Meghan Markle’s return to Instagram as @meghan has generated significant attention, with over 100,000 followers in a day. This move aims to enhance her public image and create new income opportunities amid recent setbacks for her and Prince Harry. Notable failures include the cancellation of her Spotify podcast, a lackluster Netflix documentary, and ongoing trademark disputes related to her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Experts view her Instagram presence as a chance to reclaim her narrative and connect with audiences, while also highlighting the risks tied to their expiring media contracts. The couple’s future in Hollywood remains uncertain.
Meghan’s return to Instagram has sparked international intrigue and debate as the Duchess of Sussex embarks on a calculated effort to restore her public image and secure new sources of income.
Using her new handle @meghan, she has already gained over 100,000 followers in a day.
However, the move is seen by many as an attempt to recover from a series of setbacks that have plagued her and Prince Harry’s brands in recent months.
The past two years have been marked by notable missteps, including the cancellation of Meghan Markle’s much-touted Spotify podcast Archetypes due to a lack of impactful content, and it’s been a difficult year for the Sussexes. It is reported that it happened.
Their joint Netflix documentary, Heart of Invictus, focused on Prince Harry’s beloved Invictus Games, but it failed to generate the buzz expected from the multi-million dollar deal.
Perhaps most notable was the failure of the Netflix project Polo, a documentary series chronicling Harry’s polo career. There, they inexplicably only appeared towards the end, much to the dismay of viewers.
Additionally, Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, once envisioned as a cornerstone of her post-royal business, has been embroiled in a trademark dispute that has seen no concrete progress. It remains unresolved.
These hurdles have made their future in Hollywood uncertain, especially as their contract with Netflix approaches expiration in 2025.
In March 2021, the Sussexes appeared on Oprah in the wake of Megxit, claiming that some members of the royal family had questioned “how dark” their child’s skin would be when he was born. did.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle before abandoning Britain and the royal family and moving to California in 2018.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams sees Meghan’s return to Instagram as a vital part of a broader strategy to regain control of her own narrative while reigniting interest in the Sussexes. “Meghan and Prince Harry have been forced to suspend their use of the @sussexroyal account.”
“They launched the service in 2019 and gained 1 million followers in record time. She shut down her personal Instagram account before her wedding and went on to lead a successful life. Her style blog “The Tig” has also been shut down.
Fitzwilliams also links Meghan’s reemergence on social media to ambitious branding efforts, including an upcoming Netflix cooking series and further ventures under the American Riviera Orchard brand: “Meghan’s intention is to look relaxed and confident, and above all, to look relaxed and confident, symbolizing the freedom they claim they have found,” he said. observes.
“At the moment, interest in the Sussex brand remains very high.”
But Mr Fitzwilliams warned that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are entering a make-or-break period with their current media contracts coming to an end.
“If the multi-million dollar Netflix contract isn’t extended this year, it will be a disaster for them,” he points out.
‘Polo’ is Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s third documentary that has disappointed both viewers and critics.
Prince Harry was photographed playing polo at an event in Florida in April 2024.
Duchess Meghan asked US authorities for more time to get her lifestyle brand back on track
This makes Meghan’s digital relaunch even more high-stakes as the couple looks to prove their lasting importance in the competitive world of Hollywood.
Meanwhile, brand and culture expert Nick Ehde sees Meghan’s return to Instagram as an opportunity to re-establish credibility and connect with fans. “Meghan is back on social media and this is a great way to share her truth.”
“She will see 2025 as a year to reinvent herself and own who she is. Using social media as a platform to express her individuality and own her story. That’s a positive step for her.”
Meghan Markle’s Instagram debut – a video reportedly shot by Prince Harry – projects an image of ease and confidence.
With the beautiful backdrop of Montecito beach, Meghan playfully frolics in the sand, carving ‘2025’ into the sand with dramatic flourishes.
But Fitzwilliams remains skeptical. “As Meghan writes 2025 in the sand, she knows there will be noon when her contract with Netflix expires this year. If the contract is not extended, it will be a disaster for Meghan. Dew.”
Ehde, on the other hand, claimed that Meghan was simply positioning herself as a Hollywood celebrity rather than a former royal.
“She leverages her platform like a social media star and this is where she belongs. She is one of many people who has a platform and can create content and make money. I am one of them.
The Duke of Sussex laughed off rumors about his separation from Duchess Meghan on stage at the New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 in New York on December 4.
Many of her celebrity friends have sampled this jam, including Kris Jenner
For Meghan, the stakes could not be higher, but the rewards could be immense. Experts suggest her Instagram presence could open the door to lucrative sponsorship deals and partnerships with global brands.
Hollywood celebrities including Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen and Mindy Kaling already follow her account, highlighting the potential for high-profile collaborations.
Meghan’s journey to Instagram reflects her evolution from actress and blogger to duchess and now media personality.
Before her royal marriage, she maintained a presence on social media and wrote a lifestyle blog, The Tig, which focused on food, fashion, and travel. The closure ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry symbolized her transition to royal life, where she abandoned personal projects to focus on palace duties.
Meghan, who currently has no formal relationship with the royal family, appears ready to reclaim the space she once occupied.
Ehde believes Meghan’s return to Instagram will give her an opportunity to develop authenticity, a quality needed to rebuild trust with both fans and critics.
“She doesn’t hide behind a PR spin or a brand narrative. She is who she is, and this is something that is important to her in the eyes of consumers, fans, and even people who don’t really care about her. “It could be a great way to build her visibility and credibility,” he said.
Still, questions remain. Mr Fitzwilliams stressed that the Sussexes’ track record of polarizing decisions continues to haunt them, saying: “They have launched a series of brutal attacks against the royal family, and their links to the royal family have been challenged. It is impossible to erase the memory of the ruthless way in which we shamelessly exploited the United Nations to get to where we are today.” ”