Meghan Markle Says She's "One of the Most Bullied People in the World" During Another Solo-Appearance

The Duchess of Sussex got candid while speaking to a group of young girls about social media.

Meghan Markle wearing a red sleeveless dress and smiling in front of a step and repeat
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meghan Markle opened up about her experience with online bullying during another solo-appearance in honor of the International Day of the Girl.

On Oct. 2, the Duchess of Sussex surprised a group of young girls during a visit to the Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, assisting with a new digital-wellness program called Social Media U. The group recently partnered with #HalfHerStory, a nonprofit organization focused on improving teens' relationship with technology, with the goal of taking the program nationwide.

Now, in a recent Vanity Fair story published on Friday, Oct. 11, #HalfHerStory founder Larissa May is giving royal fans some insight into what Markle said during her solo-visit.

"We did an activity where we talked through a bunch of scenarios, and Meghan talked about being one of the most bullied people in the world," May told the publication at the time.

"We had girls wave these little emoji signs and talk about how each one of these scenarios would have impacted them emotionally," she added.

Meghan Markle walks with teens while wearing a blue shirt and white pants

Meghan Markle walks with teens while wearing a blue shirt and white pants.

(Image credit: Girls Inc.)

As Marie Claire previously reported, during the afternoon visit Markle wore a J.crew blue button-up shirt with a contrasting white collar from the brand's collaboration with French designer Marie Marot.

The Duchess of Sussex matched the chic top with a pair of wide-leg white trousers that were cinched with a brown leather belt.

According to May, the goal of the afternoon was to "create a space of vulnerability" that allowed the teens to speak on certain, potentially dangerous or harmful scenarios involving social media and technology use.

"We really wanted to make sure that the teens at #HalfTheStory were able to give their input on the type of experience that we would create," she said. "Ultimately, we thought the best way to do that was to create a space of vulnerability.

"With Stephanie and Meghan, we talked about what it really means to grow up in this digital age," May added.

Meghan Markle with students from Girls Inc

Meghan Markle with students from Girls Inc.

(Image credit: Girls Inc)

The surprise visit was not the first time the Duchess of Sussex has opened up about her experience with online bullying. Back in August, while speaking to CBS Sunday Morning during a rare joint interview with her husband Prince Harry, Markle talked about her desire as a mother to protect her own kids from online abuse.

"Our kids are young—they're 3 and 5. They're amazing," Markle told CBS Sunday Morning''s Jane Pauly at the time. "But all you want to do as parents is protect them. So as we can see what's happening in the online space, we know that there's a lot of work to be done there, and we're just happy to be able to be a part of change for good."

Markle and Prince Harry are the proud parents of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

"At this point we’ve got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder," Prince Harry added. "And even the best first responders in the world wouldn’t be able to tell the signs of possible suicide."

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.