The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been seen! I thought the Mail, the Sun, the Times and the Express all insisted that Meghan and Harry had separated and that they would never be seen together again? You mean to tell me that was all projection because a different royal couple has been largely separated for years? Weird. Anyway, Harry and Meghan sent in a video message to Colombia’s “inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children.” As many will remember, one of the reasons for H&M’s trip to Colombia was to highlight children’s issues, specifically with regards to children’s access to dangerous online spaces. That’s why the Sussexes were invited to speak at this conference:
Today, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared in a new video message at the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in Colombia. It was the first joint appearance the Sussexes have carried out since their trip to the country in August.
In the video, the Sussexes spoke about a cause that is near and dear to them: Digital violence against children. For the address, which appeared to be filmed in California, the couple coordinated in dark blazers, accessorizing with meaningful poppy pins. (Every November, British royals honor fallen troops by wearing a crimson poppy.) Meghan’s blazer appears to be the Parker Wool Crepe Jacket from Ralph Lauren.
“The first ever ministerial conference on ending violence against children comes at a crucial time, and quite frankly, should not be required,” Harry began, “but, here we are. We are at a crossroads where the urgency to reassess and redefine our approach to protecting children has become increasingly evident. While the necessity has always been apparent, it is now time to translate that awareness into meaningful action.”
The Duchess of Sussex continued, “My husband and I recognize today’s reality is marked by greater connectivity and advanced technology, which of course has many positives, but which also compels us to better understand how digital violence against children is manifesting itself in this age. At the Archewell Foundation, we engage with young people, families, and experts worldwide learning how every aspect of a child’s life—from their livelihood to their physical and mental wellbeing—now operate within an online economy that has the power to both shape, and misshape, our connections.”
The Sussexes then spoke about launching the Parents’ Network, which Harry described as “a support network for families dealing with online harm. Through trauma-informed practices, we help parents come together to forge strong bonds, offering healing support through community with the ultimate goal of prioritizing safety at the source.” Meghan added that the stories of the parents from the Parents’ Network “have helped us to understand that as we better equip parents and caregivers, and work to establish norms around the use of and access to technology as they relate to preventing violence, we must also commit to establishing standards that prioritize children’s safety.”
Prince Harry concluded their video message with a call to action: “Young people are calling for help. Families are desperately seeking support. They are urging us to leverage the resources in this room to confront the new reality our youth are facing. We look forward to the actions and outcomes of the discussions that will take place here in Colombia, and are grateful for the leadership, expertise, and testimonies that will come together in this room to address all forms of violence targeting the most vulnerable in our world.” Meghan ended by sharing, “Thank you again for your commitment to preventing violence against children, both offline and online. Together, we can harness this moment to drive lasting change.”
Well done – just by sending in this video, they’ve drawn more attention to what Colombia is trying to do and drawn more attention to the larger issue of children’s health in regards to online spaces. I was like “why are they wearing poppies, this issue has nothing to do with Remembrance?” But then I remembered that British royals tend to wear poppy pins throughout the month of November, regardless of what they’re doing. It’s interesting that Meghan chose to wear her poppy pin too.
“Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex applauded the efforts of those actively addressing this critical issue and stressed the importance of tackling digital violence to prioritize children’s safety in today’s connected world.” pic.twitter.com/hWK0nKGHPq
— R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor (@royal_suitor) November 7, 2024
Screencap courtesy of video, additional photos courtesy of Backgrid and Cover Images.