Meghan Markle on overcoming suicidal thoughts: 'I would never want someone else to feel that way'

TW: Mentions of suicide and self-harm.

Anytime Meghan Markle and Prince Harry make a move in public, it has everyone talking—just like when the latter received the Pat Tillman award.

Their recent interview on CBS News' Sunday Morning is no different. The news channel covered a new initiative that has been started by the royal couple, through their Archewell Foundation, called The Parents Network.

The project, which was officially launched on Meghan Markle's birthday, 4 August, aims to support parents who have lost children 'directly or indirectly' to the harmful consequences of social media. Their campaign is called 'No Child Lost to Social Media'.

In the interview, the former working royals opened up about why the project was important to them as parents. Markle said:

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

Meghan Markle's experience with self-harm

Jane Pauley, who interviewed the couple, then brought up Markle's own struggle with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Markle, who seemed surprised by the direction the conversation took, said she understood why Pauley asked about it.

While Markle did not dive into details about her experience, she said that it was part of her 'healing journey' to open up about what she went through. She added:

And you know, I haven't really scraped the surface on my experience. But I do think that I would never want someone else to feel that way.

The Duchess explained that if her speaking out means that it could 'save someone' or encourage a loved one to check in with someone who could be struggling on the inside, then 'it's worth it.' She said:

I'll take a hit for that.

Meghan Markle explained that she no longer wanted to be alive

Of course, this is not the first time Meghan Markle has spoken out about the deeply personal subject.

Back in 2021, during their historic interview with Oprah Winfrey, she confessed that she 'just didn't want to be alive anymore' and thought it would have 'solved everything for everyone'. Indeed, Markle faced an unprecedented amount negative press coverage when she joined the Royal Family, and she was concerned that the Institution would not do anything to help her 'negate' untrue narratives.

When Winfrey asked her, 'were you thinking of harming yourself? Were you having suicidal thoughts?' Meghan replied:

Yes. This was very, very clear.

Meghan then went on to talk about how hard it was to get the support she needed from the Royal Family. She explains that she could not just call an Uber to 'go to the hospital' and when Oprah clarified that she was 'trapped and couldn't get help', even when she was on the verge of suicide, she replied: 'Yes.'

This article has been adapted from Femme Actuelle.

Read more:

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Prince Harry on why he won't bring wife Meghan Markle back to the country: 'All it takes is one lone actor'

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Sources used:

CBS News Interview

People: Meghan Markle Opens Up About Revealing Suicidal Thoughts: If Telling Story 'Will Save Someone...That's Worth It'

The Sun: Meghan Markle Oprah interview: read the full transcript of Duchess and Prince Harry’s bombshell confessions