Meghan Markle Returns To Instagram After Five Years, Sparking Mixed Reactions

Meghan Markle, formerly the Duchess of Sussex, has made a return to Instagram after a five-year pause. Under the handle @meghan, she posted a video drawing "2025" in the sand at a beach, signaling new beginnings. The Hollywood Reporter described this move as her first solo venture since stepping away from royal life, and the post has already sparked significant attention on her social media post.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (@meghan)

The Royal Family: Before & After

Meghan’s return to Instagram comes after stepping away from social media following her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. Before becoming a Duchess, Meghan attained a significant online presence with over 3 million Instagram followers and a precious lifestyle blog, The Tig. Both were shut down in the lead-up to their royal wedding.

"It was a big adjustment—a huge adjustment to go from that kind of autonomy to a different life," Meghan shared in an interview with The Cut. She also highlighted the strict protocols for royal family members: “There's literally a structure by which if you want to release photos of your child, as a member of the family, you first have to give them to the Royal Rota.”

Now living a more independent life in California, Meghan and Harry share two children: 5-year-old Prince Archie and 3-year-old Princess Lilibet. Their family dynamic has become a cornerstone of their post-royal narrative, as they navigate life on their own terms.

Mixed Reactions from the Public

However, not unexpectedly, Meghan’s comeback has been met with mixed reactions from netizens. While some applaud her simplicity and the potential for a fresh start, others remain critical.

Many have expressed skepticism, questioning whether this return is about a genuine connection or a calculated effort to reshape her public image post-royalty. The tension between her intentions and public perception has reignited fusses around genuineness in the social media era.

Balancing Advocacy and Public Persona

Critics argue that Meghan’s history of media ventures, including the Archewell Foundation, lends itself to strategic publicity moves. What they claim is that Instagram’s curated character could mask her true intentions, framing this as another effort to manage one’s public persona.

On the other hand, her supporters see this as an opportunity for former Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle to directly connect with fans and resurrect the advocacy work she endorsed before her royal days, such as with her former blog The Tig. 

Navigating the Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

Meghan’s return also is a perfect highlight of broader discussions about the challenges public figures could face in today’s digital age. For such public figures, Social media serves as a bridge to connect with their audiences but also invites pitiless scrutiny. 

For Meghan Markle, this reemergence defines both a fresh chapter and a tender balancing act, navigating subjective expression while fulfilling the public's high expectations.

Whether this marks a transformative new phase or fuels ongoing discourse about the Sussexes, Meghan’s Instagram presence is already confirming its significance for discussion among many, touching on themes such as privacy, branding, and authenticity in an ever-hyper-connected world.