that has been made in the fight against mental health stigma. Although there is still “a lot to do”, especially “concrete measures” to support young people to bring about change. “We know that just talking about our mental health is not enough,” emphasizes the Princess of Wales.
In this ever-changing world, where young people move from social network to social network and deal with current concerns – the threat of conflict, pandemics, climate change or the cost of living – “it is important now (…) to be positive “and find preventative solutions to one of the most difficult challenges of our time.” Young people face so many stresses online that “can have a significant impact on our emotional well-being and our hopes for the future,” recalls Kate. Despite their differences, Wales and Sussex appear to have finally found common ground and the same passion: protecting the new generation and indeed their own children.
Meghan and Harry have made mental health one of their favorite topics. © Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds