Meghan Markle: Speaking About Suicidal Thoughts Publicly is Part of Her Healing Process

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, stated that being open about her experience with suicidal thoughts is part of her "healing journey." In an interview with "CBS News" that aired on Sunday, the former star of "Suits" spoke about her admission to American talk show icon Oprah Winfrey that she hit rock bottom in her life while 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 made her feel so isolated that she "no longer wanted to be alive." Markle, fighting back tears, told Winfrey that it was extremely difficult to bear suicidal thoughts and that she was hesitant 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 revisited the topic, as she and her husband launched an initiative to support parents who have suffered loss due to the 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 harmed online.

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

She said, "When you go through any level of pain or trauma, I think part of our healing journey is the ability to really be open about it (and it has certainly been part of my journey)." Meghan then added, "So, if expressing what I have overcome can save someone, or encourage someone in their life to check in on them, and not assume they look good and that everything is okay, then it’s worth it."

Earlier this year, the Duchess spoke about how she was subjected to "harsh" bullying and abuse online during her pregnancy. While speaking at an event held in Texas in March, Markle confirmed: "I now keep a distance from (social media) for my health."

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