The British royalists were already riled up about the Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram account, and then they completely lost their sh-t when Netflix dropped the trailer for Meghan’s show. The past week has been a real vibe – Sussex fans have been incandescent with happiness that the Sussexes will be extremely visible this year. It’s my hope that Meghan remains active on Instagram throughout the year too – I hope she posts more in the coming weeks, previews of the Netflix show or behind-the-scenes photos or maybe an announcement of a forthcoming cookbook?? But some people were wondering what’s changed, and why Meghan feels comfortable coming back on social media NOW, with so many social media platforms turning into Nazi cesspools. As it turns out, Meghan and Harry actually sat down with senior executives at Meta:
The [Archewell] spokesperson said the duchess intends to use the new account to share updates on her work and personal life, and hopes she can “lead by example to show the positive impact that social media can create”.
The couple said the duchess has in recent years held “constructive conversations” with senior executives at Meta about “creating safer and healthier online environments”, the spokesperson added.
In 2023, she and Harry urged social media platforms to strengthen content-moderation policies, saying that some apps could damage the mental health of young people.
Meghan now wishes to promote “a joyful and thoughtful approach to online engagement – one that fosters meaningful connections and inspires positivity in today’s digital space”, according to the spokesperson.
They added: “While there is still work to be done, she feels confident that by returning to Instagram, she can amplify the progress made so far and lead by example in demonstrating the potential for social media to bring joy and positive connection. By stepping back into this space, the duchess hopes to authentically share moments of joy and inspiration from her life while continuing to advocate for safer, more positive online experiences-particularly for young people and families.”
This might be an unpopular theory, but Meghan’s “solution” of turning off her Instagram comments has been around for a while, so she could have been promoting her projects and bringing joy for years already. So why the delay? It’s not like Meta promised her anything specific, it’s not like her account is different from anyone else’s account. I think she came back to Instagram specifically to promote her Netflix show, and the timing suggests that this might have even been something Netflix encouraged/ordered.
Photos courtesy of Meghan’s IG, Cover Images.
