25-04-2025
Prince Harry Snuck in an Under-the-Radar Visit to Brooklyn During His N.Y.C. Trip with Meghan Markle
Prince Harry made a surprise visit to talk tech with a savvy group of young people during his visit to New York City with his wife, Meghan Markle.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, participated in the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) Convening in Brooklyn on Thursday, April 24.
'Thank God you guys exist, thank God you guys are here,' TechCrunch reported that Prince Harry told the group, which was made up of a dozen young leaders and funders working towards 'a safer, more inclusive digital future.'
As the power of technology only continues to grow, Harry said that we all have a 'responsibility' to prioritize safety over profits. He and Meghan have helped fund the RTYPF through their Archwell Foundation, and the Duke of Sussex said he has a vested interest in the work of each contributor.
'You have the knowledge and the skillset and the confidence and the bravery and the courage to be able to stand up to these things,' he added.
Related: Meghan Markle Reveals Season 2 Guest on Her Netflix Show — and It's Someone Close to Her and Prince Harry
Online safety was a theme of Prince Harry and Meghan's New York City trip, where Meghan also spoke at the TIME100 Summit.
During their visit, they unveiled The Lost Screen Memorial, a powerful installation comprised of 50 smartphones, each displaying the lock screen photo of a child whose life was cut short, stemming from the harmful effects of social media.
The personal images were shared by parents, who are members of the Archewell Foundation Parents' Network, to call attention to the need for safer online spaces.
"These are families that we have been working with for several years," Meghan said at the event in midtown Manhattan, which PEOPLE attended. "No matter how polarized the world is, or what people may or may not agree on, one thing that we can all agree on is that our children should be safe. All of our children should be safe, and I think tonight, all of these stories solidify that."
Harry said, "These children were not sick. Their deaths were not inevitable—they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter. No child should be exploited, groomed, or preyed upon in digital spaces. To the platforms, they may be seen as statistics. To their families, they were cherished and irreplaceable."
Related: Meghan Markle Reveals Why She's the 'Happiest I've Ever Been' in On-Stage 'Confession' in N.Y.C.
A virtual version of the memorial included stories about each child, with some of the parents recording a personal voice message for people to listen to.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates.
When the couple was asked what advice they would give to parents about social media and their children, Harry responded: "The easiest thing to say is: Keep your kids away from social media. The sad reality is that the kids who aren't on social media normally get bullied at school because they can't be part of the same conversations as everybody else."
"Life is better off of social media," he continued. "I say that as a parent, and I say that as someone who's spoken to many of the kids here tonight who lost a brother or a sister to social media. But clearly, enough is not enough. Enough is not being done."
Read the original article on People
