Meghan Markle's 2025 makeover sends a 'clear message' and she's 'reclaiming her identity'
If anyone is determined to make 2025 their year, it's the Duchess of Sussex. Despite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quitting the royal family and beginning afresh in California in order to embrace a quieter family life, the former Suits actress practically broke the internet when she made a sensational return to social media.
Following a three-year hiatus and setting the year ablaze with excitement, 43-year-old Meghan debuted a new Instagram account on New Year's Day under the handle @meghan. Featuring an endearing video of the mum-of-two dashing across the shore to scribe "2025" in the sands, it also offered an adorable twist as it emerged that her husband, Prince Harry, was the man behind the camera for this charming moment near their Montecito pad.
But the actress, who shares children Archie, five, and three year old Lilibet with hubby Harry, didn't stop there when it came to the mantra 'new year, new me' as she also revealed a major career announcement in the form of a Netflix culinary series called With Love, Meghan. Now, according to a source, Meghan's shock rebrand could be sending a very strong message - and it's one that people may not realise.
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"Meghan has been taking the past year to work on her brand and try to move on from the drama surrounding the royal family. She is still angry about how she was treated but she’s realised that the public have grown tired of them slating the royals constantly and that in order to have a long career in the media, she needs a fresh start.
"Not using her title was very important to her as she can’t be accused of cashing in on her royal connections and she wants to be known just as Meghan – it’s all part of her brand launch. She wants this to prove to Netflix bosses that she is a bankable star in her own right and she wants viewers to warm to her again."
Brand expert Denise Palmer-Davies, director of female-led PR firm Borne Media, agrees that this could very well be a move to win back the public and become a "major asset" again.
She told us: "Meghan’s relaunch of her Instagram account is a strategic move, meticulously planned over many months. It serves as a subtle yet clear message: 'I’m still here, I’m independent, and I’m not going anywhere.'
"By returning to social media, Meghan has the chance to offer a more personal glimpse into her life, making her appear more relatable and approachable. Meghan needs to shift public perception, and no platform is better suited for this than social media. Traditional face-to-face interviews just haven’t worked in enhancing her likability, but social media—if used effectively—can offer a fresh start," she continued.
It's no secret that Meghan - who also ran a lifestyle blog, The Tig, for several years - has historically struggled with her public persona and has been at the centre of many royal dramas over the years. So it's no doubt that Meghan's return to social media came as a surprise, especially as her previous personal account - that had over three million followers - was deleted after she and Prince Harry claimed they had to deal with an "almost unsurvivable" amount of abuse.
But in just a matter of days of her new account being made public, the royal saw her follower tally soar, with the numbers hitting way above the one million mark. And with her latest TV venture, even more doors could be opening.
Giving fans a glimpse of what's to come, Meghan revealed the trailer for her new series that is spread over eight episodes, and features the Duchess as both the host and an executive producer. The show will delve into cooking, gardening, flower shopping, beekeeping and baking with pals, who so far include celebs like Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, and Delfina Blaquier. Prince Harry also makes a very brief cameo in the trailer, suggesting he could be popping up at some point during the Netflix series, which lands later this month.
This wouldn't be the first time Meghan - or Harry for that matter - have been in front of cameras as the couple have pursued a number of avenues since their departure from royal life, including creating content for podcasts with Spotify and documentaries for Netflix which have focused on their personal and charitable interests.
While their self-titled series was released in December 2022, other works have included Live to Lead, a series released on New Year's Eve 2022, the Heart Of Invictus, which was released last year, and an adaption of Meet Me at the Lake.
But one thing's for sure, according to expert Denise, although a team will be helping behind the scenes, Meghan is very much at the forefront of her brand makeover. In fact, she's thought to be on a solo mission and steering her own ship.
"This also marks a significant step in Meghan asserting her independence. Past projects with Harry haven’t always resonated with audiences, and this new chapter seems focused on reclaiming the identity she had before their marriage—and her work on her Riviera Orchard brand, gave a subtle nod to the fact she can and will embark on solo work and initiatives without Harry constantly in the picture," she explained.
In the days leading up to her announcement, Meghan had been keeping a relatively low profile recently, attending a handful of events without her husband. But behind-the-scenes it appeared to be a much different matter.
"Ultimately, this relaunch is an opportunity for Meghan to reposition herself, reconnect with the public, and showcase her individuality. If done in the right way it could help turn things around for Meghan’s public persona," Denise said.
