Meghan Markle is getting very real and very raw.
By talking about something very personal and very painful.
Markle and husband Prince Harry sat down for an interview with Jane Pauley, which aired on CBS Sunday Morning on August 4, and spoke about the launch of a new initiative by their Archewell Foundation called ” New project of “Parent Network”.
It aims to provide support to parents whose children have been affected by trauma related to social media use.
During the discussion on this important topic, Markle was asked about her own history of having thoughts of self-harm.
(If you recall, the Duchess of Sussex said in a conversation with Oprah Winfrey that at the worst of times, when she was harassed by the British press and felt very unwelcome, she “I just don’t want to live anymore” Royal Family.
Yes, Meghan admitted to Pauly that there is a “through-line” between her experience and that of children who encounter harmful situations online.
She went on to elaborate as follows…
“When you experience any level of pain or trauma, I believe part of our healing journey—certainly part of mine—is being able to be really honest about it.
“I really only know my own experience, but I do think I would never wish anyone else to feel this way, I would never wish someone else to have plans like this, I would never wish someone else not to believe it.”
The Duchess of Sussex continued:
“If me speaking out about something I’ve overcome can save someone or encourage someone in their life to really, sincerely check in on them and not assume that because they look good, everything is okay, then it was worth it.
“I’m going to take the hit for this.”
Markle and Harry are parents to Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
The latter has been candid about his concerns for the safety of his spouse and these young children … who all exist in the glare of social media and the paparazzi.
“Our kids are young — they’re 3 and 5 years old. They’re amazing,” Markle added with a smile in the same interview. “But as a parent, all you want to do is protect them…
“So when we see what’s happening in the online space, we know there’s still a lot of work to be done there, and we’re excited to be part of that permanent change.”
Prince Harry also expressed his common concerns during the sit-down.
“We’ve reached the stage now where almost every parent needs to be a first responder, and even the best first responders in the world can’t recognize the signs of possible suicide,” he said. “That’s the scary part of it.”
Markle has previously said she considered suicide while she was pregnant with Archie.
As we reported a few years ago, some members of the royal family expressed serious concerns at the time about Archie being born with dark skin.
Just scary stuff.
“I think you have to start somewhere,” Markle said Sunday of the new plan’s modest start.
“From ‘What if it’s my daughter? What if it’s my son? My son or my daughter, they go home happy. [and] I love that one day, right under our roof, our entire lives change because of something completely beyond our control.
“If you look at this from a parent’s perspective, there’s no other way to see this other than trying to find a solution.”
Parents Network hopes to provide a safe, free support network for parents whose children have been harmed by social media, according to a press release.
After a two-year pilot program, it is now available in the US, UK and Canada.
“For the past two years, our team, along with our co-founders Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have engaged with parents and young people in depth about the mental, physical and emotional impact of social media on them. Health Impact – James Holt, Archewell’s executive director, said in a statement.
“It is abundantly clear that there is an urgent need for connection and community among those who understand the pain, fear and isolation caused by the impact of social media on children.
“We believe in the transformative power of community, which is why we created this network – to connect those facing these challenges and provide mutual support.”
