The Archewell Foundation’s first public event marks an important milestone for this organization, which was founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2020, shortly after he left the British royal family.
The Foundation has been working on various projects for a long time, but has not had the opportunity to hold a public event until now.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to New York after a “near catastrophic” paparazzi chase last May.
Their return was on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on October 10, and they participated in an event organized by Project Healthy Minds, which focused on interacting with parents who have experienced trauma related to their children and social media.
Meghan and Harry on World Mental Health Day
During the event, Meghan and Harry joined a panel of speakers, including Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
The discussion focused on the dangers of social media and featured parents who have suffered tragic losses related to the use of these platforms.
Prince Harry thanked the parents for being physically present at the event and for being part of this community of shared experiences.
“I can’t start without thanking all the parents, the mothers and fathers, for being with us physically today, but also for being on this journey with us over the last year, creating this community of shared experiences,” Harry said after taking the stage with Meghan for the panel.
“We know it’s not easy for you to be here, so thank you,” he continued.
For her part, Meghan emphasized the importance of children, noting the need to provide support and a platform for these families’ stories to be heard.
“A year ago we met some of the families, and at the time it was impossible not to cry when you heard their stories because it’s just so devastating,” she said.
“As parents, even though our kids are really young, 2 1/2 and 4 1/2, but social media is not going away, and by design, there was an entry post that was supposed to be positive and create community, but something has devolved and there’s no way to hear that and not try to help these families have their stories heard.”
“I think for us, for me and my wife, with kids growing up in a digital age, the priority here is to turn the pain back into a purpose and to provide as much support as possible and a spotlight and a platform for these parents to come together, to heal, to grieve and also to focus together on solutions so that no other family anywhere has to go through what they’ve gone through,” Harry said.
This public appearance by Harry and Meghan comes at a time when rumors about the Duchess’s future are going in different directions, from her possible foray into politics to her return to Hollywood.
However, her participation in this event demonstrates her commitment to important causes and her desire to use her influence to make a positive impact on society.
