Meghan Markle has returned to Instagram after nearly five years, launching a verified account (@meghan) on January 1. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has already gained 1.4 million followers, with friends and supporters celebrating her comeback.
A source said to PEOPLE that Meghan is “excited” to use the platform to share updates on her projects and spread positivity.
Despite Meghan’s return to Instagram with her new account, @meghan, no members of the British royal family have followed her profile.
The strained relationship between Prince Harry, Meghan, and the royal family continues, with insiders revealing that Harry’s past attempts to contact King Charles and Prince William went unanswered.
Official royal accounts like @theroyalfamily and @princeandprincessofwales still follow the inactive @sussexroyal account once managed by Harry and Meghan.
Princess Eugenie and her brother-in-law, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, both follow Meghan and Harry’s inactive @sussexroyal account but not Meghan’s new @meghan profile. Eugenie, known for her close relationship with the Sussexes since their 2020 royal exit, also does not follow her brother-in-law on Instagram.
Other royal family members, including Sarah Ferguson, Mike Tindall, and Princess Beatrice—who lacks a public account—do not follow either profile.
Unlike senior royals, Eugenie, Edoardo, Sarah, and Mike are not full-time working royals and instead focus on private careers, often sharing updates about their work and personal lives on Instagram. Fellow royal family members are believed to manage their own social media accounts.
The now-inactive @sussexroyal account once showcased the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s official royal work. Occasionally, the couple personally shared messages on the page, offering a more intimate connection for their followers.
The @sussexroyal Instagram account stopped being updated in March 2020 after the couple stepped back from their royal roles. Its final post featured a farewell letter from the Duke and Duchess.
“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 final message on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s @sussexroyal account thanked their followers for their support and inspiration.
“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.”
