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Up to 103,000 fans are following the Duchess of Sussex’s expected return on Instagram, eagerly awaiting her first post.
Meghan, 42, is set to return to the photo-sharing app after stepping down in 2020.
She’s been teasing her comeback for months, but the news that the handle @meghan belonged to her created a frenzy of followers despite the empty account without a single message.
Experts predict Meghan could earn $1m (£790,000) per post as “an absolute minimum”. They also predict that the launch of her account could see her become one of the ten highest paid influencers in the world.
It comes as a source close to Meghan’s team confirmed to the Mail on Sunday that an account with the username @meghan was hers and that she “expects an announcement very soon”.
The account, which contains no bio information, was created in June last year and features a profile picture of pink dahlias.
102,000 eager fans are following the Duchess of Sussex’s long-awaited return to Instagram, eagerly awaiting her first post.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex takes part in a Gender Equality Roundtable with the Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle on October 25, 2019 in Windsor.
Meghan, 42, is set to return to the photo-sharing app, after stepping down in 2020. In 2019, she and Harry sparked controversy when they launched their @sussexroyal Instagram account .
US gossip site Page Six reported that it was set up last year, but the Duchess decided to focus on her Archetypes podcast series with Spotify instead.
Now, having just signed with Hollywood agency WME, she is said to be in talks to promote major brands when relaunching the account.
‘Do you want to know a secret?’ the Duchess told The Cut magazine last year. “I’m coming back… to Instagram.”
It’s unclear how Meghan was able to get her unique username, as Instagram guidelines state that IDs are assigned on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. A single-name ID like @meghan is rare, with most users having to include last names and numbers to find IDs that haven’t already been taken.
It’s also not known if the handle was owned by a previous user, but celebrities can buy an Instagram name.
The account shows that the username has been changed once since it was created.
In 2019, the royal couple sparked controversy when they launched their @sussexroyal Instagram account.
Football fan Kevin Keiley, from West Sussex, had been using the handle for around three years, creating it because he was a Reading FC fan – nicknamed The Royals – and was originally from Sussex.
But he said it was ‘stolen’ from him and given Instagram said his ID was leaked because the account was inactive, but Mr Keiley said no one contacted him about it .
Akshay Makadiya, founder of digital marketing agency RankLane, said: “Celebrities often have an easier time getting specific usernames on platforms like Instagram. Given her worldwide fame, there are several methods by which Meghan could have gained control.
“The handle could have been used by another person of the same name or for other purposes. Meghan’s team could have contacted the original user and negotiated a transfer.
“It could involve a financial transaction. Or if the account was inactive or perceived as “squatting” (keeping a username with no real use, including with the intention of profiting from it later), Instagram’s policies might have made it easier to disclose to Meghan.
Harry and Meghan stopped posting on @sussexroyal in March 2020, after leaving the royal family. The account remains available to view as a reminder of their past life.
An old Instagram post from Meghan Markle’s old account with her friend and actress Janina Gavankar. Experts believe Meghan could commission $1 million per post
Social media marketing experts believe Meghan could quickly become one of the highest paid influencers in the world thanks to this new account.
The Duchess also had an account under the handle @meghanmarkle before marrying Harry, but that no longer exists.
She posted selfies, clips from her time on US TV show Suits and holiday snaps, and had an official blue tick with three million followers.
A source told the Mail on Sunday: “Everyone in Hollywood is talking about the impending relaunch. Meghan has never made a secret of her intention to return to Instagram.
Social media expert Eric Schiffer said: ‘I don’t think Meghan returning to Instagram will come as a surprise to anyone. She has a new talent manager and that’s the next logical step. You have celebrities like the Kardashians who can earn $1 million and more for a single post promoting a product. There’s no reason Meghan can’t earn that kind of honorarium.
A representative of the Duchess has been contacted for comment