In a candid discussion at the South by Southwest Festival on Friday, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, revealed her personal experience with cyberbullying during her pregnancies with Archie and Lilibet. Speaking as a panel member alongside notable figures like Brooke Shields and Katie Couric, Meghan shared, “The bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lili, and with a newborn with each of them.”

The Duchess’s revelation has since gone viral, prompting a response from former royal butler Grant Harold. In an interview with the Mirror, Harold acknowledged the prevalence of online bullying, stating, “Millions of people sadly experience online bullying. It happens all the time.” He noted that many members of the Royal Family refrain from using social media to avoid negative comments.

Harold also advised Meghan to “rise above” certain things, citing the example of Catherine, Princess of Wales, who may use social media but doesn’t publicly discuss it. “Sometimes you should be rising above it,” he remarked.

Currently, only a handful of royal members maintain public social media accounts, including the Duchess of York, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Lady Amelia Windsor, Lady Gabriella Kingston, Cassius, and Columbus Taylor. Prince William and Kate Middleton occasionally use their official handles for important posts.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, discontinued their use of social media following their departure. The couple previously interacted with the public through their official Instagram account, SussexRoyal, but announced their decision to take a step back in a final post, expressing gratitude for the community’s support and commitment to positive change.