Meghan Markle claims she’s ‘most trolled person in the entire world’

'Every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked': former Duchess of Sussex says during a stop in Melbourne with Harry

Published Apr 16, 2026  •  Last updated 5 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle take part in the Scar Tree Walk on day three of the royal trip on April 16, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Jonathan Brady /Getty Images

Prince Harry is giving Australia props for taking a hard line on social media — and Meghan Markle is opening up about just how damaging that online world can be.

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Speaking Thursday during a stop in Melbourne, Harry called Australia’s move to ban social media for kids under 16 “epic,” highlighting it as a strong example of leadership, per Reuters. The country became the first in the world to pass such a law in December 2025, restricting access to platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook — a move now being watched and copied globally.

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The idea is already gaining traction in Canada.

According to The Canadian Press, federal Liberals recently backed a non-binding resolution to set 16 as the minimum age for social media use, putting responsibility on tech companies to enforce it.

Harry made it clear he’s not there to debate the policy itself, but he respects the intent behind it.

“Now we can sit here and debate the pros and cons of a ban — I’m not here to judge that. All I will say is from a responsibility and leadership standpoint — epic,” he said during a youth discussion hosted by mental health organization Batyr in Melbourne, per Reuters.

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‘Anchored on cruelty to get clicks’

Meanwhile, Meghan, got personal. She told the same audience she’s been dealing with intense online abuse for years.

“Every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world,” she said.

Her message was to the point: Social media isn’t designed to be kind. “(It’s a) billion dollar industry that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks,” she said, per Agence France-Presse. “That’s not going to change. So you have to be stronger than that.”

Harry also shared a more emotional side at a separate leadership event, reflecting on the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, when he was just 12. He said that period left him feeling “lost, betrayed, or completely powerless,” and even resentful of his royal role.

“It killed my mum and I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years,” he said, per AFP.

Over time, Harry’s perspective shifted

He said he began thinking about how he could use his position and resources to make a difference — and what his mother would have wanted. That realization, he said, changed everything.

The couple’s current visit marks their first trip to Australia since 2018, when they were still working royals and famously announced Meghan’s first pregnancy upon arriving in Sydney.

Two years later, in 2020, they stepped back from royal duties and moved to the U.S., citing a desire for financial independence and to escape what they described as relentless media intrusion, reports Reuters.

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