The Duchess of Sussex has revealed she obtained "hateful" abuse on social media whereas she was pregnant with each of her kids, saying it was "cruel".

Appearing on a panel on the SXSW Conference in Texas to mark International Women's Day, Meghan was requested how she handled "endless toxicity" on-line.

The duchess stated "for my wellbeing" she "keeps distance" from social media now, however added that she suffered "the bulk of the bullying and abuse I was experiencing" whereas she was pregnant with each Archie and Lilibet.

With Prince Harry sitting within the entrance row of the convention, Meghan stated: "You just think about that and you have to really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful.

"It's not catty, it is merciless. Why you'd try this?

"And certainly when you're pregnant or as mums we know it's such a tender and sacred time."

She added: "You could succumb to it, or nearly succumb to how painful that is.

"Or perhaps as a result of I used to be pregnant that mammalian intuition simply kicks in to do all the things you possibly can to guard your baby and consequently defend your self too."

Prince Archie was born in May 2019, whereas Princess Lilibet was born in California in June 2021 after the Sussexes moved to the US.

Described by the occasion's organisers as a "visionary female leader", Meghan appeared on a panel which included actress Brooke Shields, 58.

After explaining how on the age of 11 she campaigned to get a sexist advert modified, Meghan stated: "Your voice is not small, it just needs to be heard."

The 42-year-old added: "It's funny to look back at it now as it was before social media where you had a reach that was so much greater - it was just an 11-year-old with a pen and paper - but goes to show if you know there is something wrong and you're using your voice to advocate for what is right, that really lands and resonates with people."

Recalling her starring function within the 1978 movie Pretty Baby, Shields joked in response: "This is one of the ways we're different - when I was 11 I was playing a prostitute."

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Previously, Meghan has stated she was the world's most trolled particular person in 2019.

In a podcast to mark World Mental Health Day, she stated the influence on her well being was "so damaging".

"I wasn't even visible, I was on maternity leave with the baby - but what was able to be manufactured and churned out, it's almost unsurvivable, it's so big you can't even think what that feels like," she stated.

Content Source: information.sky.com