Meghan Markle Kicks Off 2025 by Rejoining Instagram
The Duchess of Sussex shared a sweet video captured by Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle is starting the new year with a bang. On Wednesday, Jan. 1 the Duchess of Sussex rejoined Instagram under the handle @meghan.
The duchess previously shared plenty of moments from her life under @meghanmarkle, but the account was deactivated in January 2018, shortly after her engagement to Prince Harry. The Sussexes also had their own official royal Instagram account, @sussexroyal, which the duke and duchess stopped using once they stepped down as senior royals. But with the impending launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, it seems she's ready to share personal moments once again.
Her first post is a Reel that Marie Claire understands was captured by Prince Harry at a local beach near their home in Montecito, California. In the video, Meghan, dressed in all white, runs across the sand and bends down to write "2025" before giggling and heading out of the frame.
In August 2023, Marie Claire reported that the duchess was rumored to be returning to Instagram after securing the @meghan handle. However, it was unclear if the account was definitely hers, and a full year after it went up, there were no posts...until now.
The Duchess of Sussex's return to Instagram is not under the umbrella of royal titles or official duties, but rather as a private individual looking to connect with her audience in a more personal, authentic manner. The move is especially significant because of the duchess's work with the Archewell Foundation's Parents Network, which helps families who have been negatively impacted by social media.
It's understood that Meghan will be sharing personal moments in a hope to demonstrate that social media can be used as a positive tool to spread joy and connection.
As for her next Instagram post, watch this space.
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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.
Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.
Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.