Prince Harry delivered an unusually emotional rebuke of major social media companies in Los Angeles this week, aligning himself publicly with British parents who are suing technology platforms over the deaths of their children. The Duke of Sussex appeared alongside families attending a landmark trial targeting companies including Meta, Instagram and YouTube, describing the legal battle as a test of whether Silicon Valley will be forced to answer for alleged harms tied to online design practices.
Speaking in a video shared by BBC Breakfast, Harry told the parents gathered before the court proceedings, "None of you should be here." The remark, simple and unscripted in tone, framed the moment not as a ceremonial royal appearance but as a confrontation over accountability in the digital age.
The Los Angeles trial centers on claims that certain platforms were engineered in ways that amplified addictive behaviors and exposed minors to harmful content. Plaintiffs argue that the architecture of these services-particularly algorithm-driven feeds-contributed directly to deteriorating mental health outcomes among children and adolescents.
Harry acknowledged parallels with his own public battles, characterizing the litigation as a "David versus Goliath situation." His comments made clear that he views the case not merely as civil litigation but as a broader reckoning over corporate responsibility.
"When you were sitting in court and if you have that feeling of just overwhelming emotion because you can't believe that the people on the other side are saying what they're saying, that by the very nature of them defending what they're defending, the lies that they are stating, is devaluing life, is devaluing your children's lives, if that brings stuff up for you, it is totally normal," he told the group.
He added: "Do not feel ashamed, do not feel concerned. Even if the judge - as I heard - turned round and asked you not to show emotion."
Among the families present was Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney, died following what she describes as an online challenge. "We can't make a difference for our children, but we can make a difference for other people's children," Roome said.
The intervention coincided with a formal statement issued earlier in the day by Archewell Philanthropies, the charitable organization founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple described the trial as a "pivotal moment" for "families seeking truth, justice and safeguards for children and communities around the world."
In the statement, they argued that social media companies have operated on "manipulative algorithms built with profits, not child safety, as the priority." They further wrote that families and whistleblowers "have told us for years that platforms prioritise engagement over safety."
The Sussexes also situated the case within a wider regulatory movement, pointing to legislative efforts in Spain, Australia and France to impose stricter online safety standards. They emphasized that protections must extend beyond corporate policy decisions and involve governments' "own duty to human rights and safety," warning that no single jurisdiction's law "solve a global problem."
For Harry, who has frequently criticized media institutions in Britain, the focus has now expanded to digital architecture and platform governance. By appearing in Los Angeles during active litigation, he positioned himself alongside parents pressing for structural change in how social media companies design and defend their products.
