Meghan opens up on suicidal thoughts in first interview with Harry since Oprah bombshell
4 August 2024, 17:54
Meghan Markle has spoken out about her suicidal thoughts in her first interview with Prince Harry in three years.
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While marking her 43rd birthday, the Duchess of Sussex discussed her previously revealed suicidal thoughts while launching a campaign alongside Harry to tackle child safety online.
The royals were speaking to launch their Parents Network - and also spoke to parents who had lost their children to suicide as part of the TV event on CBS.
Read More: Meghan wishes Prince Harry could ‘let go’ of his lawsuits and ‘live in the moment’
Meghan told the American broadcaster: "There is a through line, when you've been through any level of pain or trauma.
"Part of your healing journey, certainly part of mine is to be open about it.
"I haven't really scraped the surface on my experience. I would never want someone else to feel that way. I would never want someone else to be making these plan. I would never want someone else not to be believed.
"So if me voicing what I have overcome, will save someone, or encourage someone in their life to really genuinely check in on them, not assume the appearance is good, not assume everything is okay, then I'll take that.
The interview is Meghan's first alongside her husband since their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
During the interview, she revealed she had harboured thoughts of taking her own life during her time living in London as a working member of the Royal Family.
During the interview, Meghan recounted telling Harry of her thoughts, saying: "I knew that if I didn't say it, that I would do it.
"I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. I remember how he just cradled me. I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I've never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere.
"And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution".
Speaking of her and Harry's hopes for the Parents Network, Meghan added: "We always talk about in the olden days, if kids are under your roof, you know what they are up to. At least they're safe.
"But now, they could in the next room, in a tablet or phone, going down these rabbit holes, and within 24 hours they could be taking their life".
Meghan also spoke of the couple's experience with their children, Archie and Lilbet.
She said: Our kids are young, they're three and five, they're amazing, but all you want to do as parents is protect them.
"And so as we can see what's happening in the online space, we know that there's a lot of work to be done there and we're just happy to be able to be a part of change for good."
Adding to this, Harry said: "At this point we've got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder.
"And even the best first responders in the world wouldn't be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of this.
