Prince Harry is facing criticism from royal commentators after his recent appearance at a children’s online safety summit in New York, where some say he shifted focus from the cause at hand by bringing up his wife, Meghan Markle. The Duke of Sussex spoke at the Nexus Global Summit to raise awareness about the dangers of online trolling and its devastating effects on children and teenagers.
However, his remarks quickly sparked backlash when he cited Meghan as an example of extreme cyberbullying. During his speech, Harry recalled how Meghan was labeled “the most trolled person in 2018,” using the experience as a reason behind the couple’s support for digital safety causes.
He explained that their advocacy stems from personal trauma, highlighting the intense online abuse Meghan faced after their relationship became public. But while his intention was to humanize the issue, some royal experts argue that invoking Meghan’s name overshadowed the summit’s core message.
According to The Express, royal reporter Pandora Forsyth said Harry no longer commands media attention the way he once did. “If you think back to a few years ago, if Harry was appearing in New York, it would be sort of like front page headlines,” Forsyth noted.
“But he does so many of these conferences and appearances now, it sort of seeps into the background,” she added, suggesting that his presence is no longer the media magnet it used to be. Forsyth acknowledged that Harry is advocating for a “quite a noble cause,” referring to children affected by online bullying, some of whom have tragically died by suicide.
However, she warned that continuing to tie these issues back to Meghan could dilute the significance of the topic. “But this was in 2018, and if he keeps on linking it back to this, then I sort of think it takes away from the really important matter at hand,” she said.
“And now the headline is actually Meghan. And not that.” Harry’s comments were meant to personalize a global issue, but they have reignited debates over whether the couple’s personal experiences are overshadowing the broader causes they aim to support.
While the Duke remains committed to combating online abuse, critics suggest he may need to find a better balance between raising awareness and keeping the public’s focus on the cause rather than his own family’s history.