Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released a statement commending Ellen Roome's tireless advocacy following the UK Government's decision to introduce "Jools' Law" through amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill.
The couple praised Ms Roome on their official Sussex.com website, stating that her efforts would ensure "no other parent faces the same barriers she did".
The landmark legislation will require automatic preservation of children's social media data following their death and grant bereaved parents direct access to this information.
According to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's statement, the new measures represent "the first law of its kind anywhere in the world", eliminating the need for court orders or navigating corporate obstacles.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcome Jools’ Law as Keir Starmer pushes online safety crackdown
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Ms Roome's campaign began after her son Jools died in April 2022 at the age of 14.
She believes he died whilst attempting an online challenge and is among a group of British parents pursuing legal action against TikTok in the United States.
Following her son's death, Ms Roome attempted to gain access to his social media accounts to understand what content he had encountered and engaged with online.
Social media companies denied her requests, pointing to data protection policies and their terms of service as justification.
Ellen Roome took legal action against TikTok following the death of her son after he allegedly attempted a trend on the platform
| ELLEN ROOME / GB NEWSRather than accepting these corporate refusals, Ms Roome committed herself to uncovering the truth about her son's death and campaigning for legislative change.
Under Jools' Law, social media platforms will be legally obligated to preserve a child's online data automatically upon their death.
Bereaved parents will gain direct access to this preserved information without requiring court orders or facing what the duke and duchess described as "corporate gatekeeping".
The Sussexes emphasised in their statement that "thanks to Jools' Law, a source of evidence can no longer be withheld by a key defendant".
Jools Sweeney was just 14-years-old when he died in April 2022 | GB NEWS
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously issued a warning on cyberbullying during a CBS interview | CBSThis provision is particularly significant given that Ms Roome is currently involved in litigation against TikTok, where such digital evidence could prove crucial to establishing what her son experienced online before his death.
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, revealed they first encountered Ms Roome in New York last year, where she recounted Jools' story with the same resolve that ultimately transformed legislation. Her son features in the couple's Lost Screen Memorial project.
The duke and duchess also expressed gratitude to Baroness Beeban Kidron, crediting her with inspiring their own advocacy work and championing Ms Roome's campaign in the House of Lords to secure its passage into law.
The Government's announcement extends beyond parental access rights, with additional measures examining the implications of rapidly advancing AI technology, including chatbots, for children's safety online.