Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Announce Major Overseas Trip As Sussexes Face Fresh Scrutiny Over Their Royal-Style Engagements

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing for another high-profile overseas appearance, with the couple’s team confirming a visit to Brussels that will put their campaign against online harm firmly back in the spotlight.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to attend the opening of The Lost Screen Memorial, a project dedicated to remembering children and families whose lives have been affected by harmful online content. Both will deliver keynote speeches, marking another prominent public engagement for the couple.

But their latest appearance comes amid continued debate over the nature of their official activities and how closely these engagements resemble those of working members of the Royal Family.

Harry And Meghan To Deliver Key Speeches At Brussels Memorial

The Brussels event will see Harry and Meghan share between 15 and 20 minutes for their keynote addresses.

According to the event’s programme, their speeches will focus on the need to turn promises into tangible action, while ensuring that the experiences of children and their families remain at the heart of decisions shaping the digital world.

The ceremony will also feature a deeply personal contribution from Sandra Spitaels, the mother of Glenn, who will share her family’s experience of online harm.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address, alongside MEP Antonio López-Istúriz, who is formally hosting the event in his capacity as First Vice-Chair of the Child Rights Intergroup.

Following the speeches, President Metsola will lead a small delegation through the exhibition. The group will include López-Istúriz, Harry and Meghan, Emilio Puccio and protocol officers.

Meghan Previously Spoke Out About The Impact Of Online Content On Children

The upcoming appearance builds on Meghan’s previous work highlighting the dangers of harmful digital content.

During a visit to Geneva in May, the Duchess delivered an emotional speech about the effects of online material on young people, including its links to eating disorders.

She specifically recalled the case of a teenager named Katie, who had been hospitalised for months with a severe eating disorder.

“Children today are being shaped by systems designed to capture attention at any cost: relentless algorithms, exploitative engagement, and endless exposure to harmful content that they are not seeking out,” Meghan said.

Her remarks highlighted growing concerns about the influence of social media platforms and the responsibility of technology companies to protect younger users.

Another Joint Appearance After Australia And Birmingham Visits

Meghan’s Geneva engagement came after she and Harry completed a three-week tour of Australia earlier this year.

Following their return to the UK, the couple took several weeks before appearing together publicly again in an official capacity. Their joint appearance in Birmingham last month marked another significant moment in their recent schedule.

However, their public engagements have not been without controversy.

The Sussexes have faced criticism from some observers who argue that their official appearances increasingly resemble the duties traditionally associated with working royals, despite their departure from frontline royal responsibilities.

What Is The Lost Screen Memorial?

The Brussels memorial is intended to ensure that the human consequences of online harm are not overshadowed by discussions about policy, legislation and technological developments.

It has two central aims:

• Remembering those affected: Paying tribute to children and families whose lives have been impacted by harmful online experiences.
• Demanding meaningful action: Encouraging policymakers, technology companies and wider society to take greater responsibility for protecting children in the digital world.

Harry and Meghan’s participation will place their online safety advocacy at the centre of the event, with a clear message that commitments must translate into real-world change.

For the Sussexes, the Brussels visit represents another major international engagement as they continue to build their public profile around issues they have made central to their work.