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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reached a tipping point in their fight for a safer online space, with the outdated legal system taking the bulk of the blame. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have faced separation rumors amid their slew of solo appearances seemingly promoting their individual career paths. Claims that the couple was headed for divorce have continued to thrive, with their recent activities doing little to curb the speculation.
After weeks of seemingly “living separate lives,” Harry and Meghan returned as a combined force, tackling a huge issue that has been the benchmark in their philanthropic endeavors over the years. The two recently appeared in a joint video to address the prevalence of digital violence against children, and how to reduce it.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Issue Joint Speech Amid Divorce Rumors
In his speech, addressed to the inaugural United Nations Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogota, Colombia, the Duke acknowledged that the first-ever ministerial conference aimed towards ending violence against children came at a crucial time. However, he noted that such a conference should not even be required in a perfect world. Yet, having reached this crisis point, the world needed to reassess the approach to protecting children. He buttressed,
“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.”
Going further, Prince Harry expressed his belief that setbacks like outdated legal systems were major contributors to the prevailing violence against children. According to him, this loophole paved the way for perpetrators to make their move, ultimately frustrating efforts to protect children from digital violence. He quipped,
“While the online world can help develop strategies to protect children from violence, it also introduces new risks, such as from individuals who exploit gaps in our outdated legal systems, which often don’t account for today’s digital realities.”
After tackling the issue from a legal standpoint, Prince Harry went on to highlight the role of parents in ensuring efforts to reduce digital violence against children bear fruit. In their effort to support parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle launched the Parents’ Network earlier this year, and have jointly supported the initiative.
Meghan Highlights Efforts of the Archewell Foundation
Backing her husband’s views, Meghan highlighted the place of “greater connectivity and advanced technology” in today’s world. While this reality has its benefits, the Duchess of Sussex noted that it also creates an avenue for digital violence against children to manifest itself.
Archewell Foundation, founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has strived to bridge this gap, creating awareness about how the online economy can “shape and misshape our connections.” Meghan divulged,
“At the Archewell Foundation, we engage with young people, families, and experts worldwide, learning about how every aspect of a child’s life— from their livelihood to their physical and mental well-being — now operates within an online economy that has both the power to shape and misshape our connections.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also honored another group dear to their hearts in the joint video. The duo, dressed in coordinating outfits each had a poppy pinned to the lapel of their blazers, a symbol of remembrance honoring those who died serving in the armed forces. Their lapel inclusions were a symbolic nod to the UK’s Remembrance Day, marked annually on November 11. Despite his estrangement from the royal family and his legal battle over UK security, it turns out Prince Harry does have a soft spot for his home country.
