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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has said she experienced “cruel” online harassment and abuse, the “most” of which occurred during her pregnancies.
Speaking on stage at an event at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Meghan said: “I’m staying away from (social media) right now just for my own well-being.”
“The most harassment and abuse I experienced on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili, and a newborn,” she continued.
“And you just think about it and you really have to understand why people would be so hateful. It’s not malicious. It’s cruel,” she added.
The Duchess gave birth to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsorher first child with her husband Prince Harryon May 6, 2019. The couple then welcomed Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4, 2021.
In March 2019, the British royal family asked social media users to show “courtesy, kindness and respect” when interacting with their online posts, after Repeated cases of online abuse. addressed to Meghan and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. This followed Kensington Palace asking social media companies for help in the fight against the rise of abuse, which included sexist and racist comments.
The palace staff also began to devote more resources to Filter and delete comments directed at Meghan.and block abusive Twitter and Instagram accounts.
“In the digital space and in certain sectors of the media, we have forgotten our humanity. And that has to change,” Meghan continued. “Because I understand that there is a bottom line and I understand that a lot of money is being made there. But even if it is about making dollars, it is meaningless.”
Meghan and Harry moved with Archie to California after stepping away from the British royal family in 2020, and have frequently criticized the intrusion of the press into their lives in the United Kingdom and the United States. The couple filed a lawsuit in California that year amidst paparazzi photos of her then-toddler, Archie.