Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have unveiled a memorial in New York City which they say is dedicated to ‘honouring the lives of children lost to online harm’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also called for more protections for children from the dangers of social media, claiming that ‘enough is not being done’.
They launched the ‘Lost Screen Memorial’ installation made from 50 smartphones which each display a photo of a child who died ‘due to the harms of social media’.
The couple attended a private vigil at the site last night with families of the children as part of the Archewell Foundation’s ‘No Child Lost to Social Media’ campaign.
And Harry told BBC Breakfast: ‘We want to make sure that things are changed so that… no more kids are lost to social media. Life is better off social media.’
The 40-year-old Duke added that he was ‘grateful’ that his children Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet were still too young to be online.
Speaking to journalists at an Archewell Foundation event, Harry also said: ‘The easiest thing to say is to keep your kids away from social media.
‘The sad reality is the kids who aren’t on social media normally get bullied at school because they can’t be part of the same conversation as everybody else.
‘Life is better off of social media. I say that as a parent, and I say that as someone who’s spoken to many of the kids here tonight who lost a brother or a sister to social media. But clearly, enough is not enough. Enough is not being done.’
The Duke also accused technology firms of ‘getting away with it’, saying they did not need to disclose information to families in Britain due to privacy considerations.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Time100 Summit in New York City yesterday
Meghan and Harry at the Time100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York yesterday
He said: ‘Some of the stories here are truly harrowing. You think you’ve heard the worst of it until nights like this, here in America. Some of these stories – they are crime scenes – and these companies are getting away with it by saying, ‘We don’t need to give you disclosure’.
‘For families, some of the arguments that are being made around privacy — you’re telling a parent, you’re telling a dad and a mum that they can’t have the details of what happened.’
The images on the memorial were shared by parents who are part of the Parents Network, a foundation launched by the Sussexes last August as a support system for parents of children affected by online harms.
According to People magazine, Meghan also told the event at The Perch in Manhattan: ‘These are families that we have been working with for several years.
‘No matter how polarized the world is, or what people may or may not agree on, one thing that we can all agree on is that our children should be safe. All of our children should be safe, and I think tonight, all of these stories solidify that.’
People’s report said that the Sussexes were ‘visibly in sync and deeply engaged throughout the event, taking their time with each parent, offering comfort and consoling those in tears’.
A statement from the Archewell Foundation said the families attending the memorial – which is only open for 24 hours but also has a virtual version online – were a ‘powerful representation of the thousands of families who have lost their children to online harm’.
The Duchess of Sussex attends the Time100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center yesterday
Meghan Markle arrives at the Time 100 Summit in New York City with Prince Harry yesterday
It added: ‘This long-standing partnership has created a space for shared grief, advocacy, and action, as these parents work together to transform personal loss into meaningful change.’
The statement also said the tribute ‘builds on over four years of work by the Duke and Duchess in the digital safety space, reflecting their continued commitment to creating a safer digital world’.
It continued: ‘Together, they have championed responsible technology, advocated for policy reform, and walked alongside grieving families—listening, learning, and amplifying their voices.
‘Both have remained deeply involved in these efforts—not only as advocates, listeners, but ultimately parents—engaging with families, amplifying their voices, and helping to shape a more compassionate, accountable digital environment.’
It comes after Harry and Meghan accused Meta of ‘allowing more abuse and normalising hate speech’ in January after its decision to scrap third-party fact-checking and loosen its content moderation.
At the time, they criticised the social media giant for responding to ‘political winds’ and ‘abandon(ing) public safety in favour of profit, chaos, and control’.
Last September, Harry delivered a passionate speech in New York calling for action to tackle the ‘pervasive threat’ the online world poses for children, warning: ‘Our kids can’t wait.’
The Duchess of Sussex speaks on stage during the Time 100 Summit in New York yesterday
Taking part in the Clinton Global Initiative, Harry suggested the harmful effects of social media meant people were being used for a ‘human experiment’ rather than enjoying a ‘human experience’.
This week, the couple have also been in New York for the Time100 summit which they attended at the Jazz at Lincoln Center yesterday.
At the event, the Duchess said it had been an ‘incredibly busy’ time recently as she launched her Netflix show, new podcast and lifestyle brand As Ever but being a mother gave her ‘perspective’.
She added that Archie’s first tooth has come loose and she hoped she would be back home from New York before it came out.
The Duchess said of her new ventures: ‘I think as a working mom, and again, these are three projects that we’re all launching really at the same time.
‘The behind the scenes for the past year and a half have been incredibly busy and ambitious, but to see it all come to life and try to give yourself the space and the grace to make mistakes, to know that you’re not going to get it right every day, and at the same time to prioritise what we’re going to put out as our next tranche of skews is equally important to me as Archie losing his first tooth this week which is about to happen, and I just hope we’re back home in time for it – that it all matters.
Meghan speaks with Time chief executive Jessica Sibley yesterday at the event in New York
‘And when you look at your life through that perspective, which frankly, being a parent gives you the most illuminating perspective, because what is seemingly so big, somehow becomes so microscopic in importance compared to what’s happening with your children.
‘That’s certainly how I feel, that you just make time to do it all and I think that’s what is hopeful, that’s what feels like the dream. ‘
Asked how she stayed ‘focused’ while being a high-profile individual who is under ‘scrutiny’, the duchess said she does not go online.
She continued: ‘I’ve made a very, very conscious effort to create boundaries for myself and for my mental health, for my wellbeing, and certainly to role model that as well for my children.
‘I’m conscious of not just raising a very strong and confident young woman, but also having a son, I think is just as paramount of importance for young men to be raised with a confidence and sense of self that is going to empower the women around them too.’
Asked what was ‘next’ for her, the Duchess said: ‘I think obviously, focusing on our family and our children is most important.’
Meghan added that she wanted to continue to ‘uplift other female founders’ through new podcast Confessions Of A Female Founder, to expand her portfolio of investment into women-founded companies and to scale up her brand As Ever.
