Prince Harry and Meghan Markle release new statement following major UK decision: ‘A welcome step forward’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have spoken out after the UK announced a major new step aimed at protecting children online.

On June 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a statement backing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to ban children under 16 from major social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.

Meghan and Harry have praised the UK’s social media move (Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com)

Prince Harry UK response to social media ban

In their statement, Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, said: “We welcome the U.K. Government’s announcement of new measures to better protect children online.”

The couple pointed to stories highlighted through The Lost Screen Memorial, an initiative linked to their charity Archewell Philanthropies. They said those accounts show that real families sit behind the wider debate over technology and regulation.

They said the new rules may help reduce harm, but argued they do not solve the deeper issue. According to the couple, lasting progress will require platforms to be made safer from the outset, stronger accountability and a clear commitment to putting children’s wellbeing ahead of engagement and profit.

Harry and Meghan also said parents and children should not carry the responsibility alone, insisting that technology companies must share that burden.

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They added: “Until then, every day without meaningful change is another day that children remain exposed to preventable harm. Stronger protections are better than inaction, and today’s announcement is a welcome step forward.”

Harry and Meghan have spoken about the dangers of social media (Credit: CBS)

What the new UK move means

The Sussexes released their response on the same day Starmer announced the policy. The Associated Press reported that the ban is expected to come into force next year.

The UK is now set to join countries including Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia in introducing similar legislation or tightening rules around children’s access to online content. Britain’s restrictions are expected to apply to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s long-running campaign

Safer online spaces have become a major focus of Harry and Meghan’s charitable work since they stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States.

In 2024, their Archewell Foundation, later renamed Archewell Philanthropies, launched The Parents’ Network as a support resource and community for families who lost a child to social media-driven suicide or whose children have suffered because of online harms.

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Working with The Parents’ Network, Archewell unveiled the Lost Screen Memorial in New York City in April 2025. It was part of the No Child Lost to Social Media campaign.

Although Archewell later transferred The Parents’ Network to the non-profit ParentsTogether, the duke and duchess have continued to push for stronger protections for children online.

Harry and Meghan have advocated for a safer online environment for young people (Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images)

Meghan’s recent warning on online safety

In May, Meghan attended the unveiling of the Lost Screen Memorial in Geneva ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly.

During her speech, she said safe online spaces are not simply a technology issue but a public health issue. She urged the global community to introduce stronger safeguards for the next generation.

Read more: Prince Harry’s ‘sadness’ over Trooping the Colour as he appears in new video message

Earlier this year, in March, Harry and Meghan also welcomed a Los Angeles jury ruling that found Meta and YouTube liable for negligence in a landmark social media addiction case. They described that decision as a turning point for families.

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