Meghan Markle has described how she and Prince Harry had a "guttural" reaction to the abortion laws in the US being overturned.
The country's supreme court ruled that abortion is not protected under the constitution, meaning individual states now have the power to regulate the procedure themselves.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have set up home in California after stepping down as working royals in 2020 and leaving the UK.
Mum-of-two Meghan, 40, said "there is a sentiment of despair" among many women at the ruling.
However, she said they cannot give up.
She was speaking on Sunday, two days after America's highest court overturned the landmark Roe vs Wade ruling that made abortion legal.
Terminations will be almost instantly banned in 13 US States, it has been claimed.
It is now understood 26 States in total are either eventually certain or likely to make moves to ban abortion outright.
The decision has been described as a "constitutional earthquake" that will reverberate across America for years to come.
Abortion access is expected to be cut off for about 36 million women of reproductive age.
Dozens of demonstrators this week gathered outside the US Embassy in London to protest against the decision to scrap constitutional right to abortion.
Meghan was speaking to Jessica Yellin and Gloria Steinem, both renowned feminists, during an interview for Vogue : "[Harry's] reaction last week was guttural, like mine.
"I know that for so many women right now, there is a sentiment of despair.
"But again, we have to band together and not wallow. We have to do the work."
Meghan and Ms Yellin have been friends for a couple of years and are currently formulating a plan to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified.
The Duchess went on to say the decision could create a major divide, with those with "resources" likely to travel for abortions and those without attempting "to give themselves one at tremendous risk".
She added that some pregnant women will have to resort to sourcing abortion pills from "unregulated" pharmacies.
While others who find themselves in a medical emergency "will be at the mercy of doctors and lawyers".
"What does this tell women? It tells us that our physical safety doesn’t matter, and as a result that we don’t matter. But we do," she said.
She also encouraged men to join women in the battle to safeguard abortion rights "because these are decisions that affect relationships, families and communities at large".
Meghan revealed in November 2020 that she had had a miscarriage.
The Sussexes share son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, one.
