Meghan travelled to Washington D.C. on Tuesday
eghan Markle has revealed in a new interview with Fortune that she made a conscious choice to turn off comments on Instagram, both on her personal account and for her lifestyle brand As Ever, as a form of “self-preservation”.
The Duchess of Sussex spoke candidly during an appearance at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington D.C. on Tuesday (October 14), where she discussed her “complicated relationship” with social media.
Meghan Markle travelled to Washington D.C. to speak at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit (Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com)
Meghan Markle on her ‘complicated relationship’ with social media in Fortune interview
Speaking with Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell, the Duchess of Sussex reflected on her ongoing efforts to protect her mental health while navigating the online world.
She described her decision to limit interaction and turn off her comments on social media as both personal and intentional. She clarified that it was meant to “not just protecting myself or the people that work with me, but also the supporters”.
She said: “I have had a very complicated relationship with social media, as you can probably imagine.”
“There are certain things that I have done, just for my own self preservation,” Meghan explained, as reported by HELLO!. “But also that I’ve applied to the brand and for the people that are incredibly supportive.”
The duchess said the decision wasn’t only about shielding herself from online hostility, but also about protecting her followers from negativity.
There are certain things that I have done, just for my own self preservation.
She continued: “By design, I also recognise that a lot of those people aren’t going to my page to see negativity, and so not just protecting myself or the people that work with me, but also the supporters. So I don’t have the comment section on.”
However, Meghan acknowledged that this “choice” comes with trade-offs, particularly missing out on direct positive engagement.
Still, she said the overwhelming “groundswell of support” is what she chooses to focus on, rather than the criticism. She also reflected on the challenge of building a meaningful digital community without the usual tools of interaction.
“How do I build a community?” she mused. “That is so key to this brand and it’s so key to how I like to show up in the world. How do we actually connect if you can’t have comments and exchange?”
The Duchess of Sussex explained that she chose to disable comments on her social media platforms as a form of “self-preservation” (Credit: Aissaoui Nacer/SplashNews.com)
With Love, Meghan on Netflix
During the conversation, Meghan also shared an update about her Netflix series With Love, Meghan. She revealed that she and her team are discussing new ways to evolve the show’s format.
Having spent seven years acting in Suits, she noted the workload of traditional television and said her team is now exploring shorter, more accessible formats, like bite-sized content that still reflects the ethos of As Ever.
The duchess said: “It’s a year of learns. It’s amazing to sit and watch a show for 30 minutes, but how can I give you a recipe in two minutes? And where can I share that with you? And how that continues to grow As Ever.”
The Fortune summit runs until Wednesday. It also features an impressive line-up of speakers including former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, singer and actress Selena Gomez, and author Brené Brown.
Meghan’s Washington appearance came just days after she and Prince Harry visited New York City for World Mental Health Day events organised by Project Healthy Minds.
The couple attended both the charity’s gala on October 9 and its festival the following day. During the events, they used their platform to speak about digital safety, mental health, and building supportive communities.
News
JUST IN: Jennifer Aniston’s Romance “Straight Out of a Novel” — But the Ending May Shock Everyone
Photo Credit: James Devaney/GC Images via Getty Images After years of being wary, Jennifer Aniston is reportedly ready for the wedding bells…
“‘IT HAPPENED SO SUDDENLY…’: Hollywood is in mourning after reports revealed that Diane Keaton’s health declined very suddenly in the days leading up to the Oscar-winning star’s heartbreaking d3ath.
It was announced this weekend that actor Diane Keaton died at the age of 79 after an award-winning acting career,…
“‘I KNEW IT, EVEN THEN,’: In an emotional exclusive, Joanna Lumley has opened up about the moment she realised, at just six years old, that she was destined to become a star.
Dame Joanna Lumley has opened up about her childhood and while things are Absolutely Fabulous now, this wasn’t always the…
“‘MY TIME MUST BE COMING SOON…’”: Beloved actress Joanna Lumley has left fans heartbroken after her emotional confession following a tragic loss that struck close to home.
Joanna Lumley is determined to live her life to the full and says she is “not afraid” of getting old….
“HEARTS BROKE LIVE ON AIR,”: Viewers were left emotional as BBC Breakfast hosts announced sad news during the morning broadcast — a moment marked by heavy silence and visible emotion on their faces.
BBC Breakfast presenters Sally Nugent and Roger Johnson were back on our screens on Wednesday morning BBC Breakfast hosts announced sad…
“‘IT’S TIME TO CHASE THE SUN,’: BBC Breakfast’s beloved Carol Kirkwood has finally hinted at her retirement plans — and fans can’t believe where she’s heading next.
BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood is hoping to retire in the next couple of years and is planning to travel…
End of content
No more pages to load