Photo: Getty Images
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spoke openly about their mental health during the third day of their vacation to Australia, with the Duchess of Sussex speaking on the rampant cyberbullying she experienced daily on social media.
The couple visited Batyr, an Australian youth mental health group focused on preventive education and reducing stigma to encourage outreach to those in need, during their visit to Australia on Thursday (April 16), according to People.
The organization works with schools, colleges, and workplaces to conduct peer-to-peer programs that spark conversations around mental health among youth, empowering them to seek support for themselves and each other.
During a session with young people from the group, Markle opened up about how she felt she was “the most trolled person in the entire world” after experiencing rampant bullying on social media for the past few years.
“For now, 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked,” the Duchess told the classroom. “Now, I’m still here. And when I think of all of you and what you’re experiencing, I think so much of that is having to realize that you know that industry, that billion-dollar industry, that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks — that’s not going to change. So you have to be stronger than that.”
Speaking to PA Media, the Duchess remarked that social media companies were “not incentivized to stop” the attacks against her, despite the daily assaults.
A 2021 study by Bot Sentinel, a Twitter data analysis service, found more than 114,000 tweets mentioning Markle and Prince Harry in October of that year. According to Business Insider, the study identified 55 “primary hate accounts” and 28 “secondary hate accounts” that launched coordinated activities to promote anti-Markle and Prince Harry hate.
The accounts reportedly reached over 17,000,000 users, and used tactics such as writing “parody” in their tweets or “racist coded language” about Markle to avoid suspension. Twitter previously removed approximately 40% of these accounts.
“Combined with the help of their 187,631 followers, these accounts were responsible for approximately 70% of the original and derivative hate content targeting Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Twitter," the report reads.
Markle has opened before about how she sets tight boundaries for herself to protect her mental health during a TIME100 interview last year, commenting on how becoming a mother and having the support of her husband helped her tune out the noise.
Prince Harry also spoke up about how social media has “led to so much loneliness for so many people,” before sharing how therapy helped him overcome those feelings, encouraging those in the group to seek help as well.
“I waited until I was literally in the fetal position, much older, lying on the kitchen floor. Until I was like, okay, maybe this therapy thing — maybe I should try it," he said.
The royal couple has also spoken previously about the risks and dangers social media poses to young people through their foundation, Archewell Philanthropies, which advocates for greater protections on social media for children and teens.
Harry reportedly commented on Australia's recent social media ban for users under 16 during the session as well, per PA Media, calling it “epic” from a leadership standpoint.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know needs immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.