Meghan Markle was visibly emotional as she greeted bereaved parents during a private vigil with Prince Harry in New York this week. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex unveiled the Lost Screen Memorial, a tribute to children who died due to online harm, hosted by the Archewell Foundation's Parents' Network.
The installation, made of 50 large smartphone-shaped light boxes displaying lock screen photos of the children, aims to be a 'powerful call to action for urgent online safety reform'. Nearly 50 families from The Parents' Network attended, believing social media played a role in their children's deaths.
Meghan told reporters: 'No matter how polarised the world is, one thing we can all agree on is that our children should be safe.' Prince Harry added: 'These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable—they were exposed to harmful content online.'
The memorial will be in place for 24 hours, with a virtual version available to share each child's story. Archewell said the work aims to shape 'a more compassionate, accountable digital environment'.
The event coincided with Ofcom's new rules requiring tech firms to block children's access to harmful content from July. Among attendees was Ellen Roome, whose son Jools died in 2022; she campaigns for 'Jools's Law' to grant parents access to children's online accounts after death.
