Meghan Markle's social media return 'off the cards' after 'abuse and bullying'

10 March 2024 , 09:45

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Meghan Markle's social media return 'off the cards' after 'abuse and bullying'

Despite racking up more than 120,000 followers with not a single post, it doesn't look like Meghan Markle is coming back to Instagram.

The Duchess of Sussex had reportedly planned to reignite her social media presence and was "ready to roll" with her @meghan account. But now experts tell The Mirror her plans to become an influencer are very much on the back burner at the moment.

She recently delivered a speech about the cruel "bullying and abuse" she received while pregnant with her and Prince Harry's children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, detailing the relentless "toxic" trolling while a working member of the Royal Family.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle 'launches Instagram ready for comeback' and already has lots of followers

Meghan detailed online abuse she received while a working royal (Getty Images)

Meghan was thought to be reinventing herself with her own page on Instagram, away from her and Harry's now abandoned @sussexroyal account. The celebrity-style username had already attracted followers from some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including actress Julia Fox, but now she's thought to be leaving it behind, for now.

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"Will Meghan make a comeback to Instagram? Based on her recent comments, I don't think a comeback is imminent," PR expert Rhea Freeman told us. "The detrimental impact that social media can have on people from a mental health point of view, whether celebrity or not, can be huge, but looking at how other high-profile people manage their accounts, some of the tasks are delegated."

Detailing how Meghan should operate her page moving forward, to avoid a repeat of the vile abuse, Rhea suggested she should avoid using the page herself, adding: "This would be a very good idea, she doesn’t need to see the negative comments. They're not helpful or productive and she won’t change people's minds when they’re set on hating her."

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She was thought to be returning to Instagram soon (AFP via Getty Images)

Chatting exclusively to The Mirror, PR firm CEO Michelby L. Whitehead weighed in on Meghan's defunct account, revealing she might well return with an all-important message, just not as soon as we'd previously expected.

"Meghan's decision to step away from Instagram was a great decision from a public relations perspective," the publicity professional explained. "In her role as Duchess of Sussex, it is imperative to maintain her integrity and a positive public image. Responding to any negative comments would mar her public perception.

"This was also a sound decision for the sake of her mental health and the safety of the babies she carried. As an expecting mother, the Duchess chose to protect her peace and her own family, which is to be commended in an age where celebrities such as Kim Kardashian are obsessed with social media visibility, allowing co-parenting disputes and mayhem to play out in public, rather than choosing to take a social media break until situations are under control," Whitehead revealed.

Now it's thought Meghan will be staying away from Instagram (PA)

"Markle is a resilient and sharp woman. Most likely, she will return to Instagram to leverage her bad experience on social media by launching an online mental health campaign, since she is already an advocate for the cause."

Marketing agency Hollywood Branded's Stacy Jones agreed, echoing: "Given her shared feelings about the bullying nature of the social platform, any return to social media would likely be purpose-driven, focusing on positive impact, business or philanthropy rather than personal exposure. "I don't think we'll see a 'this is my life' social media page - but rather a social feed that supports all of that which she is involved in. It's harder to be a hater when subject matter that is potentially triggering is removed."

Harry Rutter