On Wednesday 2 August, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dropped a new video onto their Archewell Foundation website in celebration of the innovators and campaigners working to "build a more inclusive, equitable, and accountable online world" in collaboration with their Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's foundation is a founding member of the online initiative - which is aimed at "supporting youth and intergenerationally led organisations shaping the responsible technology movement" - and the couple serves on its advisory committee.
Those involved in working to create a safer space online have been awarded a huge $2 million to support their efforts, and to congratulate the individuals awarded the funds, the royal couple called up 26 of the winners – all of which was caught on camera.
Alongside talking through their work and initiatives surrounding cyberbullying reduction and shaping positive social media platforms in the future, Harry and Meghan also made some rare comments about their young children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two. Specifically, saying that they envision a life for the young royals that doesn't include harmful online rhetoric, and that this initiative is what will turn these hopes into a reality.
While speaking with one of the young people about their efforts in helping not just their own children but children worldwide to grow up in a safe online environment, Prince Harry shared his thanks on behalf of Archie and Lili, saying, "Thank you for doing everything that you do, our kids especially are incredibly grateful."
To this, Meghan jokingly pointed out that they're too young to properly understand the online world just yet.
"They don't know it yet, but they will," she added, to which Harry then replies, "They will."
It's widely known that Harry and Meghan keep their children out of the spotlight, which makes rare comments like these especially profound.
Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader's Digest, ITV's Woo! and Vice’s NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.
