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Meghan Markle has officially returned to Instagram. On January 1, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, marked the start of 2025 by launching a new account under the handle @meghan. Long rumored to belong to her, Meghan confirmed it with her first post — a simple yet symbolic video of her running on a beach near her Montecito, California home. Dressed in all white, she playfully wrote "2025" in the sand before disappearing off-camera. People confirms that the unfiltered video was filmed by her husband, Prince Harry.
The @meghan account also debuted a black-and-white profile photo of Meghan smiling, dressed in another elegant white outfit. Her return to social media comes with a clear intention: reconnecting with global communities and sharing updates on her ongoing projects. According to People, Meghan hopes to lead by example, showcasing the potential of social media as a platform for positivity and connection.
Meghan's Instagram return has been anticipated for years. In a 2022 interview with The Cut, she teased her comeback, saying, "Do you want to know a secret? I'm getting back... on Instagram." Although she later expressed doubts, Meghan has a history of thriving on social media. Before marrying Prince Harry in 2018, she amassed 3 million followers on her personal Instagram and ran a popular lifestyle blog, The Tig, which she shut down in 2017 before her engagement.
As a member of the royal family, Meghan faced significant changes to her online presence. Royal protocols required her and Harry to share updates through the @KensingtonRoyal account, which they managed alongside Prince William and Kate Middleton. This arrangement came with strict guidelines, including the expectation to share family photos with the U.K.'s Royal Rota media pool first — a rule Meghan questioned.
In 2019, shortly before the birth of their son, Archie, Meghan and Harry launched their own Instagram account, @SussexRoyal, which gained over one million followers within six hours. The page offered a personal touch to their royal work, but the couple stepped back from using it in early 2020 after their decision to leave royal duties.
Since then, Meghan and Harry have focused on their Archewell Foundation, which encompasses philanthropic initiatives, audio projects, and productions. With her new Instagram account, Meghan signals a fresh chapter, aiming to use her platform to inspire and foster meaningful connections worldwide.
