Meghan Markle told students in Melbourne that she endured a decade of sustained online abuse, describing herself as "the most trolled person in the entire world," as she and Prince Harry used a university forum in Melbourne to sharpen their critique of social media platforms and advocate for stronger safeguards for young users.
The remarks came during a small-group discussion at Swinburne University of Technology with student advocates affiliated with Batyr, a mental health organization. The event formed part of the couple's broader visit to Australia, where they have combined public engagement with advocacy work focused on digital wellbeing and youth mental health.
Markle framed her comments as a personal reflection on the emotional toll of online harassment. "And I can speak to that really personally, which is why I like to listen, because it rings true for me in a very real way," she said. "For now, 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world."
Her assertion was not accompanied by data, and no major platform has verified such a ranking, positioning the claim as a personal characterization rather than a measurable benchmark. Still, the statement underscored how the Duchess is attempting to translate personal experience into a broader argument about systemic risks in digital environments.
Markle expanded that argument by criticizing the economic incentives underlying social media companies. "Now, I am still here. And when I think of all of you and what you are experiencing, I think so much of that is having to realise that you know that industry, that billion-dollar industry that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks, that is not going to change. So you have to be stronger than that," she told the group.
Her framing reflects a growing strand of criticism aimed at engagement-driven business models, which critics argue reward controversy and amplify harmful content. Markle's emphasis, however, leaned less on regulatory specifics and more on resilience, suggesting that users are often left to absorb the consequences of systems designed to maximize attention rather than safety.
Prince Harry approached the issue from a policy angle, pointing to Australia's decision to restrict social media access for users under 16. "Australia took the lead," he said. "Your government was the first country in the world to bring about a ban. Now we can sit here and debate the pros and cons of a ban, I am not here to judge that. All I will say is from a responsibility and leadership standpoint, epic."
He added that such measures reflect a broader failure by platforms to regulate themselves effectively. "It should have never, ever got to a ban. And now that the ban is in place, now what follows?" he said. "Because the companies themselves have to be accountable, and there is no way that young people should be punished by being banned from something that should be safe to use, no matter what."
