Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with CBS Sunday Morning's Jane Pauley for their first joint interview since their viral Oprah Winfrey tell-all in 2021, and had a lot to say about a new initiative they are fronting.
The beloved pair recently launched a new initiative as part of their Archewell Foundation entitled "The Parents Network," existing to support parents whose children have lost their lives as a result of toxic online influence.
"That's one of the scariest things we've learned in the last 15 to 17 years that social media has been around and even more so recently, is the fact that it could happen to absolutely anybody."
The Duke of Sussex continued, describing how parental control has changed since the "olden days."
"I mean, we always talk about, in the olden days, if your kids were under your roof, you knew what they were up to... at least they were safe right? And now they could be in the next room on a tablet or on a phone and can be going down these rabbit holes, and before you know it within 24 hours they could be taking their life."
Markle added, referring to the couple's own children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet Diana, 3, as young and in need of protection.
"Our kids are young, They're amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them. As we can see what's happening in the online space, we know that there's a lot of work to be done there, and we're just happy to be a part of change for good."
The Duke of Sussex stressed the importance of "knowing the signs" of suicide ideation brought on by internet harm, sharing that every parent needs to act as a "first responder" when it comes to paying attention to what their child is viewing online.
The royal pair are unfortunately very familiar with online negativity as the British tabloids have printed multiple harsh headlines about Markle (since the start of she and Harry's relationship in 2016) that continue to disturb Harry, and drive a wedge between him and his father, King Charles III, to this day. The Duchess of Sussex spoke about her experience in dealing with depression fueled by online turmoil.
"When you've been through any level of pain or trauma, I believe part of our healing journey, certainly part of mine, is being able to be really open about it. If me voicing what I have overcome will save someone, or encourage someone in their life to really genuinely check in on them and not assume that the appearance is good so everything is ok, then that is worth it. I'll take a hit for that."
Members of The Parents Network, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, continue to speak out about their experience with internet harm in an effort to prevent others from having to go through similar experiences amid turning "pain into purpose," one story at a time.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling "988," or reach out via text by sending "HOME" to 741741.
Watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's full CBS Sunday Morning interview below.