Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped back into the public spotlight on Tuesday for the first time since her father was charged with possession of child sex abuse material. Accompanied by her husband, Prince Harry, she arrived at the European Parliament in Brussels to attend an event focused on online child safety.
The couple's visit is part of their ongoing campaign to support families who have lost children to online harms linked to social media. While Meghan had been expected to deliver a speech, she opted to withdraw, leaving Harry to address the audience alone. Sources close to the Sussexes say the past two weeks have been emotionally challenging for the family.
A Difficult Period
Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, is currently under home detention and electronic monitoring after appearing in a Florida court on Friday. He faces charges of possessing child sex abuse images, allegations he has previously denied. Meghan has been estranged from her father for several years; he did not attend her 2018 wedding in Windsor, citing ill health at the time.
When reports about Thomas Markle emerged last month, Meghan issued a statement expressing that she was "deeply distressed at the news" and hoped that "justice will be fully served."
Unveiling the Lost Screen Memorial
At the European Parliament, Harry and Meghan will unveil the Lost Screen Memorial, which has moved to Europe after its launch in New York last year. Supported by their Archewell charity, the memorial is a poignant collection of images of young people whose parents believe they died due to harm encountered on social media. Each image is a photo of a son or daughter that a parent held in their phone.
Among the images is 13-year-old Breck Bednar from Surrey, who died in 2014. His parents believe he was groomed online via gaming and social media apps. Another shows Jools Sweeney from Gloucestershire, who took his own life in 2022; his parents say his time on social media following the Covid lockdown contributed to his death.
In April last year, BBC Breakfast spoke to Harry and Meghan when the Lost Screen Memorial first went on display in New York. Meghan told the BBC: "No matter how polarised the world is, one thing we can all agree on is that our children should be safe, all of our children should be safe."
The couple aim to pressure social media companies to better support families after the loss of a child. An emotional Prince Harry told BBC Breakfast: "These companies are getting away with it by saying we don't need to give you disclosure. You're telling a parent, you're telling a Dad and a Mum that they can't have the details of what their kid was up to on social media because of the privacy of their kid - the parents who've seen their kid from the time they were a child. It's wrong."
Prince Harry's speech on Monday will address the commitments made by tech companies and whether they have brought about any real change. He is not expected to directly address the allegations against Thomas Markle. He will also take part in a panel discussion examining the responsibilities of tech companies and the experiences of young people and their families.
