Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are once again using their platform to urge families to put the phone down—and be more present.
The Duke, 41, and Duchess of Sussex, 44, appeared virtually on Wednesday (Jan. 7), during an Oprah Winfrey book launch event hosted by Gayle King. The couple joined authors Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price to discuss their new book, “The Amazing Generation,” which examines the dangers of digital overconsumption and encourages children to reconnect with the real world.
“Over the years, we’ve seen how deeply digital spaces are affecting our collective mental, emotional, and physical health,” Prince Harry said. “A huge congratulations to you on the outcome of your research, which has helped create a parent-led movement that is both astonishing and very much needed.”
Meghan echoed that sentiment, sharing how “proud” the couple is to be part of the growing movement. Longtime advocates for online safety, the Sussexes have consistently spoken out against cyberbullying and the unchecked harms of social media. During the conversation, they also briefly revealed how they’ve begun applying some of the book’s ideas at home with their own children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.
“You can’t replace the feeling of a deep, guttural belly laugh,” Meghan said. “An emoji laugh doesn’t create the same physiological response that we need — that our kids need. What I love is that when we encourage our children to experience that kind of joy, we end up mirroring those behaviors ourselves. We play more. We become more present.”
Cellphone safety and its ties to youth mental health have become central to the Sussexes’ mission in recent years. Through The Parents’ Network, a branch of their Archewell Philanthropies, they’ve championed initiatives aimed at protecting children in digital spaces. That advocacy has also included directly calling on tech leaders—including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg—to take greater accountability for the real-world harm caused by social media platforms earlier this year.
In April 2025, the organization unveiled “The Lost Screen Memorial” in New York City—an installation featuring 50 smartphones, each displaying the photo of a child who died young due to the harmful effects of social media.
Two years prior, the Duke and Duchess spoke during a World Mental Health Day discussion in NYC in October 2023 on the online dangers they were seeing when they famously stressed, “the best parenting in the world” cannot keep children safe from these platforms.
“Everyone now is affected by the online world and social media,” the “With Love, Megan” star said at the time, per the New York Post. “There is an entry point that’s a positive and creative community, but we all just want to feel safe.”
