Meghan Unseen Gift: In the realm of royal gift-giving, history is adorned with eccentric offerings—polar bears, elephants, even a mahogany toilet mirror. Yet, as the saga unfolds, a subtle yet significant gift emerges, one bestowed by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, upon her sister-in-law, Kate, the Princess of Wales. According to “Finding Freedom,” Meghan presented Kate with a Smythson notebook in January 2017, intending to break the ice between them. While seemingly modest, this gift bears no songs in its honor.
Fast forward to the tempestuous Megxit, and a revelation surfaces. Meghan, inadvertently or not, left the Windsors a transformative and game-changing gift—the knowledge and acumen for navigating the complex realm of social media. As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex established their own social media presence, their approach marked a departure from the traditional, formal tone of other royal accounts. The @SussexRoyal account, created in 2019, garnered one million followers in under six hours, setting a world record at the time.
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Megxit’s aftermath witnessed the absorption of the Sussexes’ social media manager, David Watkins, into Operation Wales, the communications team for William and Kate. The influence is undeniable, with the royal couple experiencing a paradigm shift in their online presence. From formal, posed shots, their posts evolved into more personal, engaging content. The recent use of Instagram Reels, showcasing moments like William’s trip to Singapore and Kate’s role as Colonel-in-Chief, has garnered millions of views, surpassing the combined circulation of the UK’s top ten newspapers.
Meghan’s impact on the Windsors transcends mere social media success; it symbolizes a revolutionary shift in royal communication. In a world accustomed to traditional royal outings covered by the press, the direct-to-consumer model of monarchy is taking shape. Meghan’s legacy might just be that she inadvertently saved the royal day by showing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge the way to navigate the digital era. The Smythson notebook, a thoughtful gesture, pales in comparison to the profound influence Meghan has exerted on the future King and Queen’s communication strategy, securing a relevant and modern monarchy.