Meghan Markle Reveals She’s ‘Frightened’ of When Archie and Lilibet Will Start Using Social Media — ‘It Worries Me’
Meghan Markle shared what she’s afraid of for her and Prince Harry’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The answer? Social Media. During a discussion as part of their October 11 New York visit, the Duchess of Sussex admitted although she and the Duke of Sussex’s kids are “really young,” the idea of them someday using social media “worries” her.
Harry and Meghan hosted a panel discussion on social media use as part of World Mental Health Day
Returning to New York City, New York, for the first time since a “near catastrophic car chase” in May 2023, Harry and Meghan marked World Mental Health Day. On Oct. 10, 2023, they hosted the Archewell Foundation’s first-ever in-person event at Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival. It was titled ‘The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age.’
Harry and Meghan spoke to parents about mental health challenges associated with social media. Guests included many parents who have not only spent the last year working with the couple but have experienced tragedy related to their child’s own social media use.
The couple were also joined by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy alongside moderator and Project Healthy Minds board member Carson Daly.
Meghan expressed her concern about Archie and Lili’s social media use being ‘in front of’ her and Harry as parents
“As a mom of two young kids, after the stories that we heard today from these families that you’ve gotten to know over the past year and the work that Archewell is doing in this space,” Daly asked Meghan, “where is this on the priority list, not as a kick-a** woman, but as a mom? Excuse my French.”
Archie and Lili, who haven’t been seen publicly since a family outing for the Fourth of July, are 4 and 2, respectively.
“As parents, though our kids are really young … social media is not going away,” Meghan replied (via Express). “I think by design, there was an entry point that was supposed to be positive in creating community and something has devolved, and there’s no way to hear that and not try to help these families have their stories be heard.”
“Being a mom is the most important thing in my entire life. Outside, of course, being a wife to this one,” she said, referring to Harry. “But I will say I feel fortunate that our children are at an age, again quite young, so this isn’t in our immediate future. But I also feel frightened at how it’s continuing to change, and this will be in front of us.”
“They say being a parent, the days are long but the years are short, so it worries me,” she added. “But I’m also given a lot of hope and energy by the progress we’ve made in the past year being able to have these incredible parents, these survivors of these experiences, share their stories. And the more information gathering we’re able to do, the more we can move the needle a little bit.”
Meghan previously said she stopped going on social media for her ‘own self-preservation’
While she’s worried about Archie and Lili’s future social media use, Meghan hasn’t gone online herself “for a very long time.” During a virtual chat as part of Fortune’s 2020 Most Powerful Next Gen Summit, she explained her reasoning.
“For my own self-preservation, I have not been on social media for a very long time,” Meghan said (via Reuters). “I had a personal account years ago, which I closed down. Then we had one through the institution and our office that was in the U.K. that wasn’t managed by us. That was a whole team. And so I think that comes with the territory for the job you have.”
“I’ve made a personal choice to not have any account. So I don’t know what’s out there. And [in] many ways that’s helpful for me,” she continued. “I have a lot of concerns for people that have become obsessed with it. And it is so much a part of our daily culture for so many people that it’s an addiction like many others.”
Since then, Meghan’s teased a return to Instagram. Meanwhile, speculation continues as to whether or not she’ll someday relaunch The Tig, her former lifestyle blog.
