Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to leave the UK temporarily for a trip to Brussels, where they will speak at the unveiling of The Lost Screen Memorial, an event designed to highlight the impact of online harm on young people and families.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who recently moved back to the UK, are confirmed by their representatives to attend the opening of the memorial in the European Parliament on Tuesday, November 11.
Keynote Addresses Scheduled
Both Harry and Meghan are scheduled to give keynote addresses, with 15 to 20 minutes shared between them. Their comments will "underline the importance of turning commitments into meaningful action and ensuring that the experiences of children and their families remain central to decisions about the digital future".
The couple will also be shown the memorial exhibition, which remembers children who have lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.
Panel Discussion and Testimony
The duke will later join a panel discussion called Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children to discuss how to protect children online. Questions will be permitted from the audience, but not the media.
The occasion will conclude with "a testimony from Sandra Spitaels, mother of Glenn, offering a deeply personal perspective on the impact of online harm on families".
The programme will also include a keynote address by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, followed by comments from MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, the official host of the gathering and First Vice-Chair of the Child Rights Intergroup. President Metsola will guide a small delegation, including MEP López-Istúriz, the Duke and Duchess, Emilio Puccio and protocol officers, around the exhibition.
Context of Previous Speeches
Meghan previously travelled to Geneva to make an emotional address about the damaging impact of online content on youngsters, including eating disorders. In that speech, which occurred in May, she referenced a teenager called Katie who was "hospitalised for months with a severe eating disorder".
Meghan said at the time: "Children today are being shaped by systems designed to capture attention at any cost: relentless algorithms, exploitative engagement, and endless exposure to harmful content that they are not seeking out."
Meghan's previous visit to Geneva came after she and Harry's three-week tour of Australia earlier this year. After returning to the UK, it was several weeks before Meghan and Harry were spotted together publicly in any official role, until they made a joint appearance in Birmingham last month.
The Lost Screen Memorial aims to guarantee that "the real human cost of online harm is not lost amid policy debates, legislation and technological change". It is intended as both a memorial to those impacted and a rallying cry for policymakers, tech firms and society to take greater action in safeguarding children.
