Prince Harry speaks out on Meghan Markle being ‘the most trolled person in the world’

Meghan Markle has never enjoyed the widespread public favour often afforded to other senior royals.

Since joining the Royal Family, she has remained a polarising figure—praised by some for her modern approach but also relentlessly criticised by sections of the public and press.

Now, Prince Harry is shedding light on just how severe that backlash became.

Speaking at the Nexus Global Summit in New York, the Duke of Sussex revealed that in 2018, Meghan was “the most trolled person in the world.”

During the summit, Harry reflected on how their experiences with the digital world influenced the work of their Archewell Foundation. Addressing those in attendance he spoke about the importance of tackling online harm and building healthier online spaces.

Harry explained that while the digital space wasn’t an obvious area of focus for them initially, it quickly became clear how damaging it could be, not only to individuals, but to broader social progress.

“It wasn’t something that was sexy, it wasn’t something that we were necessarily passionate about, but it became very clear to us very quickly, speaking to a lot of experts, that for all the work we are collectively doing, and all the progress we are achieving – if the digital world is not done responsibly, it’s going to turn back that progress. And we can see that with climate change,” he said as per The Daily Mail.

“We started to meet a lot of parents who had lost their kids to social media – the majority through suicide – and that’s when it really started to make sense to us.”

He said Meghan’s experience made the issue feel personal.

“One of the reasons why the digital world was so important to us is because my wife, in 2018, was the most trolled person in the world. There was a lived experience, but at no point did we suddenly think ‘OK, well, let’s take this industry on’,” he said.

Harry’s comments come shortly after Meghan paid tribute to her husband for giving her “a lifetime of stories” after the couple recently marked their seventh wedding anniversary.

Meghan shared on Instagram a mood board that included pictures of their children Archie and Lilibet.

“Seven years of marriage. A lifetime of stories. Thanks to all of you (whether by our side, or from afar) who have loved and supported us throughout our love story – we appreciate you. Happy anniversary!” she captioned the post.

 

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A post shared by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (@meghan)

The photos spanned the couple’s time together – from early selfies in London to private moments such as Archie’s ultrasound scan and their trip to Botswana.

The board featured snaps from their wedding day, as well as a handwritten lyric sheet of Ben E King’s song Stand by Me, which was performed at their ceremony in St George’s Chapel.

Among other photos was a previously unseen picture of Meghan’s coat of arms, designed in collaboration with the College of Arms and approved by the late Queen Elizabeth when Meghan became a duchess upon marrying Harry.

The post also had images of Archie, now six, and Princess Lilibet.

If you or anyone you know needs help: Lifeline — 13 11 14; MensLine Australia — 1300 789 978; BeyondBlue — 1300 224 636; Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467; Headspace — 1800 650 890; Kids Helpline — 1800 551 800.