Meghan Markle is in Switzerland this week to shine a spotlight on safer digital spaces.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, attended an event in Geneva on Sunday, May 17, for the unveiling of the Lost Screen Memorial in Place des Nations, ahead of the opening of the 79th World Health Assembly. She was joined by World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, global health leaders, and families affected by online harm. The installation featured 50 illuminated lightboxes, each displaying the lock screen image of a child who lost their life as a result of online violence and digital harm.
During her speech, Meghan emphasized that online safety is “not simply a technology issue” but a “public health issue.” She honored the children remembered in the installation:
“Each name belonged to a child who was loved beyond measure. A child whose laughter once filled a kitchen. Whose shoes once waited by a front door. Whose future once felt limitless.”
She urged governments, policymakers, and the public to act, comparing the risks of online harm to other public safety concerns, where interventions have long been accepted.
“We did not tell parents to create their own seatbelts. We did not ask children to test unsafe medicine. We did not shrug at poisoned water or defective toys and call it the price of progress. We acted. And now the world must act again.”
Meghan highlighted the growing dangers posed by artificial intelligence and the compounding risks of digital spaces, stressing that these outcomes are not inevitable. She encouraged individuals to “speak up,” demand accountability from online platforms, and support laws and leaders committed to child safety online.
Amy Neville, a child safety advocate whose son Alexander is among those featured in the memorial, also addressed attendees.
The exhibition, created by Archewell Philanthropies in partnership with The Parents’ Network, will remain in Geneva through May 22. Meghan and Prince Harry previously unveiled the memorial in New York City in April 2025 as part of the No Child Lost to Social Media campaign. At that time, Meghan noted the families’ resilience and Harry emphasized the preventable nature of the children’s deaths.
Mental health and online safety have long been central to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s charitable work. Meghan has spoken publicly about the toll of online harassment, describing a decade of daily bullying and trolling, while Harry has shared his own experiences of struggling with mental health and the benefits of therapy.
The Geneva event highlighted both the urgent need for global protections for children online and the couple’s ongoing advocacy for safer, more accountable digital spaces.
