Meghan Markle: Talking about suicidal thoughts publicly is part of the healing process

Dubai, United Arab Emirates The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, said that opening up about her experience with suicidal thoughts is part of her “healing journey.” In an interview with CBS News broadcast on Sunday, the former "Suits" star spoke about her admission to American presenting icon, Oprah Winfrey, that she had reached the bottom of her life while she was still living in the United Kingdom.

In the interview she and her husband, Prince Harry, conducted with Winfrey in 2021, Meghan said that royal life had made her feel so isolated that she "didn't want to be alive anymore." Fighting back tears, Markle told Winfrey that thoughts of suicide were very difficult to bear, and that she was reluctant to share them with her husband, who lost his mother, Princess Diana, when he was a child.

Now, more than three years later, Markle has addressed the topic again, as she and her husband launched an initiative to support parents who have suffered loss as a result of harm caused by social media. The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Network aims to support affected families, including many families who have lost children to suicide after being victimized online.

During the interview with CBS, the Duchess was asked about her experience with these families. Markle told interviewer Jane Polley that she did not expect the question but understood why it was asked.

“When you're going through any level of pain or trauma, I think part of our healing journey is being able to be really open about it (and it's definitely been part of my journey),” she said. And then Megan added, "So, if expressing what you've overcome will save someone, or encourage someone in their life to check in, and not assume that it looks good, that everything's okay, then it's worth it."

Earlier this year, the Duchess spoke about how she faced "cruel" online bullying and abuse during her pregnancy. Speaking at an event in Texas in March, Markle confirmed: “I now maintain my distance from (social media) for the sake of my health.”

The Duchess gave birth to her first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, on May 6, 2019. The couple then welcomed their baby girl, Lily, Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4, 2021.