Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Opens Up About Enduring 'Hateful' Bullying During Pregnancy
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, bravely speaks out about facing 'hateful' and 'cruel' bullying and abuse, primarily online and on social media, with the majority of incidents happening during her pregnancies.
Sign up here to receive CNN's Royal News, a weekly update on the British royal family.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, revealed that she faced "cruel" online bullying and abuse, with the majority of it happening during her pregnancies.
At an event during the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, Meghan shared that she currently chooses to stay away from social media for her own mental health. She explained that the majority of the negative comments and harassment she faced online occurred while she was pregnant with Archie and Lili, as well as when they were newborns.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at Variety's Power of Women on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at Mother Wolf in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at Variety's Power of Women on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at Mother Wolf in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Related article
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has secured a new podcast deal following her departure from Spotify.
She expressed her thoughts on the matter, stating, "And you just think about that and you have to really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful. It's not catty. It's cruel."
The duchess had her first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, with Prince Harry on May 6, 2019. They later welcomed their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4, 2021.
In March 2019, the British royal family urged social media users to display “courtesy, kindness and respect” when engaging with their online posts. This came after Meghan and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, experienced online abuse, prompting Kensington Palace to seek assistance from social media platforms in addressing the rise in abusive behavior, including sexist and racist remarks.
The palace staff started putting more effort into removing negative comments about Meghan, and blocking harmful accounts on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
Meghan expressed her concern about the lack of humanity in the digital world and some parts of the media. She emphasized the importance of changing this mindset, stating that although money is being made, it doesn't justify the lack of empathy and kindness.
Meghan and Harry moved to California with Archie in 2020 after leaving the British royal family. They have been vocal about their dislike of media intrusion in both the UK and US. In the same year, the couple took legal action in California against paparazzi who took photos of their young son, Archie.
Editor's P/S:
The article highlights
