Three years after Meghan Markle opened up about the mental health struggles she faced during her time as a working member of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex has no regrets. In a new interview that aired on Sunday morning, Meghan explained why it was so important to her to speak freely about the suicidal thoughts she experienced before she and Prince Harry made the move to the US and how she hopes it has helped others.
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Meghan first opened up about her experience in 2021.
When she and Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Meghan admitted that she'd struggled with suicidal thoughts early on in her time as a member of the royal family and that she'd been turned down when she asked for help. At one point, things got so bad she didn't think she should be "left alone."
"I just didn't want to be alive anymore," she said.
Now, Meghan says she's just 'scratched the surface' of what that time in her life was like.
During Meghan and Harry's appearance on CBS This Morning, which aired on Sunday, she told Jane Pauley she felt that speaking out was part of her "healing journey."
"When you've been through any level of pain or trauma, I believe part of our healing journey — certainly part of mine — is being able to be really open about it," she said. "I really scraped the surface on my experience, but I do think that I would never want someone else to feel that way and I would never want someone else to be making those sort of plans and I would never want someone else to not be believed."
Meghan said she's willing to 'take a hit' to help someone in need.
"If me voicing what I have overcome will save someone or encourage someone in their life to really, genuinely check in on them and not assume that the appearance is good so everything is okay, then that's worth it. I'll take a hit for that," she said on the morning show.
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Meghan and Harry are launching a new project to help parents whose children are affected by bullying on social media.
It's called The Parents' Network, and it aims to offer support to parents who have lost their children due to social media bullying or who are helping their children navigate trauma from social media.
"It became strikingly clear that there is a critical need for connection and community among those who understand the pain, fear, and isolation caused by social media’s impact on children," James Holt, the executive director of the Archewell Foundation, shared in a statement via People. "We believe in the transformative power of community, and that is why we have created this network — to connect those who face these challenges and offer mutual support."
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
They mentioned their own kids, too.
"Our kids are young — they're 3 and 5. They're amazing," Meghan said, referring to kids Lili and Archie. "But all you want to do as parents is protect them. 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."
It's such a hard subject to talk about, but there's no doubt there are people who will feel less alone thanks to Harry and Meghan's efforts.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
