Meghan Markle, 43, Shares a Powerful Message with Teen Girls, Reveals Charity Co-Founder

Meghan Markle, 43, Describes Herself with This Phrase While Talking to Teen Girls, Charity Co-Founder Says
Meghan Markle is setting an example for mental wellness. Speaking to a group of teenage girls, the Duchess of Sussex recently talked about her experiences and the factors that led her to decide to stop using social media.

Meghan Markle was a memorable guest for a group of young girls at Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara on October 2. The girls were taken by surprise when the Duchess of Sussex joined them for an afternoon of activities without screens.

They colored, played games, created friendship bracelets, and had open discussions about the negative effects of social media. Meghan was present to help launch Social Media U, a new digital wellness project. It is a program created to assist youth in navigating the challenges of living online.

The initiative is a partnership between #HalfTheStory, a nonprofit organization that promotes better interactions with technology, and Girls Inc., a nationwide mentorship and leadership organization.

With the expansion of this relationship nationally, kids nationwide will be able to participate in important discussions about responsible computer use. Meghan wasn’t afraid to bring up difficult subjects while she was there.

In a session with the girls, the Duchess of Sussex talked candidly about her personal experiences with cyberbullying, as #HalfTheStory founder Larissa May told Vanity Fair. “We did an activity where we talked through a bunch of scenarios,” Larissa explained, and “Meghan talked about being one of the most bullied people in the world.”

The girls enthusiastically engaged with the topic during the session as well. “We had girls wave these little emoji signs and talk about how each one of these scenarios would have impacted them emotionally,” Larissa said.

Since then, fans have responded in a variety of ways to Meghan’s open disclosures. Empathic messages flooded in, with one individual adding, “Giving Meghan hugs.” Yes, she has endured far too much mistreatment. I don’t have time to be critical of others.

The discussion continued after that. Meghan’s supporters also expressed their dissatisfaction. One user said, “These offensive remarks are the exact reason she must give this speech. You guys are always eager to criticize her, regardless of what she does. Since you don’t know her, please let her live.

A few of the answers were more measured. While acknowledging that “I’m not a big fan of hers personally,” one participant also mentioned that “the internet has not been her friend.” Although Meghan “probably made mistakes in her life,” the individual admitted that most people do not have the luxury of solitude like she does.

Meghan’s personal experiences with bullying, the social media user added, might “help a lot of these young girls in learning how to deal with it.” The individual came to the conclusion, “If she can help change their story, then good on her,” in light of the increase in youth suicides brought on by cyberbullying.

Not everyone agreed, even with the support. As one individual put it, “I think Camilla receives a lot more criticism, yet she quietly endures it and continues to do her duty, representing the Crown.” Meghan’s experience was even likened to that of Queen Camilla.

Meghan’s dedication to helping young girls is unwavering, even as her recent disclosure about her battles with cyberbullying continues to elicit responses.

This new project has financial assistance from a number of well-known backers. This includes Melinda French Gates’s Pivotal Ventures, the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, and Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation.

Meghan and Prince Harry have been using their personal experiences with internet harassment and false information to motivate serious action for the past four years.

During an August appearance with “CBS News,” the pair talked about the risks associated with social media and their work to help families who have been harmed online. “Our children are young. Three and five are their ages. “They’re incredible,” Markle remarked.

“As parents, your only goal is to keep kids safe. We are therefore aware that much work remains to be done in the internet realm, and we are just grateful to be able to contribute to positive change,” she continued.

Along with their campaigning, the pair has started a program called The Parents Network through the Archewell Foundation to support parents whose kids have been negatively impacted by the negative effects of the digital world.

Meghan Markle discussed the severity of the online harassment she experienced during a vulnerable time during the SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas, in March 2024. She disclosed that the worst of the harassment happened during her pregnancy and the early years of her daughter Princess Lilibet and son Prince Archie.

Meghan spoke about the negative impact social media had on her wellbeing during the “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives” panel. Although she recognized that “the bulk of the bullying and abuse” occurred during her pregnancy and the early months of her children’s lives, she clarified that she now avoids it for her mental health.