The Duke of Sussex alluded to the negative impact social media has had on his life with wife Meghan Markle, amid rumours he's quit all social platforms.
- Prince Harry appeared on the Fast Company podcast and insisted he and Meghan Markle have not quit social media, but will "revisit" it "when it feels right"
- The Duke opened up about the "false narrative" surrounding his relationship with Meghan, which led to the "mothership for all of the harassment"
- It follows royal news of Kate Middleton's new lockdown hair
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not quit social media, but are taking a break from the platforms until they see "commitment to change" when it comes to trolling. And it's a fear the couple have for their son Archie.
The Duke of Sussex's admission comes just days after it was reported that Prince Harry and Meghan were set for a digital detox, following Meghan's "almost unsurvivable" experience of trolling during her early days as a royal.
Opening up about the hate his wife received online, Prince Harry said a false narrative had been created and was being perpetually re-told. And it eventually led to the couple stepping down as senior royals.
"I was really surprised to witness how my story had been told one way, my wife’s story had been told one way, and then our union sparked something that made the telling of that story very different," he told the Fast Company podcast.
"That false narrative became the mothership for all of the harassment you’re referring to.
"It wouldn’t have even begun had our story just been told truthfully."
The couple have made no secret of the fact they think work needs to be done with the "incredibly powerful" social media companies, to work against the "crisis of hate" that can often be found in the digital landscape.
And Prince Harry said people should be more aware of "fact-checking" and "taking a more compassionate approach" when considering leaving a comment - as they can cause real pain otherwise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqFaBBAf9Q8
"These might seem like little things, but they add up," the father-of-one explained. "Humans crave connection, social bonds, and a sense of belonging. When we don't have those, we end up fractured, and in the digital age that can unfortunately be a catalyst for finding connection in mass extremism movements or radicalisation."
Pouring cold water over rumours they've "quit" social media altogether, however, Prince Harry revealed, "We will revisit social media when it feels right for us - perhaps when we see more meaningful commitments to change or reform - but right now we've thrown much of our energy into learning about his space and how we can help."
