It appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Parents Network, which supported those who had lost a child after online harm, has been quietly handed over to another organisation
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have appeared to have quietly stepped back from a major project. The Sussexes launched the Archewell Foundation Parents Network in summer 2024, which supported those who had lost a child after online harm, with the pair speaking out about the dangers lurking on social media.
However, it now seems that the network has been passed from Archewell to ParentsTogether, a separate organisation that also offers resources to parents worried about the impact of the online world on youngsters. It is understood that Archewell has given ParentsTogether the full operational capacity of the Parents Network as well as a cash grant to cover the first year of core operations.
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Back in October, Harry and Meghan’s Network announced a partnership with ParentsTogether at an event in New York to mark World Mental Health Day. At the time Harry said: “Expanding the parents’ movement and supporting them throughout is how real change happens. That’s why we are so proud to announce tonight that The Parents’ Network is joining forces with ParentsTogether.”
Now an Archewell source told the Mirror : “This follows our established model where we incubate initiatives before transitioning them to independent, sustainable organisations – much like Invictus, Travalyst and others.
“ParentsTogether has built trusted relationships with many of these families over years, and their expertise makes them the ideal permanent home for The Parents Network. We couldn’t be more excited to see these families supported and amplified in such capable hands.”
Harry and Meghan first launched the Parents Network in 2024 where they gave a rare TV interview to American broadcaster CBS News. Harry said at the time: “At this point, we’ve got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder. Even the best first responders would not be able to tell the signs of possible suicide.”
Last year they also aired their concerns about social media to the BBC, when Harry explained: “We want to make sure that things are changed so that… no more kids are lost to social media. Life is better off social media.
“The easiest thing to say is to keep your kids away from social media. The sad reality is the kids who aren’t on social media normally get bullied at school because they can’t be part of the same conversation as everybody else. We’re just grateful that our kids are too young to be on social media at this point.”
Meghan also added: “I think in many ways what we see through these parents is the hope and the promise of something better, because… they just want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
However, despite taking a step back from the Parents Network, it seems the issue of social media and young people is still an issue they feel passionate about. Just last week, the couple said they are “proud” to be part of work on the impacts and dangers of social media for children.
In a video for Oprah Daily, the couple spoke to Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price, authors of The Amazing Generation: Your Guide To Fun And Freedom In A Screen-Filled World, about their research.
Harry said: “Over the years, we’ve worked with you on how the digital space is deeply affecting our collective and mental, emotional and physical health.
“And obviously, a huge congratulations to you and the outcome of your research which has created a parent-led movement which is astonishing and much needed.” “And that we’re proud to be a part of,” Meghan added.
“Yeah, hugely,” Harry said. “And the insights have been incredibly valuable over the years for our work with parents who have lost their children to online harms and working towards solutions to keep all children safe.
The couple also spoke about putting some of Haidt and Price’s suggestions into practice at home with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. “You were saying, you cannot replace the feeling of a deep, guttural belly laugh.
“An emoji laugh is not the same physiological response that we need, that our kids need,” Meghan said. “What I love is that the more that we encourage our children to do this, we mimic those same behaviours. We also start to play, and we also start to be more present.”
