Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Announce an International Work Trip for a Cause Close to Their Heart
It will be the Sussexes' first public outing after allegations against Thomas Markle came to light.
After a successful Nottingham outing last month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to take a bigger step in their charitable and commercial endeavors. The couple will travel to Brussels next week to deliver joint keynote speeches at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial at the European Parliament. It was previously reported that the Sussexes were being “mindful” of royal diaries, which may be true, as they announced their trip minutes after King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded their historic Caribbean tour on Wednesday.
Harry and Markle’s keynote addresses will draw on their experience speaking with families affected by online harm. Their speeches will “underline the importance of turning commitments into meaningful action and ensuring that the experiences of children and their families remain central to decisions about the digital future”. They will also listen to speeches from European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, the first vice-chair of the Child Rights Intergroup.
After their addresses, the Duke of Sussex will join a panel discussion in the European Parliament on how to protect children online. It will cover topics such as responsibilities of tech companies and preventing online child sexual abuse and exploitation. Audiences will be allowed to ask questions, but the media won’t.
This will be the Sussexes’ first public appearance since the horrifying allegations against Thomas Markle came to light. Given the nature of the case, it will certainly be a very emotional trip for the Duchess of Sussex, who had released a statement on the matter. An investigation is currently underway.
Harry and Markle have kept a low profile since their Nottingham visit. They had reportedly spent some quality time with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who were home from school for their half-term breaks. The family of four was already out of the UK when the allegations against Thomas were made public.
The Lost Screen Memorial was launched by the Sussexes’ Archewell Foundation to commemorate the lives of children who lost their lives due to online harm. It was unveiled in New York last year and taken to Geneva earlier this year. The Duchess gave a keynote speech there. And now it seems it is being moved to Brussels.
