I Was In Brussels for Prince Harry and Meghan's Engagement - Here Is What Really Happened
EXCLUSIVE: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked into the European Parliament to a noticeably heavy atmosphere as they opened the Lost Screen Memorial
IN NOTTINGHAM, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were greeted by cheering crowds as fans practically shook with excitement at the thought of bestowing gift bags and bouquets on the pair, but in Brussels, the atmosphere felt completely different.
Members of the press gathered early in the morning, cups of coffee in hand, as they were situated at the ground-floor entrance of the oval-shaped Paul-Henri Spaak Building. A red carpet lined the entrance Hallway that the Duke and Duchess would walk through.
For Prince Harry and Meghan, this was an incredibly important but anticipated visit. They were due to open the Lost Screen Memorial, a special exhibition dedicated to commemorating the lives of children who have been lost due to harms they faced online and on social media. The subject matter was especially poignant for the pair, not just because of the abuse they continue to face themselves online, but also given the severity of allegations levelled against Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle Senior, who was arrested and charged with possession of CSAM.
Instead of the cheering crowds of St Anne's in Nottingham outside of the Community Recording Studio, there were hushed voices as the pair - running slightly late due to famously bad traffic in the Belgian Capital - made their way to greet families who tragically lost children to online abuse. The Duchess cut a reserved figure. Her hair was expertly coiffed into a neat bun, whilst she wore a wrapped Mackage coat which covered her neckline. Subtle accessories included vintage Dior earrings and a Cartier Love bracelet. She paired this with pointed black heels and wide-legged suit trousers.
Prince Harry, wearing a navy suit, white shirt and polka-dot tie, clutched her hand tightly as they made their way to the first session. Whilst the Duke sported a poppy - the universal sign of Remembrance in the UK and Commonwealth - Meghan wore the official pin, both nodding to the sombre traditions of country they once again call home.
As she walked down the carpet, one journalist shouted out: "Meghan, how are you feeling? How are you coping?" The Duchess looked away from the media in that moment. The toll of the recent scandals was etched on their faces; whilst Meghan's expression in particular was filled with subtle anticipation. But whatever emotion they felt, however exhausted they seemed to be, you could sense the determination of the pair to carry out their activities. Walking hand-in-hand, united in support, the importance of the cause they championed came above everything.
Prince Harry alone delivered the keynote address for the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, his voice filled with emotion as he spoke to a packed room of lawmakers and other high-profile individuals. But it was Sandra Spitaels, 52, who caught the most attention as she recounted the tragic loss of her son Glenn. He committed suicide at just 15-years-old after a nude image of him - meant for one person alone - was shared on the internet. Filled with emotion, the Duchess of Sussex tightly hugged the grieving mother as the pair, united in grief, were determined to make a change.
While personnel toured the exhibition to hear the harrowing stories of parents who lost children, Meghan stayed close to Sandra, gently placing her arm around her back as she continued to support Spitaels as she shared her story to those who would listen. I sat down with Sandra shortly afterwards, and she opened up to me about why Harry and Meghan's support has meant so much to her.
She told me: "I think it's very important, and it's it's it's touched me a lot ... I think it's very powerful what the work they do.” Adding: "It's very important because it's like someone said there they open doors ... When you have someone here like Prince Harry and Meghan, yeah, it's important. [It] can really change things."
For his part, Prince Harry knew the meaning of his presence and his place in the room, and he knew his remarks from the keynote address would carry. But the emotion and weight of the conversations never went away throughout the day; instead, the strength of feeling only became more prominent. After the memorial's opening, Prince Harry left the Duchess as he joined a number of high-profile individuals for an important discussion. Titled 'Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future that works for children," the discussion was focussed on finding tangible solutions to increase protections for children online. Meghan was never due to speak at the panel, but the press, diplomats and other European personnel eagerly awaited Harry's remarks.
His words were no lecture; instead, his speech took the form of an impassioned and emotional plea. Almost trembling and with tears in his eyes, he seemed to express pain about those parents he has previously spoke to, people who had to wait nearly a decade to even get access to their child's mobile after they died.
In front of yet another packed room, the Duke remarked: "The parents want transparency, because for many parents, even though their child killed themselves, they've had to wait years. In some instances, eight years to get access to their child's phone. They've waited eight years to try to find out why their child took their own life, and because of the company's privacy policies, the parents were blocked from finding out how their child died. That cannot be right." The room took a sharp intake of breath at that moment as the photographer's camera shutters continued to click in the background. Harry's expression may have been serious during the speech, but he was noticeably more relaxed when fellow members of the panel - which included Baroness Beeban Kidron and a number of MEP's - left their seats to personally express gratitude for his remarks before they took the official photograph.
However, there were lighter moments throughout the day. Whilst Harry's other activities were private, fans eagerly waited for him outside of the various discussion rooms. At one point, Harry - on his way from one room to another in the huge European Parliament complex - greeted fans, one of whom I spotted holding a foreign edition of his bombshell biography, Spare. Everywhere he went, such was the interest; the Duke was constantly surrounded by people wanting his attention.
As the day drew to a close, I found myself thinking back to those cheering crowds in Nottingham. No flower bouquets were thrust into the Sussexes' hands in Brussels, and there was no sense of celebration. For Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the contrast could hardly have been greater. Instead, there were grieving parents, difficult conversations and an urgent demand for change.
Whilst Prince Harry in particular, although he gave the gathered fans some moments to remember, he always appeared to be far more focused on the job at hand, passionately advocating for more protection for children in the online sphere. The circus of stories from the last few weeks could not detract from the poignancy of what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came to do, support parents of those children, lost by the abuse they faced online.
Their personal circumstances may have attracted much of the attention surrounding this visit, but inside the European Parliament, the focus was on something far more important: the families determined to pick up the pieces from their respective tragedies and prevent others from suffering the same fate.
