Meghan Markle is kicking off the new year with a new Instagram account, returning to the social media platform after a five year absence, and racking up almost a million followers in the first day of her return.
The account, given the simple handle @meghan, has two posts as of Thursday – her first post, a black and white video shared on New Year’s Day, shows the Duchess of Sussex, 43, running on a beach toward the ocean, before pausing to write “2025” in the sand with her finger.
People reports her husband, Prince Harry, shot the video.
Eagle-eyed followers, however, spotted evidence that the video was likely filmed multiple times, which is relatable for anyone who’s attempted to capture content for the platform before.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
As Markle jogs toward the water in a white button-up shirt and white jeans, fans noticed the year “2025” already written in the sand in one spot, suggesting the video took at least two takes to capture.
As Meghan Markle jogs toward the ocean, a previous “2025” can be seen already written in the sand.
@meghan / Instagram
Markle and Harry, the Duke of Sussex, were married in 2018, and were initially part of @KensingtonRoyal, which also included Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales. But a year later, Meghan and Harry launched their own account, @SussexRoyal, a sign of their growing distance from the royal family.
@SussexRoyal was discontinued in 2020, around the time that Meghan and Harry announced they were stepping back from their official roles.
In the past, the couple has shared their hesitancy to return to social media with personal profiles, citing the harassment they’ve been subjected to in the past. Just last year, they urged social media platforms to strengthen content-moderation policies, saying that some apps could damage the mental health of young people.
FILE – Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards in London on March 5, 2020.
Kristy Wigglesworth / The Associated Press
However, Vanity Fair reports Markle met with executives at Meta, Instagram’s parent company, to discuss safety and creating healthier online experiences before launching her new account.
Prior to joining the Royal Family, Markle had approximately millions of Instagram followers on her own account, which she shuttered four months before marrying Harry in 2018. She also shut down her popular blog, The Tig, in 2017.
In her second video, posted Thursday, Markle teased her upcoming lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which is set to premiere later this month.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
