Meghan Markle reveals being abused online while pregnant with Archie and Lilibet

Meghan Markle reflects on social media abuse during pregnancies, emphasizes well-being

During a rare public appearance on Friday, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the opening keynote event of the South by Southwest Festival. Stepping into the spotlight on International Women’s Day, the Duchess of Sussex addressed various pressing issues. Among them, Meghan bravely shared her own harrowing experiences during her pregnancies with Archie and Lilibet, shedding light on the detrimental impact of online trolling.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children to use royal titles after Lilibeth's christening.

Meghan Markle reflects on 'cruel' cyberbullying

“The bulk of the bullying and the abuse that I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant — with Archie and with Lili — and with a newborn with each of them,” The Duchess of Sussex said on stage while being a part of SXSW panel on Friday.

Meghan took part in the conversation regarding online trolling alongside Brooke Shields, Katie Couric, and author and sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen. Dressed stylishly in a cream ensemble, the mother-of-two exuded confidence as she spoke, while Harry watched proudly from the audience. The panel addressed various issues including "how the ubiquitous nature of social media is creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular".

Meghan Markle shares personal experience of online bullying

When asked, 'Social media really has become the place for women and girls to be scrutinized, objectified, bullied, and unfortunately, I know this is something you are all too familiar with. How have you been able to manage the seemingly endless toxicity that comes at you?' by moderator Errin Haines, the 42-year-old took a pause to gather the courage and took the mic in her hand to speak her heart out.

“Yes, social media is an environment that I think has a lot of that,” The Duchess of Sussex said. She continued, “You know, I think it’s really interesting as I can reflect on it, I keep my distance from it right now just for my own well-being, but the bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili, and with a newborn with each of them.”

Meghan Markle’s pregnancy challenges

Meghan Markle, who married Prince Harry in 2018, gave birth to Prince Archie in May 2019. At the time, the Duchess was still an active Royal Member. Two years later, Princess Lilibet arrived after the couple stepped down from their royal duties and moved to California for a fresh start.

During her pregnancy with Archie, Markle reportedly faced “emotional distress” and mental health challenges. She made some bombshell disclosures about how she felt being "unprotected" by the monarchy in her much-discussed 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. The Suits alum also disclosed experiencing suicidal thoughts, attributing them to negative coverage in the British press.