Prince William and Kate Middleton Hire Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Former Social Media Manager

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their last Sussex Royal post in March. David Watkins, who managed it for them, is now working with the Cambridges.

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Ireland - Day One
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo)
  • Meghan Markle and Prince Harry posted their last social media post from their Sussex Royal Instagram account at the end of March.
  • David Watkins, who managed it for them, is now working with Kate Middleton and Prince William.
  • Aside from the very occasional snafu (like having to delete a post) Watkins' work was fun, funny, personable, and meaningful—a good representation of the work the Sussexes were trying to do.

David Watkins, all of 27 years old, used to be digital communications lead when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were senior royals. The Sussex Royal account shut down at the end of March, and more information is coming about Harry and Meghan's new venture Archewell. But in the meantime, according to Watkins' LinkedIn and reported by People, he's been scooped up by Kate Middleton and Prince William to manage their social accounts now.

First of all, wow—having that kind of responsibility and public-facing job at 27? I might die. Second of all, Watkins clearly did a fabulous job, considering that the (now defunct) Sussex Royal account has 11.3 million followers—it had allllmost caught up to the Kensington Royal account, which has 11.5 million. There was a conspiracy theory roaming about the Internets that Meghan was managing the account herself, and indeed it seemed as though both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were actively involved. Some of the birthday wishes and personal messages appeared to come directly from them.

Overall, the account was as personal as any royal account, with the obvious focus on charitable work. But there were fake text message conversationsinteractive, participatory posts with followers, and the occasional glimpse of Archie. I can totally understand how Kate and William would want to emulate or at least be inspired by the personable style, especially since William, as future king, has engaged and will continue to engage directly with the public. 

I don't know when Watkins started working with the Cambridges exactly, but I've already started to notice a slightly more casual tone in their posts (plus emojis!):

I mean, and that Clap for Our Carers George/Charlotte/Louis post was absolutely inspired:

So watch that account, is what I'm saying.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York TimesParentsInStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLEHarper’s BazaarSeventeenGood Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeanshow sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.