Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Made One Final Change to Their Instagram Before Shutting It Down
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may have said goodbye to their Instagram account, but not without one last change.
The couple shared the final post on their joint @SussexRoyal Instagram page on Monday — one day before they officially stepped down from their roles as senior members of the royal family. But one day later, they made a change to who they follow.
Last year, they started the practice of following just one Instagram page per month to highlight accounts that inspire. In March, they followed @tanksgoodnews, which promotes positivity with a hint of humor.
Even though they announced the end of their Instagram account on March 31, they kept up with their monthly tradition and made new picks for the month of April on Wednesday.
They are now following three accounts: their picks for January (@goodnews_movement), February (GlobalPositiveNews) and March (@tanksgoodnews). All three accounts share uplifting and positive news stories from around the world.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Good News Movement founder Michelle Figueroa previously told PEOPLE that she “wasn’t notified in advance” that her Instagram account would be featured — it “came as a pleasant surprise” — and she hasn’t heard from Meghan, Harry or their staff.
“I am immensely grateful they featured and followed me and sent them a thank you note,” she adds. “I respect their privacy as a family as they are plenty busy. Should our paths cross in the future, that would be terrific.”
A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 30, 2020 at 9:17am PDT
Meghan, 38, and Prince Harry, 35, will no longer use Instagram under the @SussexRoyal handle or update their website, SussexRoyal.com. Although they will be inactive, “both the Instagram account and website will remain in existence online for the foreseeable future,” a spokesperson for the couple stated on Monday.
In a caption on their final Instagram post, the couple wrote: “As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile. Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise.”
“As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute,” they added. “While you may not see us here, the work continues.”
They signed the post with just their first names: “Harry and Meghan.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
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The pair launched @SussexRoyal exactly one year ago — April 2, 2019 — marking one of the first steps in establishing a separate office from Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Meghan and Harry “will spend the next few months focusing on their family and continuing to do what they can, safely and privately, to support and work with their pre-existing charitable commitments while developing their future non-profit organisation,” the spokesperson said.
Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie
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Meghan and Harry moved from the home they were staying in on Vancouver Island and are now settled in the U.S., a source tells PEOPLE. They are in Los Angeles — Meghan’s hometown — with son Archie, who will celebrate his first birthday on May 6. They have been living in a secluded compound and haven’t ventured out amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite all the uncertainty surrounding global events, “they are positive about the future,” a royal source tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “It is exciting for them to mark the end of the transition and the official start of their new chapter.”
