Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Ever Have a Twitter Account?
Thus far, the Sussexes have stayed away from the platform.


In 2018, as things were getting serious with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle closed down her personal Twitter and Instagram. But that hasn't stopped trolls. After the trolling and criticism against the British royal family and specifically Meghan reached particularly high levels, Kensington Palace took the unprecedented step of establishing a new code of conduct for interacting with the royals on social media earlier this year.
Explicitly, these new rules state that no one will “be defamatory of any person, deceive others, be obscene, offensive, threatening, abusive, hateful, inflammatory or promote sexually explicit material or violence.” Nor are they allowed to “promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.” It's a big step—and one that seems necessary, given that Twitter has struggled with trolls in the past and is only now beginning to catch up.
Earlier this year, Harry and Meghan started an account on Instagram, but noticeably stayed away from Twitter entirely. Will that always be the case, or are there plans to eventually expand to the platform now that the Royal Family has new measures in place?
Speaking on a discussion panel in March, Meghan said she's off social media entirely. "I don't read anything, it's much safer that way,” she said. “But equally that's just my own personal preference, because I think positive or negative, it can all start to just feel like noise to a certain extent these days." We know that Prince Harry used to have secret social media accounts, and it is rumored that he does sometimes read the news—which is one of the reasons why the Sussexes prioritize their security online. The Sussexes even sued Splash News after they took intrusive helicopter pictures of the couple's Oxfordshire home and sold them to online publications.
This is the account where they post all official photos (like Archie's christening!) and notices about engagements:
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)
A photo posted by on
And there's been speculation that Meghan does, occasionally, post comments as herself (although officially the account won't ever specify). When the account wishes other royals congrats or happy birthday, emojis are sometimes used. And eagle-eyed fans have also spotted that sometimes the spelling on posts will be American English, sometime British English.
But royal reporter Omid Scobie says that there are still no plans for the Sussexes to open a Twitter account. According to him, they feel more "protected" (especially now that they're parents) on Instagram, which has a robust system to combat trolls and is working to make it even stronger.
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There are still no plans for the Sussexes to open a Twitter account and, tbh, I don’t think they need to right now. With better cyberbullying measures in place, I can understand why they feel more protected being #OnlyOnInstragram — especially when baby photos are concerned.May 12, 2019
That seems like a pretty big choice for the Sussexes to make, and it makes sense—they're very focused on their security.
Their foundation may have a Twitter—but no word yet.
The Sussexes just announced their Sussex Royal foundation (which is the same title as their Instagram, so it's VERY on-brand). This may be a way for them to engage on the platform in a less personal way, although it won't stop trolls and might force them to make liberal use of the mute button.
Furthermore, the Kate Middleton and Prince William/formerly Fab Four charity The Royal Foundation didn't have its own Twitter. The Cambridges would just post Royal Foundation updates on the Kensington Royal Twitter:
The Royal Foundation unites people to help tackle society's biggest challenges, including mental health, the armed forces, wildlife and young people. Find out more: https://t.co/Lue4pJy8HQFebruary 28, 2018
So the Sussexes may stay away from Twitter entirely for now, but as the Sussex foundation begins to get off the ground, there may be a flurry of new social media activity. TBD.
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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.
Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.
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