Why Princess Eugenie Has Instagram and Meghan Markle Does Not

When Meghan Markle was revealed to be dating Prince Harry, two things eventually happened — the now-Duchess of Sussex deleted her Instagram account and shuttered her lifestyle blog, The Tig.

After her engagement to Prince Harry was announced in November 2017, she deleted her Instagram account this past January. She also shuttered The Tig, effectively closing the chapter on sharing her life online on her own terms.

While Markle no longer has her own social media account, much like most of the royal family, there is one royal who does — Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie.

Eugenie launched her Instagram, @princesseugenie, in March of this year, and has used the platform to promote causes she’s passionate about, as well as share plenty of adorable throwback shots.

On Mother’s Day, Eugenie shared a vintage snap of herself with sister Beatrice and mom Sarah Ferguson, writing, “Happy Mother’s Day to my legend of a mother. [Sarah Ferguson] And to all mothers on this special day!”

She also posted a throwback photo of herself and Beatrice on Easter, with the pair posing in matching bonnets.

“Happy Easter from the York sisters! Celebrating Easter in a bonnet since 1992…,” she wrote.

While it might seem odd that Eugenie has an account while Markle does not, it seems there’s actually a reason for the allowance.

Both Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, who are considered princesses of the blood, are not working royals, as evidenced by the fact that they are not featured on the royal family’s royal.uk website.

Eugenie serves as an art director at a gallery and works full-time, as does her sister, with the two spending their days working rather than fulfilling royal engagements in an official capacity like Markle, Harry and the rest of the family.

Markle is considered a working royal, and has already begun attending events with Harry and has her own page on the family’s website.

While the Duchess no longer has her own Instagram account, her activities are shared by the royal family’s accounts, @RoyalFamily and @KensingtonRoyal, the latter of which focuses on Markle, Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton and their foundation, which is based at Kensington Palace.

In addition to her charity work, Eugenie has also shared a few personal posts on her Instagram, including one shot of herself in a wedding as a child, writing that she has now begun planning her own wedding.

Eugenie’s engagement to boyfriend Jack Brooksbank was announced in May, with the royal family’s Twitter account sharing that pair, who started dating in 2010, became engaged in Nicaragua earlier that month. They are scheduled to wed in the fall at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same spot Markle and Harry recently tied the knot.

Photo Credit: Getty / Pool / Max Mumby