Meghan Markle and Prince Harry revealed that they are big fans of self-help guru Dr. Casandra Brené Brown. During their talk with the youth leaders of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex apparently smiled when someone quoted the guru's words to them.
According to People, Meghan and Prince Harry told Hunter Johnson, the founder of The Man Cave Australia, that they "adore" Brown after he talked about one of the guru's philosophies. Harry told Johnson that he got affirmation from Brown's talks years ago that being concerned about mental health isn't a sign of weakness.
Brown is a professor at the University of Houston and the bestselling author of over 15 self-help books. Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston ascribe to her insights on "courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy."
According to Tatler, Meghan is a loyal devotee of the self-help guru and she influenced her husband to the path of introspection with Brown's books and talks. Vanity Fair alluded that it was Winfrey who introduced Brown to the Duchess of Sussex.
Brown wrote about using technology for the common good. In the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, where Meghan was guest editor, Brown wrote a piece about learning to deal with cruelty on the internet.
The guru apparently encapsulated how social media vitriol can enrage, shame and make people feel small. As someone who has been attacked from all sides, especially on the socio-political fence, Brown said that opting out of this platform is better if one's aim is to "win" among the bashers.
However, she is still speaking about causes that matter to her on social media because she can't stay silent for those without voices. She professes to "speak your truth" as the only "foolproof strategy" against the vitriol.
These are same ideals that Meghan and Prince Harry hope to emulate as they launch Archewell. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also want to use the internet to build a community that will help each other's wellbeing.
In a piece on Fast Company, Prince Harry said that while social media can be divisive it may also be a tool for positive changes. He said that users, as well as tech industry leaders, have the power to redesign the platform so that it can be a safe space, to be used with compassion and respect, to benefit the future generation such as his son, Archie.
