- Written by Leisha Chi-Santorelli
- BBC News Culture
The Duchess of Sussex has criticized the “endless toxicity” of social media and revealed she was the target of “bullying and abuse” while pregnant with Archie and Lilibet.
Meghan was the keynote speaker on a high-profile panel commemorating International Women's Day at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
She said she is now distancing herself from such comments for her own health.
Prince Harry watched the speech from the front row of the audience.
Meghan said people “forget humanity” in certain parts of the media and digital realm.
“The majority of the bullying and abuse I received on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili,” she explained.
“Think about that and really think about why people are so disgusted. It's not mean, it's cruel.”
The event was titled “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Stories: How Women Lead on and Off Screen.”
The 42-year-old former Suits actress also discussed issues ranging from the importance of diverse representation to the portrayal of motherhood in film and entertainment.
Meghan said she found it “disgusting” that women were “spouting” hatred towards each other online, adding: “I don't understand it.”
“If you're reading terrible things about women, why would you share it with your friends?” she asked.
“If it was your friend, your mother, or your daughter, you wouldn't do that.
“I think that's a part of what's going on in the digital space and in certain areas of media that is so lost right now. We've forgotten our humanity, and that has to change.”
At the urging of fellow panelist Katie Couric, Meghan also shared how a letter she sent to consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble when she was 11 years old led to a sexist ad encouraging them to replace their dish detergent. Reshared.
Meghan said the experience showed her that she had the power to speak up and advocate. “Your voice is not small; it just needs to be heard,” she told the live audience.
Actress Brooke Shields also participated in the panel discussion. She mentioned her background as a child actress and her role in the 1978 film Pretty Baby, saying, “This is one of the things that makes us different. When I was 11, I was a prostitute. “I was acting,” he joked.
The SXSW keynote panel event was simultaneously streamed on YouTube, and most of the comments about Meghan were overwhelmingly positive.
The Duke of Sussex and Duchess Meghan have faced intense criticism since their departure from the royal family, especially in the British tabloids.
The couple has come under even more scrutiny following the revealing interview on Oprah and the Netflix documentary.
Since moving to California and founding the Archewell Foundation, the couple's public appearances have become less frequent. Duchess Meghan last stayed in the UK in September 2022.
There has been huge speculation online about a possible return to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, which was founded by Prince Harry in 2014.
Meghan's appearance comes at a difficult time for the royal family, with the King undergoing cancer treatment and the Princess of Wales recovering from abdominal surgery in the UK.
They came under even more scrutiny after Kate's maternal uncle, Gary Goldsmith, appeared on Celebrity Big Brother.
On Friday night, he became the first housemate to be evicted from ITV's Celebrity Big Brother.