Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'Sussex Royal' may revamp the way British royalty communicates with the masses
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have opened their lives to social media scrutiny by launching their Instagram page and this move is their first to show that they can make their own rules.
Harry and Meghan’s official Instagram account SussexRoyals have created new records of sorts since they amassed more than 1 million followers within six hours of launching the account. Now the Royals are out in the open, giving a clear indication to the world that they will not remain hidden behind palace walls.
Their first post reads : 'Welcome to our official Instagram; we look forward to sharing the work that drives us, the causes we support, important announcements, and the opportunity to shine a light on key issues. We thank you for your support, and welcome you to @sussexroyal.”- Harry & Meghan”'
The post reflects the same through various slides that each of the two is involved in. It has been two days since the launch of the social account which boasts of more than 3.1 million followers and the Duke of Sussex is already at work creating content for his Insta posts. The second post in the account talks in detail about mental health and Harry's association in smashing the stigma around mental health.
Acts like these were once completely unheard of in the royal household but times are changing for sure. This move also comes right after Harry and Meghan got permission to split their household from the Kensington Palace. Although rumors say that Harry and Meghan wanted to move away and work independently, the request was dismissed by the Queen, who thought it fit to have them within the palace jurisdiction, and finally allowed them to function out of Buckingham Palace.
This could mean a lot of things for the Royals, for starters definitely a lot of packing and unpacking, secondly setting up two different offices that could cater to the individual needs of the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, and also we would be able to see a lot of diversity within the household. So a dedicated Instagram account fits right into the jigsaw puzzle.
Some might see this move as a rift between the royal household, a possible Meghan effect but it could also be a prudent move to widen their scope of work and use a different approach to connect with the larger audience. It could also help in building more collaborative bridges for a better world. We exactly do not know how the tides would turn but it definitely indicates a shift from the usual cultural tenor of the royalty.
While the snoopers and the babblers of the world are always on the lookout for some juicy breakout in the royal household, it cannot be denied that Meghan has on various occasions drifted away from royal protocol and has been able to create her own niche. Meghan used her flamboyant charisma, diction, and empathy towards the social issues in which she is invested in. It would be worthwhile to watch how the SussexRoyal uses Instagram after the split to communicate boldly with the world and still be clandestine about their domestic affairs. Their followers are already expecting baby news updates on the account and getting a closer look at parents-to-be.
While the world is still jittery about Harry and Meghan's decision to split their work, an Instagram debut makes it very clear on how Meghan and Harry want to play by their own rules.