Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, canceled her scheduled speech at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, making her first public appearance alongside Prince Harry since her father, Thomas Markle, was charged with possessing child sexual abuse photos, as reported by Yahoo.
The royal couple traveled to Brussels for the inauguration of the “Lost Screen Memorial,” an art installation organized by their Archewell foundation featuring giant smartphone screens displaying portraits of young victims of online harm.
According to a spokesperson quoted by Rtbf, the installation serves à la fois un hommage aux victimes et un appel à l’action lancé aux décideurs politiques, aux entreprises technologiques et à la société dans son ensemble
. The royal couple launched the memorial in New York last year through their charitable organisation Archewell, which they set up in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties and moving to the United States.
While Prince Harry addressed delegates and parents at the European Parliament, Meghan did not deliver her planned address, according to NBC News. Citing the Daily Telegraph, Yahoo reported that Meghan did not feel strong enough to speak at the event following the recent charges against her father.
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed that Harry would not make any reference to the arrest of Thomas Markle during the event, which began after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT).
Dressed in black, the couple arrived at the parliament building through a large press pack and waiting delegates, ignoring shouted questions from journalists regarding the investigation into Thomas Markle, Yahoo noted. US authorities charged the 82-year-old with possession of child sexual abuse photos found in California storage units, carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted, per Yahoo.
Thomas Markle has denied the allegations, calling them untrue and sick lies
in statements to the Daily Mail. Both Harry and Meghan were met by waiting delegates and a large press pack upon arrival, with journalists shouting to ask Meghan how she was feeling as they both made no comment.
Last month, Meghan stated through a representative that she was deeply distressed
by the allegations, adding that she had known about them since 2018 and had prevented him from having contact with her children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to protect them, according to Yahoo and Rtbf. Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her marriage to King Charles’ younger son Harry in 2018.
During his remarks at the event, Prince Harry avoided mentioning the criminal investigation into his father-in-law, focusing instead on online protections for minors, Yahoo reported. I’m not here as an expert or a politician. I’m here as a father. My wife, as a mother,
Prince Harry stated, as noted by Yahoo.
If technology really can change the world for the better, let’s begin by making it safe for children.
The prince also spoke alongside parents who had been affected by the issue, mentioning parents who never imagined they would have a reason to be in rooms like that, referring to parents who believe their children died as a result of online harm, including Sandra Spitaels, whose teenage son Glenn committed suicide in 2017.
The Brussels trip follows an appearance in Nottingham in October, their first joint appearance since they moved back to live in Britain, having relocated to the United States in 2020 when they stepped back from official royal duties.