Meghan Markle Speaks Out on George Floyd’s Death During Graduation Address

Meghan Markle has spoken out about the death of George Floyd which has sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the globe.

Mr. Floyd, 46, died of a heart attack after being restrained by a policeman in Minneapolis last week. Meghan issued an emotional plea to her former high school in a moving graduation speech.

The American former actress told high school pupils “George Floyd's life mattered” in a heartfelt speech about racism in America.

Meghan and Prince Harry relocated to Meghan's hometown Los Angeles in March.

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit Australia - Day 3 — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends a reception at Government House on October 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski – Pool/Getty Images)

Meghan admitted she was “really nervous” about speaking on the issue, but soon realized that “the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing.”

She told the all-girls school: “I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldn't or it would get picked apart, and I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing – because George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor‘s life mattered and Philando Castile‘s life mattered and Tamir Rice‘s life mattered.”

“And so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know.”

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit Australia - Day 2 — Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex XXXXX on October 17, 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. (Photo by Getty Images)f

She also told students of her own experiences living in LA during the 1992 race riots, which happened after police officers were seen beating Rodney King.

“I remember the curfew and I remember rushing back home, and on that drive home, seeing ash fall from the sky, and smelling the smoke and seeing the smoke billow out of buildings.”

“I remember seeing men in the back of a van just holding guns and rifles.”

“I remember pulling up to the house and seeing the tree, that had always been there, completely charred. And those memories don’t go away.”

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Attend UK Team Trials For The Invictus Games Sydney 2018 — Prince Harry, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation and Meghan Markle attend the UK Team Trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village on April 6, 2018 in Bath, England. The Invictus Games Sydney 2018 will take place from 20-27th October and will see over 500 competitors from 18 nations compete in 11 adaptive sports. (Photo by Getty Images)

“I can’t imagine that at 17 or 18 … that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience,” she said.

She urged them to understand the situation as “a history lesson, not as your reality.”

Meghan added: “Now you get to be part of rebuilding … we are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it’s rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.”

Watch Megan Markle's speech below

"George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered."

Duchess Meghan has shared a powerful video with @IHPandas Immaculate Heart High School’s class of 2020 for their graduation.#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/BzUmfnKICb
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) June 4, 2020