Meghan Markle Explains Why Her 2025 Return to Instagram Was 'Liberating'

Meghan Markle got real about returning to social media earlier this year.

“It doesn’t feel like a drag, it feels liberating,” Meghan, 43, said during a Tuesday, June 17, appearance on the “Aspire With Emma Grede” podcast. “I have to look again, what was my intention? I came back, started the account in January of this year.”

The surprise return to Instagram has allowed Meghan to share her authentic life “on my own terms.”

The As Ever founder also joked that “it’s been a minute” since she was on social media and shared her reaction to all the “new” features.

“There were no gadgets [when I was on social media],” she explained. “You should see me sitting there trying to figure the magnet on things. I don’t have key lights and I don’t have all this business yet, but I don’t know if you need it.”

Meghan continued, “Part of it is just being able to authentically share in real time the things that are happening that I think someone might be able to laugh with or enjoy or be inspired by.”

The Duchess of Sussex made it clear that her Instagram content is not something she wants to be “overproduced” and called it “a great way to get my voice back,” seemingly alluding to her and husband Prince Harry’s departure from the royal family in 2020.

“It’s my space and my channel for joy,” Meghan continued. “That is the intention of my handle.”

Meghan initially deactivated her personal social media accounts in January 2018, months after her November 2017 engagement to Prince Harry. She started posting alongside her now-husband on the @sussexroyal Instagram account, which went dark in March 2020 following their final post.

On New Year’s Day of this year, Meghan surprised fans by reactivating her Instagram account under the handle @meghan. Her debut post was filmed by Harry, 40, and featured Meghan running on the beach and writing “2025” in the sand.

Prior to her personal account, Meghan started a business account for her lifestyle brand in 2024, which was called American Riviera Orchard at the time. The brand’s name has since been changed to As Ever.

Since her return to social media, Meghan has offered followers an inside look into her family life with Harry and their kids, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

During Tuesday’s podcast episode, Meghan also spoke candidly about going viral for her “Baby Mama” dance video posted earlier this month. The clip showed her and Harry getting their groove on ahead of Lilibet’s 2021 birth.

“It’s also a really great reminder that with all the noise or whatever people do, there’s still a whole life — a real, authentic, fun life — that’s happening behind the scenes,” she said.