Prince Harry says Meghan Markle was 'most trolled person in the world' at NY Summit: 'A lived experience'

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NEY YORK CITY, NEW YORK: At a packed session during the 2025 Nexus Global Summit in New York, Prince Harry made an emotional appeal for greater accountability and empathy in the digital world, recalling the intense online abuse his wife, Meghan Markle, faced while she was still a working member of the British royal family.

Speaking about his foundation’s mission to combat social isolation and promote mental well-being, the Duke of Sussex described the toll internet trolling took on Meghan, calling her “the most trolled person in the world” during their early years together, the Daily Mail reported.

Prince Harry opens up about Meghan Markle’s online abuse and how it shaped their mission to protect mental health

“There was a lived experience,” Prince Harry, 40, said, emphasizing the personal connection that led him and Meghan Markle to prioritize digital safety through their Archewell Foundation.

“One of the reasons why the digital world was so important to us is because my wife, in 2018, was the most trolled person in the world.”

The Duke of Sussex spoke about the importance of tackling online loneliness and fostering genuine connection in the digital space, as part of building “a better future for 2025 and beyond.”

He opened up about why he and Meghan, 43, have made the "digital world" a central focus of their work, after meeting numerous parents who lost their children, many to suicide, due to social media.

Meghan, who became a global figure after marrying Harry in May 2018, has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of constant public scrutiny. In her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the duchess revealed that she had experienced suicidal thoughts, citing relentless negative headlines and social media abuse as a major contributing factor.

Prince Harry champions empathy and grassroots activism in emotional NYC summit speech

Prince Harry delivered an emotional call to action, urging young changemakers and global leaders to prioritize empathy, connection, and community service in an increasingly turbulent world.

Speaking during a featured session titled “Building Tomorrow: A Conversation on Service, Impact & Collective Action with Prince Harry,” the Duke of Sussex, reflected on how hardship often leads to emotional distance — and why that's exactly when people must lean harder into compassion.

“As the world gets harder, as people’s lives become harder, compassion can shrink,” Harry told the crowd, according to the New York Post. “The thing that gives me the most hope is the grassroots approach. Many of you here today are connected and involved with so many community solutions, because it’s what energizes all of you — and that service part is really what energizes me as well.”

He was joined onstage by NEXUS co-founder and CEO Rachel Gerrol, who led the intimate discussion focused on resilience and impact. Harry spoke candidly about his personal journey, including stepping away from royal duties in 2020, and how that experience inspired him and his wife, Meghan, to launch the Archewell Foundation.