Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has opened up about her experience with suicidal thoughts during her time as a member of the royal family. In a recent interview with CBS, she discussed her mental health struggles as part of her healing journey. The interview was conducted to promote the couple’s new Parents’ Network program, launched through their non-profit Archewell Foundation.
The program aims to address the impact of social media on children and provide support for parents. Meghan and Harry spoke with CBS’s Jane Pauley about the program and their personal experiences.
Meghan candidly shared that she had suicidal thoughts during her time in the royal family. She revealed that she felt ashamed to admit it at the time, especially to Prince Harry, knowing his own personal losses. However, she explained that she felt compelled to speak out to prevent others from going through the same struggles.
“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. That was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how he [Harry] just cradled me,” she said, recalling how Prince Harry comforted her during that difficult time.
Meghan also disclosed that she sought help from the royal institution but was denied, being told it wouldn’t be good for their image. Despite the pain of that experience, she emphasized the importance of being open about mental health struggles and the potential to help others by sharing her story.
“When you’ve been through any level of pain or trauma, I believe part of our healing journey, certainly part of mine, is being able to be really open about it,” she said. “And 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. I would never want someone else to be making those sorts of plans, and I would never want someone else to not be believed. If me voicing what I have overcome will save someone or encourage someone in their life to really, genuinely check in on them and not assume that the appearance is good so everything is OK, then that’s worth it. I’ll take a hit for that.”
Prince Harry also reflected on the situation in the Netflix documentary “Meghan & Harry,” expressing regret for how he handled his wife’s struggles. He admitted that he felt angry and ashamed at the time, and that he prioritized his royal role over his husbandly duties.
“I knew that she was struggling. We were both struggling, but I never thought that it would get to that stage. And the fact that it got to that stage, I felt angry and ashamed. I didn’t deal with it particularly well,” he said. “I dealt with it as ‘institutional Harry’ as opposed to ‘husband Harry’. And what took over my feelings was my royal role.” He added, “Looking back on it now, I hate myself for it. What she needed from me was so much more than I was able to give.”
The couple is now focusing on promoting their Parents’ Network and advocating for mental health awareness. They will soon embark on an official trip to Colombia at the invitation of the country’s Vice President Francia Márquez, where they will engage with leaders, youth, and women, and experience the country’s rich heritage.
