Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Spearhead Campaign for Online Safety, Prioritizing Protection of Their Young Children.

In a highly anticipated interview set to air on CBS Sunday Morning on August 4th, Meghan Markle’s 43rd birthday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have once again thrust the issue of online safety into the spotlight.

The power couple, who have made advocacy for children and families a central focus of their post-royal life, have shared their personal concerns and the steps they are taking to shield their own young children from the perils of the digital landscape.

The in-depth conversation with veteran journalist Jane Pauley provides a rare glimpse into the Sussexes’ parenting journey and their determination to create a safer online world for the next generation. “Our kids are young — they’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing,” Meghan said with a warm smile, referring to her and Prince Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet. “But all you want to do as parents is protect them.”

The Duchess went on to express her deep worry about the harmful content and toxic rhetoric that can proliferate online, acknowledging the immense challenge facing modern parents. “So as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good,” she said.

Prince Harry, never one to shy away from confronting difficult issues, echoed his wife’s sentiments with a sense of urgency. “At this point, we’ve got to the stage where every parent needs to be a first responder,” the Duke asserted. “And even the best first responders in the world wouldn’t be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of this.”

The couple’s Archewell Foundation has been actively engaged in addressing these concerns, working closely with families to provide a vital support network for parents navigating the complexities of online safety and the mental health impacts on their children. Meghan has also spoken candidly about her own experiences with the “disturbing” levels of “hate and rhetoric” she has faced as a woman in the digital sphere.

Looking ahead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced plans to visit Colombia in the coming months, ahead of the first World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children, scheduled to take place in the South American country this November. The conference will focus on creating safer physical and virtual spaces, tackling issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation, and the mental health repercussions of these emerging threats.

“The conference will present a global framework for creating safer physical and virtual spaces, addressing issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation and the impact of these threats on mental health,” said Colombia’s Vice President, Francia Márquez, the first Black woman to hold the position. “It will offer practical solutions and commitments for countries around the world. During their visit, the Duke and Duchess, as well as the Archewell Foundation, will take part in a number of activities related to this important topic.”

The Sussexes’ unwavering commitment to this cause reflects their deep-rooted belief that online safety is a universal issue that transcends political and social divides. In a statement published on the Archewell Foundation’s website in February, the couple expressed their support for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on the topic, applauding the “bravery and determination of the thousands of parents around the country whose advocacy resulted in this hearing.”

“This is an issue that transcends division and party lines, as we saw today at the Senate hearing,” the statement read. “The best parenting in the world cannot keep children safe from these platforms. As one of the fathers shared with us: ‘If love could have saved them, all of our children would still be here.’ This is not the time to pass the buck of responsibility. It’s the time to make necessary change at the source to keep our children safe.”