Meghan Markle and Prince Harry echoed Princess Kate’s warning as the Sussexes appeared on stage together at a glitzy award ceremony on Thursday evening.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were named “Humanitarians of the Year” at the New York-based Project Healthy Minds event, just hours after the Princess of Wales released a powerful essay on fears about raising children in the digital age.
Speaking on stage as she accepted the award, Meghan said: “Our children, Archie and Lili, are just six and four years old.
“Luckily, still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming.
“Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits, while safeguarding against its dangers.
“That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry added: “This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in a digital age.”
During the gala, the Sussexes announced their organisation, The Parents’ Network, would join forces with Parents Together, to give the initiative “broader reach and deeper impact as technology continued its rapid evolution.”
Meghan and Harry echo Kate’s warning as Sussexes appear on stage at glitzy award ceremony
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The duo said the move was “a natural evolution to enable the community to continue to grow and have more impact alongside the rapid rise of technology.”
Meghan and Harry added: “We know that the challenges ahead are significant, but we also know that when parents come together, when communities unite, real change is possible.”
Phillip Schermer, the founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, spoke briefly about the couple’s work.
He told the crowd: “It is a privilege to honour Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at our World Mental Health Day Gala this year.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pictured in New York together
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“Their leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to advancing mental health awareness have made a profound difference in the lives of so many.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Princess of Wales released a moving essay, warning that excessive screen time can harm family life.
She wrote: “The implications extend across generations. People who developed strong social and emotional skills in childhood maintained warmer connections with their spouses six decades later, even into their eighties and nineties.
“This demonstrates that these skills are not only teachable but have remarkably long-lasting effects.
Meghan Markle looked beautiful for the occasion
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“Teaching children to better understand both their inner and outer worlds sets them up for a lifetime of healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
“But if connection is the key to human thriving, we face a concerning reality: every social trend is moving in the opposite direction.”
Kate added: “We live increasingly lonelier lives, which research shows is toxic to human health, and it’s our young people (aged 16 to 24) that report being the loneliest of all – the very generation that should be forming the relationships that will sustain them throughout life.
“While new technology has many benefits, we must also acknowledge that it plays a complex and often troubling role in this epidemic of disconnection.”