The Duchess of Sussex opened up about her experience with critics and the “vitriol and noise” that is launched at her. She did so during an appearance at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women virtual summit on Tuesday.
Speaking to Fortune’s editor, Ellen McGirt, Meghan confessed that a quote by American artist Georgia O’Keeffe helped her overcome hate comments.
She said: “I used to have a quote up in my room many, many moons ago and it resonates now perhaps more than ever when you see the vitriol and noise that can be out in the world.
“It’s by Georgia O’Keeffe and it’s: ‘I have already settled it for myself, so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free.’”
Meghan also pointed out that people will not always agree with her.
She said: “There are always going to be naysayers.”
″The moment that you’re able to be liberated from all of these other opinions, of what you know to be true, then I think it’s very easy to just live with truth and live with authenticity and that is how I choose to move through the world.”
The Duchess added that being genuine should prevail over what critics say.
She said: “I think it’s about being authentic.
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“If you don’t listen to all the noise out there and just focus on living a purpose-driven life and knowing what your own moral compass is…
She added: “The moment you are able to be liberated from all these other opinions of what you know to be true, then I think it’s very easy to live with truth and live with authenticity and that’s how I choose to move through the world.”
However, the Duchess stressed the importance of creating “humane tech” in a digital world.
She said: ″We have got to all put our stock in something that is true, and we need to have reliable media and news sources that are telling us the truth…when you know something is wrong, report it, talk about it.
“It’s like we live in the future when you’re talking about bots and trolls and all of these things.
“It seems so fantastical, but that’s actually the current state of affairs and that is shaping how we interact with each other online and off — and that’s the piece that’s important.
“It is not just an isolated experience. It transcends into how you interact with anyone around you and certainly your own relationship with yourself.”
She said some of the issues her and Prince Harry’s charitable organisation Archewell will be tackling are misinformation and hate speech online.
Meghan said: “If you continue to hit this brick wall of, at the moment, what is happening in the digital and online space, then in many ways it’s like taking two steps forward and five steps backward.
“So part of our focus with Archwell is to just ensure that we are helping foster healthy positive communities, online and off, for our collective well-being.”
