Meghan Markle was visibly moved during a poignant event in New York with Prince Harry.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aged 40 and 43 respectively, unveiled a powerful installation through their Archewell Foundation just hours ago.
Named The Lost Screen Memorial, the display was placed at the top of Penn station overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
The memorial comprises 50 large, illuminated smartphones, each displaying the lock screen photo of a child whose life was tragically cut short due to the harms of social media.
Meghan Markle was visibly moved during a poignant event in New York with Prince Harry
Emil Cohen for The Archewell Foundation
The Duke and Duchess spent around 40 minutes with bereaved families at the memorial for a private vigil and moment of remembrance.
They greeted each family with hugs, taking time to listen to their stories.
Meghan, dressed in a black pantsuit as a mark of respect, asked each parent to point out their child’s image in the memorial.
She gave a moment of silence for each child remembered.
Meghan dressed in a black pantsuit as a mark of respect
Emil Cohen for The Archewell Foundation
The personal images were shared by parents who are members of The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network.
The families contributed to honour their children’s memories and call attention to the urgent need for safer online spaces.
Prince Harry delivered a powerful statement at the event: “These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable – they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed, harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter.”
He continued: “While social media companies claim to be taking action, most still withhold critical data from grieving parents — data that could provide answers and accountability.”
Prince Harry delivered a powerful statement at the event
Emil Cohen for The Archewell Foundation
The installation will remain open for 24 hours, inviting affected families and changemakers to reflect on these young lives lost.
The Duke and Duchess launched The Parents’ Network in August 2024, providing a free support network for parents whose children have been harmed by social media.
Internet safety has been one of Harry and Meghan’s biggest focuses over the past five years, particularly for children and young people.
In a statement released by the Sussexes, the couple wrote: “The Lost Screen Memorial also serves as a poignant extension of the duke’s remarks at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative, where he called for immediate action to protect children online.
“In his speech, he shared that his own lock screen features a photo of his children—a reminder of what’s at stake for families everywhere.”
