(Left) Meghan Markle at the Paley Gala honoring Tyler Perry on Dec. 4, 2024 in Los Angeles; (Right) Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, King Charles and Queen Camilla at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.Photo:Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty
On Jan. 1, the Duchess of Sussex, 43,unveiled a verified Instagram accountwith the handle@meghanand has amassed 1.4 million followers in the week since. After almost five years away from social media, a source says Meghan is “excited” to make her Instagram comeback, where she plans to spread “joy” and share updates on her latest projects.
While several members of the British royal family also maintain a presence on the platform, none of those accounts have followed Meghan’s profile so far.Prince Harryand Meghan’s relationship with the royal familyremains strained. Last summer, insiders revealed to PEOPLE that Harry’s attempts to reach out to his father,King Charles, and his brother,Prince William,went unanswered.
Neither Charles andQueen Camilla’s@theroyalfamilyhandle nor William andKate Middleton’s@princeandprincessofwalesprofile have clicked to follow @meghan, but both official accounts still follow the@sussexroyalpage that Meghan and Harry once maintained.
Royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.Benjamin Cremel/AFP/Getty
Benjamin Cremel/AFP/Getty
Princess EugenieandEdoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who is married to Eugenie’s sister,Princess Beatrice, also both follow @sussexroyal, but not the @meghan account. Eugenie, who also doesn’t appear to follow her brother-in-law on Instagram, has remained on close terms with the Sussexes since they stepped back from their royal roles in 2020.
Fellow family membersSarah FergusonandMike Tindall, meanwhile, do not follow @sussexroyal or @meghan, and Princess Beatrice doesn’t have a public Instagram account.
King Charles leads the royals out of St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham on Dec. 25, 2024.Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty
Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty
The account stopped being updated in March 2020 after Prince Harry and Meghan announced their step back from their royal roles, and the page’sfinal postfeatured a farewell letter from the couple.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s post on the @SussexRoyal Instagram on March 30, 2020.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex/Instagram
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex/Instagram
“As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile,” began the caption of the post shared on March 30, 2020, two weeks after the COVID pandemic began. “Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise.”
“What’s most important right now is the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic. As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute,” it said. “While you may not see us here, the work continues.”
The message thanked “this community” for “the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world,” which was the same text repeated on the navy blue slide of the Instagram post itself, under theirjoint cypher.
“We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another,” closed the post, signed “Harry and Meghan.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Bogota, Colombia on Aug. 15, 2024.RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty
RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty
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The account with nine millions followers has been dark since, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to her home state of California that summer with their sonPrince Archie, now 5. The family expanded when Harry and Meghan welcomed daughterPrincess Lilibet, now 3, in June 2021, and the couple are raising their kids outside of the limelight in Montecito.
Meghan made a splash on New Year’s Day when she debuted her @meghan Instagram handle, taking her back to the popular platform for the first time in nearly five years after @sussexroyal shuttered. Before she met and later married Prince Harry, Meghan also maintained personal Instagram and Twitter (now known as X) accounts, which sheclosed in 2018a few months before their royal wedding that May.
On Jan. 2, Meghan shared theofficial trailerfor her upcoming lifestyle seriesWith Love, Meghan, which premieres on Netflix on Jan. 15, along with her first message on the new Instagram.
“I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it. Wishing you all a fantastic new year! Thanks to our amazing crew and the team@netflix. Beyond grateful for the support - and fun!” she wrote below the video. “As ever, Meghan.”
source: people.com