Meghan and Harry Put on a Brave Face in Belgium

Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry touched down in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday to open the Lost Screen Memorial, an art installation dedicated to the memories of children who “lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.” It was also their first public appearance since Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, was arrested in Florida by the FBI last week and charged with one count of possession of child pornography.

Thomas was arrested following a tip about a storage unit he owned in L.A., which police found contained sexually explicit images of him with prepubescent girls. In a statement last month, Meghan said she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations against Thomas, which were first brought to her attention in 2018 in a letter from the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection.

“Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” Meghan said.

Harry spoke to Parliament on behalf of the couple on Tuesday, and also participated in a panel titled Beyond Promises: Building a Digital Future That Works for Children. Meghan was originally slated to deliver the speech, but, according to British tabloids, she pulled out ahead of the visit. An “insider” told The Telegraph she’s “not strong enough, emotionally, to be doing any public speaking right now.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first opened the Lost Screen Memorial in New York City in 2025 as part of the Archewell Foundation’s No Child Lost to Social Media campaign. The installation is made up of 50 lightboxes resembling smartphone screens, each of which features a child’s face. Per the organization’s website, “These images represent the ones their parents have on their phone lockscreens. Their faces serve as a constant reminder of what has been lost.”

“If technology really can change the world for the better,” Harry said during his address, “let’s begin by making it safe for children.” The couple did not answer reporters’ questions as they arrived in Brussels, but both were dressed in black and wore red poppy pins associated with Remembrance Day in the UK.

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